Wim T. Schippers

Wim T. Schippers (b. 1942) dubs the voices of many lead characters on Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street, most notably Ernie & Kermit the Frog, & he has also been heard in the Dutch dub of The Animal Show. Schippers is a popular Dutch comedian, best known for his particularly high voice. He is also an artist & a writer, & he hosted the Nationale wetenschapsquiz (National Science Quiz) from 1995 to 2002.

Schippers has been dubbing Ernie since the debut Sesamstraat season back in 1976, with Paul Haenen dubbing the Bert voice. The Dutch Bert & Ernie are extremely popular. Jim Henson was so impressed by Haenen & Schippers' performances that they are the only Bert & Ernie in the world who are allowed to write their own material. The duo have recorded a whole series of self-written Bert & Ernie record albums, and they also appear as Bert & Ernie in interviews.

Wim T. Schippers made a guest appearance on Sesamstraat in the 25th season, as 1 of the celebrities reading a bedtime story. He also hosted the 25th anniversary New Year's Eve special Sesamstraat In Paradiso.

In the 1990s, he performed Kermit (as a voiceover) in "Indoor Groceries" interviews with Tommie, who had to find three objects beginning with the same letter of the alphabet. He supplied Ernie's voice, also, in four sketches, in which Ernie asked Tommie to play outside, but with a shadow puppet used for Ernie's silhouette. In the beginning, Schippers' Ernie voice was an imitation of Jim Henson's Ernie. In later seasons, when the American sketches became a little more fast-paced, his voice grew a lot higher & more energetic.

Schippers, in November of 2008 announced in De Wereld Draait Door (a Dutch television magazine) that there will be new Bert & Ernie CDs available soon with new songs, introductions & sketches. Another CD that's in progress will be filled with duets sung by Ernie & several famous Dutch singers.

Also, outside of his Muppet work, Schippers has been the Dutch voice of Mickey Mouse during the 1970s & 1980s, & he dubbed Happy in Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs.

Voice Credits

 * Sesamstraat: Ernie, Kermit the Frog, (Kermit de Kikker), Count von Count (Graaf Tel), Guy Smiley (Henk Glimlach), The Amazing Mumford, Simon Soundman, Biff, Mr. Johnson, Showered Rosell, Prime Minister, Granny Fanny Nesslerode's Announcer, Toothbrush, Cavity
 * Maak Er Wat Van! & other albums: Oscar the Grouch
 * Grover Gaat Naar School: Cookie Monster, Mr. Hooper, Luis
 * Ernie Heeft Rommel Gemaakt: Cookie Monster, Luis, David, Herry Monster
 * In Een Uur de Wereld Rond: Mrs. Van der Grijp
 * Sesamstraat en Melkweg: Ernie
 * Stinkie en Boudewijn Show (The Animal Show): Yves St. La Roache
 * The Muppets (The Netherlands): Kermit de Kikker