Bill Barretta

 Bill Barretta  (b . June 19 th, 1964 ) has been performing with the Jim Henson  Company since 1991 & has become 1 of the leading Muppet performers.

Originally from Yardley, Pennsylvania , Barretta was trained at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City as an actor & has appeared in the feature films  Murder in the 1 st  &  Born to Be Wild . He also worked as a carpenter before joining Henson. He met Brian Henson while they were both working at Sesame Place, & the younger Henson encouraged him to join the Company.

His 1 st break came performing the body of Earl Sinclair on Dinosaurs. Barretta, from suit performance , transitioned to assisting & supporting roles in The Animal Show, playing multiple small character roles in Muppet Classic Theater & ''[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Mr._Willowby's_Christmas_Tree Mr. Willowby 's Christ mas Tree ], & made his film debut as a principal performer in the 1996 movie Muppet Treasure Island'' playing Clueless Morgan. He later developed a whole bunch of new characters on Muppets Tonight, which include Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear & Johnny Fiama.

As well as having his own Muppet characters, Barretta has taken over several of Jim Henson 's main characters, namely the Swedish Chef, Mahna Mahna, Rowlf the Dog, & Dr. Teeth. Most recently, he has also taken on the role of Louie, Elmo's dad, in Sesame Beginnings.

In addition, Barretta has served as a producer for It's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie & The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, & co-wrote the screenplay of the Creature Shop film Jack & the Beanstalk : The Real Story ( appearing on camera as Thunderdell ).

Barretta directed a test pilot for the America's Next Muppet pitch & directed another presentation pilot featuring the Muppets in mock documentary style, focusing on the Muppets' efforts to launch a network television series. The next presentation pilot was written & produced by Bill Prady & featured puppetry by Barretta, Dave Goelz ,  Steve Whitmire  &  Eric Jacobson.

In the latest production, The Muppets, Bill Barretta was not only a major performer but also acted as Muppet Captain.

Muppeteer Credits

 * Barretta ' s primary Muppet characters :


 * Rowlf the Dog ( Muppets Tonight episode 2 ( 1996 ) - present )


 *  Jim Henson  ( Prina Dog Commercials ( 1962 ) - The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , 1990 )
 * The Swedish Chef ( Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) - present )


 *  Jim Henson  ( The Muppet Show : Sex & Violence ( 1975 ) - The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , 1990 )
 * Mahna Mahna ( The Muppet Show Live ( 2001 ) - present )


 *  Jim Henson  ( Sesame Street Season 1 ( 1969 ) - The Muppet Show ( 1976 ) ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , ( 1990 )
 * Dr . Teeth ( The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz ( 2005 ) - present )


 *  Jim Henson  ( The Muppet Show : Sex & Violence ( 1975 ) - The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , ( 1990 )
 *  John Kennedy  : Muppets on Location : Days of Swine & Roses ( 1991 ), Muppet Treasure Island video game ( 1996 ) , Muppets from Space ( 1999 ) , Muppet RaceMania video game ( 2000 ) , W e Are Fam ily music video ( 2002 ) , Muppet Party Cruise video game ( 2003 )
 * Pepe the King Prawn ( Muppets Tonight ( 1996 ) - present )
 * Bobo the Bear ( Muppets Tonight ( 1996 ) - present )
 * Johnny Fiama ( Muppets Tonight ( 1996 ) - present )
 * Big Mean Carl ( Muppets Tonight ( 1996 ) - present )
 * 1 of the Elvises
 * Bubba the Rat
 * Zippity Zap
 * Sesame Street : Bip Bippadotta ( Episode 4203 )
 * Dinosaurs : Earl Sinclair ( body )
 * Muppets on Wheels
 * The Animal Show : Armstrong the Chicken Hawk, Bubba the Walrus , Dave the Human , Jake ( right hand ) , various guest animals including Tommy the Thomson's Gazelle , Sly the Crocodile , Eugene the Hunting Dog , Randall the Zebra , Frankie the Wildebeest , Slick the Sea Lion , Lenny the Crocodile , Guffrey the Vulture , Octavio the Octopus , Lamont the Sloth , Jared the Tiger , Rudy the Spider , Johnny the Wolf , Vernon the Grizzly Bear , Baby Bear ( voiceover ) , Gabi the Gila Monster , Rocky the Bighorn Sheep , Humphrey the Badger , Lazlo the Hyena , Nemets the Ant , Bufo the Toad , Travis the African Buffalo , Milton the Blue - Footed Booby , D ' kembe the Gemsbok , Rudy the Roadrunner , Custer the Bison , Dullard the Aardvark , Cornelius the Crab , Timothy the Owl , Paul the Pelican , Stanley the Mouse , Frankie the Crocodile , Mel the Lemur , Max the Wasp , Bart the Coyote , Galahad the Grasshopper Mouse , Larry the Fish , Charlie the Chamois , Julius the Spoonbill , Quincy the Flying Squirrel , Kyle the Secretary Bird & Malcolm the Lion
 * Muppet Treasure Island : Clueless Morgan, Flaubert , Blind Pew ( hands ) , Pigs, Angel Marie , Mudwell the Mudbunny , Mr . Bitte , the Swedish Chef
 * Things That Fly : Balloon Salesman Whatnot, Pigs , Pilot , Slick
 * Muppets Tonight : The AL - 1995 Plus Tax, Baby George , Carla the Big Mean Mom , David Hoggselhoff , Dr . Phil van Neuter (hands only) , Rowlf the Dog
 * The Wubbulous World of Dr . Seuss : Uncle Berklummer
 * Muppets from Space : Lead - singing Alien Gonzo, Pepe the King Prawn , Bobo the Bear & Rowlf the Dog
 *  The Adventures of Elmo in Grouch land  : Additional performer
 * Kermit ' s Swamp Years : Croaker, Horace D ' Fly
 * It ' s a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie : Lew Zealand, Pepe the King Prawn , Rowlf the Dog & Bobo the Bear
 * The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz : Pepe the King Prawn, Lew Zealand , Dr . Teeth
 * Sesame Beginnings : Louie
 * Xtreme Digital Disney Xtreme Digital : Bigger Burger Drive Thru Man, Topo Sticky , Pickles ( alligator )
 * Studio DC : Almost Live ! : Dr . Teeth, Pepe the King Prawn & The Swedish Chef
 * A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to San ta : Bobo the Bear, Husband Pigeon , Pepe the King Prawn , Rowlf the Dog , the Swedish Chef , Dr . Teeth
 * Fami lies Stand Together : Louie
 * Muppet viral videos
 * Bohemian Rhapsody : Dr . Teeth, Mahna Mahna , Pepe the King Prawn & The Swedish Chef
 * Christ mas in Rockefeller Center : Dr . Teeth & Pepe the King Prawn
 * The Muppets : Rowlf the Dog, the Swedish Chef , Mahna Mahna , Dr . Teeth , Pepe the King Prawn , Bobo the Bear , Muppet Gary , Behemoth , Hobo Muppet , Singing Food in " Me Party "
 * Muppets Most Wanted : Rowlf the Dog, the Swedish Chef , Mahna Mahna , Dr . Teeth , Pepe the King Prawn , Bobo the Bear
 * Lady Gaga & the Muppets ' Holiday Spectacular : Rowlf the Dog, the Swedish Chef , Dr . Teeth , Pepe the King Prawn , Bobo the Bear
 * The Muppets : Operation STS ( Save the Swamp ) : Rowlf the Dog, the Swedish Chef , Mahna Mahna , Dr . Teeth , Pepe the King Prawn , Bobo the Bear , Cousin Frogger

Production credits

 * Dinosaurs, " A New Leaf " - choreographer , with Leif Tilden , of " It's a Most Unusual Day "
 * Long John Silver's commercials - director
 * It's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie - stage director
 * Jack & the Beanstalk : The Real Story - co - writer
 * It's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie - producer
 * The Muppets' Wizard of Oz - producer
 * Tinseltown - executive producer, writer , director
 * The Muppets - associate producer, The Muppets captain

Trivia

 * Barretta attended St. Mary's Hall in Burlington, New Jersey
 * Barretta, in addition to his puppeteering, has provided several episodic character voices on the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible.
 * He is the brother of Gene Barretta.
 * Barretta met Jim Henson  twice; once at Sesame Place, where he helped  Jim  find the automated characters, & later at his apartment.
 * Rowlf talked about Barretta in 2011: " Bill Barretta ? That name sure is familiar, but I can't quite place him...Oh, wait a second, is that the fellow who gives me a lift now & then? Sure! Great guy-funny, creative, & I can beat him at cards. What's not to like?"
 * Characters of Jim Henson 's Bill Barretta has now performed once or consistently are:
 * Rowlf the Dog ( Muppets Tonight Episode 102 ( 1996 ) - present )
 * The Swedish Chef ( Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) - present )
 * Mahna Mahna ( The Muppet Show Live ( 2001 ) - present )
 * Dr . Teeth ( The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz ( 2005 ) - present )
 * Bip Bippadotta ( Sesame Street Episode 4203 ( 2009 ) )