Muppeteer

A  Muppet e er  is a puppeteer for  T he Muppets .

Muppet ee r s  work in several different way s to get the effect that is needed on the TV screen. Muppet ee r s  usually perform the ir  characters  above the ir h ea d s, stand in g. All of the sets are raise d about 5| 5 ' for t h is reason. T o see the ir  performance,  t h e y  watch what is being t ape d on a monitor , or a small T V , which allows  t h e m  to see w hat the audience will see. How ever, it take s a long time to get used to work in g in t his manner , since certain things are reverse d in the monitors ( If a puppet  t urn s left , it look s as if it ’ s turn in g right o n t he monitor ). Muppet ee r s  often tape the ir script s to these monitor s to read off of as well.

Each show has a different way of working. On  SESAME STREET , for example , the street set  is n ’ t raised. T here fore, Muppet  ee r s  must use " roll in g donut s " t o get around a scene. These are small round s eat s with wheels on the bottom which let the Muppet  e e r  move around the frame by roll in g  them s elves  a round using  the ir  fe e t. The Muppet  insert segment s, how ever , work in the stand in g up position , since  t h e y  ’ re usually done o n another set.

The new Muppet  e e r s  usually begin do in g small  role s  & assist in g other  character s. They often right - h a n d, which is the term for performing   the right hand  of a  live - hand  or  sack - body   Muppet. Characters li k e  OSCAR THE GROUCH ,  GRUNDGETTA  , all the  G R O U C H E S  ,  Ernie  ,  Cookie Monster  &  Fozzie Bear  all have  live - hands  , which the  performer s  wear as glove s so the  Muppet  can pick up item s ( This is how  Cookie Monster  pick s up & eat s cookie s . )


 *  For   an   extended   list,   see   Muppet eer s &amp; their character s .

Major Muppet eer  Pairings

 *  JIM HENSON  /  FRANK OZ 
 *  JERRY NELSON  /  RICHARD HUNT 
 *  DAVE GOELZ  /  STEVE WHITMIRE 
 *  CAROLL SPINNEY  /  PAM ARCIERO 
 *  CAROLL SPINNEY  /  M ART IN P . ROB IN S ON 
 *  FRAN BRILL  /  KEVIN CLASH 
 *  DAVID RUD MAN  /  JOE Y MAZZARINO 
 *  David RUD MAN  /  Matt Vogel 
 *  FRANK OZ  /  STEVE WHITMIRE 
 *  JERRY NELSON  /  David RUD MAN 
 *  JERRY NELSON  /  DAVE GOELZ 
 *  JERRY NELSON  /  STEVE WHITMIRE 
 *  STEVE WHITMIRE  /  ERIC JACOB S ON 
 *  STEVE WHITMIRE  /  MATT VOGEL 
 *  KATHRYN MULLEN  /  KAREN PRELL