Steve Whitmire

''' Steve L. Whitmire ''' ( b . September 24th, 1959 ) is a talented Muppeteer  who 's been working for the  Jim Henson  Company since 1978 , for 34 years. Some of Steve 's own characters are Bean Bunny, Foo - Foo , Lips & Rizzo the Rat , his most famous Muppet character. He was also picked to take over the roles of Kermit the Frog & Ernie, following Jim Henson  's very sudden , tragic death. He took over the roles of Beaker, following Richard Hunt  's death , & Statler , following  Jerry Nelson  's retirement. His wife, Melissa Whitmire , has also puppeteered on occasion.

Steve ' s Grouch  related credits are the  Bad Humor Man  &  Sharon Groan  in  The Adventures of Elmo in Grouch land .

Early Years
Born as Steven Lawrence Whitmire near Atlanta, Georgia, Steve Whitmire became interested in puppetry in his childhood, around the time that Sesame Street began airing in 1969. Whitmire recalled, "I wrote a letter to Jim Henson  at the time, & he wrote back. It's an amazing thing for a 10-year-old to get a letter back from a TV star." Building on that early enthusiasm, Whitmire created his own puppets & performed throughout high school, even winning the school talent show on 1 occasion. After graduating high school, he briefly puppeteered at local theme park The World of Sid & Marty Krofft, performing his own character Otis the Beach Bum, & later cohosted The Kid's Show w/ his best friend Gary Koepke for WATL in Atlanta, which was nominated for a state Emmy Award.

Whitmire 1st made contact with the Muppets through Caroll Spinney, whom he met at the Southeastern Regional Puppetry Festival in 1977. That fall, Spinney  informed Whitmire that auditions were being held for  puppeteers  for Sesame Street; upon calling the  Henson  offices, Whitmire learned that Jane Henson was coming to Atlanta the following week to inspect the Kermit balloon for the Macy 's Thanksgiving Day Parade & that she could meet with him while there. After seeing Whitmire perform, she recommended him to her husband, Muppets creator,  Jim Henson  , who eventually formally auditioned him & asked him to join the  performers  on The Muppet Show. His 1st day of performing was March 24th, 1978.

From Right - Handing to Regular
Whitmire slowly became a major performer. On The Muppet Show he often performed 1-shot characters, right hands, & filled in when 2 of another performer 's characters were in the same scene (for example, if Fozzie Bear & Miss Piggy were in a scene together, Whitmire would generally perform the  puppetry  for Fozzie while  Frank Oz  performed the voice for both of them). He was soon given some of his own recurring characters, such as Foo - Foo, Rizzo the Rat, & Lips, all of whom were minor characters on The Muppet Show, with very little dialogue.

Whitmire became 1 of the core Muppet performers  since performing on The Muppet Show, & received his own major characters on the 1983 show Fraggle Rock, where he performed Sprocket & Wembley Fraggle, & the semi-recurring role of Marlon Fraggle. He also added more characters to his repertoire over the years, performing many roles on The Jim Henson Hour, & Rizzo the Rat would gradually become a core member of the main cast.

The 1980s
Following the end of The Muppet Show, Whitmire continued to work within the Henson  fold. He performed SkekTek in The Dark Crystal, & was the only Muppeteer  who both operated & voiced his character (  Jerry Nelson  also did vocal work on the movie , but didn't  puppeteer  ). Whitmire commented on this : " Jim Henson  &  Frank Oz  had peo ple submit tapes of what peo ey thought a Skeksis would sound like, & it just so happened that the voice I did was exactly what they had in mind . So I just happened to get lucky & get a voice that worked with no particular effort . . . It just happened to be the one that was the right one . "

Whitmire also puppeteered  for the 1986  Henson  film Labyrinth, & starred as Mew in the TV special The Christ mas Toy.

In The Tale of the Bunny Picnic, Whitmire performed the special 's protagonist , Bean Bunny. Bean Bunny would soon go on to become a main character, starting w/ The Jim Henson Hour , for which Whitmire also performed a variety of other characters , including Flash & [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Waldo_C._Graphic Waldo C. Graphic ]. He also appeared on - screen as himself in The Secrets of the Muppets.

TV Work in the 1990s
Whitmire performed many characters on Dinosaurs, most notably [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/B.P._Richfield B. P. Richfield ] & the face of Robbie Sinclair ( with voices latervlooped ) & was also heard as various 1 - shot hand puppet characters, such as [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Mr._Mason_Dixon Mr. Mason Dixon ]. Following the series ' end in 1994, he was paired w/ Dave Goelz  as the title duo on The Animal Show , playing Jake the Polar Bear & various other characters.

In addition to reprising Kermit, Rizzo , & Beaker on Muppets Tonight , Whitmire also performed the regular roles of Andy Pig & [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Mr._Poodlepants Mr. Poodlepants ].

Continuing Kermit & Others
Steve Whitmire became the performer  of Kermit the Frog after  Jim Henson  ' s tragic death, starting with The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson. Although The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson was his 1 st on - screen performance as Kermit, he considers The Muppet Christ mas Carol to be his 1 st real production as Kermit.

Later, Whitmire learned that there was consideration of him performing Kermit even before Henson  died : " I have been told that  Jim  had said something about it to  Frank  . Not that I would  perform  Kermit when  he  died but that  he  would need somebody else to do Kermit some of the time because  he  was so busy .  He  never said that to me , but I heard that through some body that it had been talked about . Just that the 2 of them were so busy , that they may need to have to find stand-ins for their characters , so I guess it had been mentioned , but the actual time I was asked was by Brian. W e were in Disney World for something. I 'm not sure exactly what it was, but I think it was the big tribute they did for Jim  , & we went down for that. While w e were there, 1 night I went over & met with Jane Henson , Brian , & Frank  , & Brian mentioned me doing it. I was just overwhelmed by the request. It was a huge honor, & it also just scared the daylights out of me , the thought of trying it. "

When it was decided that Steve Whitmire would take over as the frog, Heather Henson arranged for a Kermit puppet to be sent to Atlanta for Whitmire to practice performing. He thought the puppet smelled like Jim Henson , & although he put the puppet on once, he couldn't get himself to go near it & try out a voice for months. Eventually, Brian called & asked him to do something with Kermit, record it on tape, & send it to him, so Whitmire performed Kermit singing "Bein ' Green".

Regarding his 1st performance as Kermit, Whitmire has said: "When we did the special, I always had this fantasy that the 1st time I performed Kermit it would be a nice, dark little moment in the studio & it would be 5 or 6 of the main guys . . . It would be real gentle & easy to do. What it turned out to be was that the closing scene of that special had about 50 puppets in it . So it was basically every puppeteer I ' ve ever worked with in New York City, which was probably 25-30 people . "

1 of the hardest things that Steve Whitmire had to do in The Muppet Christ mas Carol was pre-record Kermit's voice for all of the songs 1st, as he recalled in an interview with Muppet Central: "I went to London for the start of Christ mas Carol, & they already started working on the music a couple days before I got there . We pre-recorded all of the songs before we did the movie, so the 1st thing I was going to have to do was go in to record Kermit's voice, which I was super-nervous about, because I didn't have the puppet to rely on. There was something about seeing the puppet as 1 was hearing my voice, at that stage, that made it more believable, & it got people into it. If I just walked in & did Kermit's voice, they didn't buy it necessarily. They were still hearing Jim. If I had the puppet on, it would ' ve more believable. "

( on taking over the role of Kermit from Jim Henson  ) "That was really, really scary as you could imagine. I had known  Jim  for 13 or 14 years at that point & I had worked with him on everything he had done with this group of Muppets. Not Sesame Street but everything else. We worked very close together. It was super intimidating. It was a great honor to be asked & I was just scared to death. So, Brian & the family made the decision, sent me 1 of the puppets. I took it out of the box. I'd had the puppet on before. I 'd never performed it but had had it on my hand just going around the shop. I put him on & held him up in front of a mirror. I knew how to make the puppet talk because I 'd been doing this for a long time & I fiddled with some of those expressions that Jim  would do with Kermit. Then I opened my mouth to say something & nothing came out. There was no way that I could find the voice. The puppet just sort of looked at me like, "come on. You can do it". I took it off & put it in a closet & left it there for a month. I couldn ' t touch it.

People always ask us about being the voices of the Muppets, & I know what they mean, but supplying the voice is just 1 small element of what it is we do. In essence, we are actors just like any other actor. We portray a role, & it's a full performance, not just a voice. The established Muppet Performer s literally are the characters they bring to life. "

After the death of Richard Hunt, Whitmire took over as Beaker to  Dave Goelz 's [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Dr._Bunsen_Honeydew Dr. Bunsen Honeydew ] adding yet another character to his list: " I think it was Dave 's ( Goelz 's) idea that I do Beaker . Th ey asked  Dave, "Who do you think should do Beaker?" & he suggested me cause we like to work together , & we work well together . Beaker was difficult cause I had no clue where it came from in  Richard  . I didn't know at all how  Richard  did this . It was really just a matter of being silly with  Dave  . The truth is , I still don ' t know where it came from . I just don ' t know what part of  Richard  it came from . . . What facet of  his  personality . I don ' t relate to the character the way that  Richard  did , so really , with Beaker , I ' m doing an awful lot of just copying  Richard. I wouldn ' t say that I ' ve got a good handle on that character, but it ' s fun. It ' s a fun character. "

Whitmire joined Sesame Street in 1993, when it was decided to permanently recast Ernie , although Jim Henson  had originally auditioned him for the series years earlier. So, in that year , Steve became Ernie to Frank Oz  ' s Bert , taking  Jim  ' s place in the dynamic duo  Jim  &  Frank Oz  had formed decades ago. His 1 st performance as Ernie was<?span> a fishing sketch with Bert, & he transitioned into the role on a more regular basis. Although John Tartaglia substituted during season 2 of Play With Me Sesame, Whitmire continues to perform  Ernie to this day. According to Whitmire, " [ Performing  Ernie] came about cause they were looking for some one to do the voice for toys . I asked if I could audition for it . I did vocal recordings for Ernie toys for 2 - 3 years . . . A lot of them . When it came time to recast the character , I ended up doing it . "

In contrast to his regular Sesame Street work as Ernie, Whitmire has rarely performed new material with Kermit the Frog for the show , mainly cause Sesame Workshop lost the rights to him when Disney ] had bought the Muppets in February 2004. Among the notable exceptions are sketch where Kermit teaches Grover the difference between light & dark, Kermit reporting on Slimey  landing on the moon ( Episode 3740 ) , Kermit reporting on  Slimey  returning home ( Episode 3785 ) , in the song Everybody Be Yo ' Self & reporting on the hurricane that hit Sesame Street ( Episode 3976 ). Whitmire has, however , performed Kermit in the Sesame Street specials Elmo palooza , Elmo Saves Christ mas , Cinder Elmo , & the direct - to - video The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street.

In the early 2000s, Whitmire started performing  Statler , beginning with the Weezer music video " Keep Fishin ' ". Whitmire puppeteered him in It ' s a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie while Jerry Nelson  looped the voice later ; 1 of Whitmire ' s lines, " Historical landmark " , remained un - looped. Following Nelson  ' s retirement from the role, Steve Whitmire took over as Statler ( with the notable exception of Statler & Waldorf : From the Balcony , where Drew Massey assumed the role from the 8 th episode onward ). In an interiew, Whitmire talked about playing Statler : " For Statler , I was trying to decide if I should make it more like Jerry  ' s original , or do I make it like  Richard  ' s , which ever yone knows from The Muppet Show , or do I make it like  Jerry  ' s since  Richard  ' s [ death ] . He ' s just been passed around a lot . It ' s always been a problem for me that the characters got passed around . I get very conservative about this idea of 1 person doing the characters , & we shouldn ' t recast them so the character can grow & not be different every time we see them. So, I ' ve tried to aim for more like what> Richard  did on The Muppet Show. & I know I don ' t really sound like Richard , & I have so much fun doing the character. & they only dovlike 3 lines at a time, but when we ad lib with them between scenes , it ' s so much fun. We have so much fun. "

In 2008, new Muppet video content was added to Disney Extreme Digital , where in addition to continuing to perform  Kermit & Rizzo , Steve Whitmire also took over as The Newsman , another of  Jim Henson  ' s characters.

In September 2009, Whitmire took an unexpected leave from performing  Kermit , for appearances on America ' s Got Talent & the MTV Video Music Awards. Kermit was briefly performed by Artie Esposito in these instances. Whitmire returned to the role at a press conference for [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Give_a_Day._Get_a_Disney_Day Give a Day. Get a Disney Day. ]

Since 2006, Steve has had a limited schedule on Sesame Street due to a busy schedule with The Walt Disney Company. However, he performed  Ernie on several Ready to Learn PSA ' s , Count on Sports , Abby in Wonderland , the song What I Am & a song called I Wonder. He also performed  Kermit for his cameo in Elmo ' s World : Frogs.

Whitmire has stated that he doesn ' t think he could have taken over Jim Henson  ' s characters if he hadn ' t worked w /  Henson  for so many years.

Steve Whitmire & Dave Goelz
As acknowledged personally by Whitmire in many interviews, he & Dave Goelz  work very well together , just like  Jim Henson  did w/  Frank Oz  , & like  Jerry Nelson  did w/  Richard Hunt. The aforementioned Bunsen & Beaker pairing wasn't the only time the 2 would work together as a team. On Fraggle Rock, Whitmire ' s Wembley often found himself partnered up w/ Goelz  as Boober, & they played Mew & Rugby Tiger respectively in The Christ mas Toy.

Gonzo the Great & Rizzo the Rat have become an almost inseparable team over the years, beginning w/ The Muppet Christ mas Carol. Goelz & Whitmire, in the same film , were paired as Betina & Belinda Cratchit , doing some variations of  Frank Oz  ' s Miss Piggy.

On Muppets Tonight, the 2 remained paired up as Miss Piggy 's nephews , Andy & Randy Pig. Whitmire took over the role of Beaker when Richard Hunt  passed away, playing off  Goelz  ' s Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. Whitmire also recently took over the role of Statler from Jerry Nelson , who , in 2004 , forcibly retired from voicing his characters for health reasons , playing off Waldorf , whom  Dave Goelz  has been performin since 1992 after  Jim Henson  ' s tragic death , & , also during the 1990s , the 2 performed the duo Stinky the Skunk & Jake the Polar Bear on The Animal Show.

Dave Goelz / Steve Whitmire Muppet Pairings

 * Gonzo the Great / Rizzo the Rat
 * Gonzo the Great / Camilla the Chicken
 * Gonzo the Great / Kermit the Frog
 * Gonzo the Great / Security Guard
 * Andy & Randy Pig
 * Zoot / Lips
 * Dr . Bunsen Honeydew / Beaker
 * Beauregard / Rizzo the Rat
 * Betina & Belinda Cratchit
 * Statler & Waldorf ( Steve / Dave  )
 * Statler & Waldorf ( Dave  / Steve )
 * Boober Fraggle / Wembley Fraggle
 * Wrench Doozer / Sprocket
 * Rugby Tiger / Mew
 * Stinky the Skunk / Jake the Polar Bear
 * Smerdley / Mr . Briteweight
 * Jake / Henry

Muppeteer Credits

 * Whitmire 's primary Muppet characters :


 * Kermit the Frog ( The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson ( 1990 ) - present )


 * Jim Henson ( Sam & Friends ( 1955 ) - The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , 1990 )
 * Beaker ( The Muppet Christ mas Carol ( 1992 ) - present )


 * Richard Hunt ( The Muppet Show ( 1977 ) - Muppet * Vision 3D ( 1991 ) ; 1992 )
 * Ernie ( Sesame Street Stays Up Late ! ( 1993 ) - present )


 * Jim Henson ( Sesame Street Episode 1 ( 1969 ) - Season 21 ( 1990 ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , 1990 )
 * Link Hogthrob ( Muppet RaceMania ( Muppet RaceMania ( 2000 ) - present )


 * Jim Henson ( The Muppet Show ( 1977 ) - The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) )
 * Statler ( Weezer 's " Keep Fishin ' " music video 2002 - present )


 * Richard Hunt ( The Muppet Show ( 1976 ) - The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) ) ; 1992 ) )
 * Jerry Nelson ( The Muppet Show : Sex and Violence ( 1975 ) ; The Muppet Christ mas Carol ( 1992 ) - Muppets Party Cruise ( 2003 ) )
 * The Newsman ( Muppets . com ( 2008 ) - present )


 * Jim Henson ( The Muppet Show ( 1976 ) - The Jim Henson Hour ( 1989 ) ; 1990 ) ( taken from u s on Wednesday, May 16 th , 1990 )
 * Rizzo the Rat ( Muppet character originated by Whitmire )
 * Lips ( Muppet character originated by Whitmire )
 * Bean Bunny ( Muppet character originated by Whitmire )
 * The Muppet Show Characters : Billy Boy, Caveman , Foo - Foo , Geri & the Atrics tuba player , Leo ( episode 403 : Shields & Yarnell ) , Lips , Pinocchio , Rizzo the Rat , Rowlf the Dog ( occasional , hands only ) , Security Guard , The Snorers ' Chorus member , Thog ( episode 502 ) , Timmy Monster ( occasional , voice in episode 423 ) , Trevor the Gross , The White Rabbit , Winky Pinkerton ( episode 308 ) , Zeke ( 1979 - ca. 1980s )
 * The Muppet Movie : Kermit the Frog ( assistant for " The R a i n b o w Connection " number )
 * Jim Frawley ' s Camera Tests for The Muppet Movie ( 1978 ) : Sweetums
 * The Great Muppet Caper : Rizzo the Rat & Lips
 * The Dark Crystal : SkekTek
 * Fraggle Rock : Wembley Fraggle, Sprocket , Marlon Fraggle , Murray the Minstrel ( except episode 512 ) , Flange Doozer , Crusty Doozer , Flying Batworm , Mermer Merggle , Papa Tree Creature , Phil Fraggle ( Muppetry  only ) , Sir Blunderbrain , Venerable Sage Hambo
 * The Muppets Take Manhattan : Gil, Rizzo the Rat , Dogs
 * Dreamchild : The Caterpillar, The Mock Turtle ( Muppetry  )
 * Labyrinth : Ambrosius, F ie ry 4 , 1 of The Four Guards ( Muppetry  )
 * The Christ mas Toy : Mew
 * A Muppet Family Christ mas : The Christ mas Turkey, Wembley Fraggle , Sprocket , Rizzo the Rat , Foo - Foo , Lips
 * The Tale of the Bunny Picnic : Bean Bunny
 * Inner Tube : Henry, Duke
 * The Jim Henson Hour : Flash, Jacques Roach , Waldo C . Graphic , Yellow Extreme , Bean Bunny , Foo - Foo
 * The Cosby Show : Singing Food
 * The Muppets at Walt Disney World : Rizzo the Rat, Lips , Foo - Foo , Sprocket , Bean Bunny
 * The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson : Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny , Kermit the Frog
 * Muppet* Vision 3D : Bean Bunny, Rizzo the Rat , Waldo C . Graphic
 * Dinosaurs : B . P . Richfield ( puppet ), Robbie Sinclair ( face ) , Chief Elder ( face ) , Mr . Mason Dixon , Sonny , Woody , Blarney , Judge H . T . Stone (puppet)
 * The Muppet Christ mas Carol : Belinda Cratchit, Laundress, Kermit the Frog ( as Bob Cratchit ) , Bean Bunny , Rizzo the Rat , Lips , Beaker , Sprocket , Whatnots , Rats , Inkspots , Pig Buisnessman
 * Muppet Meeting Films : Flunky, Kermit the Frog , Mr . Briteweight
 * Billy Bunny 's Animal Songs : Kermit the Frog
 * Sesame Street Stays Up Late ! : Ernie
 * Sesame Street : Ernie ( 1993 - present ), Kermit the Frog ( 1996 - 2001 ; 2009 ) , Dr . Feel : Cookie Monster ' s Mommy (2003) : Guy Smiley (Season 32 )
 * Jim Henson ' s The Animal Show with Stinky & Jake : Jake the Polar Bear
 * Muppet Classic Theatre : Rizzo the Rat, Kermit the Frog , Andy Pig
 * Muppets on Wheels : Kermit the Frog
 * Mr . Willowby ' s Christ mas Tree : Kermit the Frog
 * Muppet Treasure Island : Walleye Pike, Rizzo the Rat , Kermit the Frog ( as Captain Abraham Smollett ) , Beaker , Jacques Roach , Inkspots , The Dodo , Rats
 * Things That Fly : Kermit the Frog, Co - Pilot
 * Muppets Tonight : Andy Pig, Captain Pighead , Eugene , Lash Holstein , Miss Weatherington , Mr . Poodlepants , Kermit the Frog , Beaker , Rizzo the Rat , Meepzorp , George the Janitor , Bug Llewelyn , Farm person , Pigeons , Nigel ' s Mom , Alfonso D ' Bruzzo
 * Elmo Saves Christ mas : Ernie & Kermit the Frog
 * 123 Count with Me : Ernie
 * Quiet Time : Ernie
 * Elmo palooza : Ernie & Kermit the Frog
 * The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street : Kermit the Frog
 * Muppets from Space : Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Bean Bunny , Cosmic Fish , Beach Hippie
 *  The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland  : Ernie,  Bad Humor Man  ,  Sharon Groan  , Stuckweed , Football Stenchman
 * Cinder Elmo : Prince the Dog, Ernie , Kermit the Frog
 * Muppet RaceMania : Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob , Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Bean Bunny , Gil , Flange Doozer
 * Play With Me Sesame : Ernie
 *  Bert  &  Ernie  ' s Word Play : Ernie, Lead Singer of The Frosty Four , Mo , Troll
 * Kermit 's Swamp Years : Jack Rabbit, Kermit the Frog , Young Kermit , Chico
 * It 's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie : Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Bean Bunny , Mr . Poodlepants , Statler ( 1 line ) & 1 of the Elvises
 * Talk, Read , Write : The King of Reading & Writing
 * Muppets Party Cruise : Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob , Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Bean Bunny , Andy Pig
 * The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz : Kermit the Frog ( as the Scarecrow ), Rizzo the Rat ( as the Mayor of Munchkinland ) , Beaker , Statler (as Kalidah Critic) , Bean Bunny
 * Statler & Waldorf : From the Balcony : Statler ( 1 episode )
 * Mr . Magorium 's Wonder Emporium : Kermit the Frog
 * Disney Xtreme Digital : Kermit the Frog, The Newsman , Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Statler , Bean Bunny , Singing Food , Turkey
 * Virmup : Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Statler , Pumpkins , Penguins , Turkey , Rabbits
 * Count on Sports : Ernie
 * Studio DC : Almost Live ! : Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Statler
 * Abby in Wonderland : Ernie
 * A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to San ta : Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , Statler
 * Bohemian Rhapsody : Kermit the Frog, The Newsman , Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , & Statler
 * Christ mas in Rockefeller Center: Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat & Lips
 * The Muppets : Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob , The Newsman , Lips , Rizzo the Rat , Beaker , & Statler
 * Late Night with Jimmy Fallon : Kermit the Frog ( " When the River Meets the Sea " )
 * Muppets Most Wanted : Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob , The Newsman , Lips , Rizzo the Rat , Foo - Foo , Beaker , & Statler
 * The Muppets : Operation STS ( Save the Swamp ) : Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob , The Newsman , Lips , Rizzo the Rat , Foo - Foo , Beaker , & Statler

Trivia

 * Whitmire is right - handed.
 * Was nicknamed Kermit in his youth cause he aspired to become a puppeteer & even performed with a Kermit which he made . His high school yearbook even has the name " Kermit " on the front cover.
 * Shares the same birthday as Jim Henson  ( September 24th ).
 * Apparently, at 1 of Whitmire ' s last meetings with Jim Henson  ,  Henson  commented that although Whitmire was a main  Muppeteer  he just didn ' t really have any main Muppet characters besides Rizzo the Rat & Bean Bunny & told him that  he  was going to try to create a new main character for Whitmire to perform.
 * Steve Whitmire ' s favorite Muppet movie is The Muppet Movie.
 * In The Muppet Movie, he used a remote control device to operate Kermit ' s hand while playing the banjo during The R a i n b o w Connection.
 * A quote from the Muppet Central interview with Steve Whitmire : " I designed the little mechanism inside of [ Rizzo ] that makes his mouth move . "
 * Supporter / chairperson & volunteer at actress Tippi Hedren 's wildlife preserve SHAMBALA, located in Acton , CA . Whitmire & his wife , Melissa have volunteered countless hours helping bring wild cats for veterinarian care , etc.
 * Characters of Jim Henson  ' s Steve Whitmire has performed once or consistently are :


 * Kermit the Frog ( The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson ( 1990 ) - present )
 * Ernie ( Sesame Street Stays Up Late ! ( 1993 ) - present )
 * The Newsman ( Muppets.com ( 2008 ) - present )
 * Link Hogthrob ( Muppet Race Mania ( 2000 ) - present )
 * Rowlf the Dog ( occasionally on The Muppet Show ; right hand only )
 * Dr. Teeth ( The Muppet Show Live ( 2001 ) ( assistant to John Kennedy  ;  Muppetry  only ; Hands of Dr . Teeth ( assistant to  Bill Barretta  ; ca . 2005 - present ) )
 * Guy Smiley ( Sesame Street season 32 ) ( 2001 )
 * The Swedish Chef ( I Love Lucy Movie Mania Screen Test ) ( 1999 )
 * Zeke ( 1979 - ca . 1980s )
 * Leo ( The Muppet Show Episode 403 ) ( 1979 )
 * Waldorf ( Parts of LittleBigPlanet 2 ( 2011 ) )


 * Steve Whitmire has been seen & heard taking Jim Henson  ' s place in these pairings  Henson  &  Frank Oz  made before  Henson  passed away :


 * Ernie / Bert
 * Ernie / Cookie Monster
 * Ernie / Grover
 * Kermit the Frog / Grover
 * Kermit the Frog / Miss Piggy
 * Kermit the Frog / Fozzie Bear
 * Kermit the Frog / Sam the Eagle
 * The Swedish Chef / Fozzie Bear ( I Lo ve Lucy Movie Mania Screen Test )