Matt Vogel

Matthew J. "Matt" Vogel II (b. October 6th, 1970) is an accomplished Muppeteer & puppeteer in his own right. However, ever since joining Sesame Street in 1996, he has become most familiar for his work as Caroll Spinney's Sesame Street understudy for Big Bird for the "Journey to  Ernie " segments, several street scenes & other appearances whenever Caroll Spinney is unavailable. He has also performed various Anything Muppets & CGI characters on "Elmo 's World", & plays Big Bird's infant self, Baby Big Bird in the Sesame Beginnings DVD series. It has been decided that, when Caroll Spinney retires or passes away, Vogel is to be the new Big Bird. However, whether or not Vogel will be taking over for Caroll Spinney's role of  Oscar the Grouch  as well, is still unknown. Most recently, he's also served as assistant puppet captain on Sesame Street.

Vogel has also taken over for Jerry Nelson's Muppet characters, by the suggestion of Nelson himself. Vogel is, as of 2008, the new permanent performer of Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog & Camilla the Chicken following Nelson's retirement. He has also taken over the of Jerry's most famous character, Count von Count, but Jerry provided the voice. Jerry continued to provide the voice until his death on Thursday, August 23rd, 2012. It is assumed that Vogel will assume both voice & puppetry duties of the character. He also voiced the gray  Grouch in the Grouch spoof of Spamalot called Scramalot.

Vogel's other Muppet credits include work, assisting or in supporting roles, on Big Bag, Bear in the Big Blue House, Sesame English, & The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, as well as various pigeons in the Creature Shop film The Producers. Works outside of the Henson fold include the video series MATHmatazz, Jack's Big Music Show, The Puzzle Place, the HBO drama Oz, Oobi, Blue 's Room, & Between the Lions.

In theater, Vogel has acted in regional productions of various plays including The Foreigner & Six Degrees of Sparation, & was involved in the 2003 - 2004 Broadway run of Little Shop of Horrors, manipulating Audrey II & playing various bums & Skid Row residents (alongside Martin P. Robinson and Anthony Asbury). In addition to Muppeteering, Vogel's interest in music is made evident by his non-Sesame role as front man for the band, The Mighty Weaklings released a CD of songs "for kids--and grown-ups" called You Can't Rock Sittin' Down in June of 2008 after appearing in the video for their song "Rocket Ship" on Jack's Big Music Show. With Joey Mazzarino, Vogel co-owns Pratfall Productions, which produced the film-noir puppet spoof Murder, He Squeaked & various inserts for Sesame Street, Sesame Street videos & Nick Jr.'s Curious Buddies. Vogel also served as director for Sesame Street beginning with Season 39 & the recurring segment, "Murray Has a Little Lamb".

Matt & his wife Kelly live in the Big Apple with their 5 children.

Episodes Where Vogel Played Big Bird
In addition to the Journey to  Ernie  segments & inserted clips, Matt has also played Big Bird in many scenes including:
 * A sketch where Big Bird explains to Elmo that plants can't play catch.
 * A sketch where Big Bird show up & down.
 * A segment where Big Bird & Snuffy present the Spanish Word of the Day: teléfono (telephone).
 * 3790: 1 of the earliest instances of Vogel performing Big Bird, to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney, beginning when Oscar  appears partway into the episode.
 * 3831: For the times where Oscar  & Big Bird appear together, Vogel is actually doing Big Bird's Muppetry, at 1 point lip-syncing it to a vocal track by Spinney.
 * 3851: For the scene where Elmo & Big Bird are practicing the tango, Vogel performs Big Bird's Muppetry to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney.
 * 3877
 * 3907
 * 3958 (3790 repeat)
 * 3987
 * 3997: For all the parts of this episode where  Oscar  & Big Bird don't share a scene, Big Bird is completely played by Spinney, however, since the episode is mainly about  Oscar , when they share a scene, Spinney is  Oscar , & Vogel performs Big Bird's Muppetry, to a vocal track by Spinney.
 * 4028: Big Bird & Bob sing Rub Your Tummy with a group of kids.
 * 4074
 * 4075
 * 4107 & 4108: The Adventures of Little Big Bird (mini Big Bird only)
 * 4109: Vogel Muppeteers Big Bird during the song "Everyone Needs a Friend" to Spinney's vocals.
 * 4155: Vogel performs Big Bird (voice & Muppetry) for his cameo at the beginning.
 * 4187: Vogel played Big Bird during the green -screen scenes to a vocal track by Spinney.
 * 4203: Vogel played Big Bird to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney.
 * 4206: In the brief moment where we actually see Big Bird's actual crash when he is wedged inside the little wall in front of 123 Sesame Street, Vogel is Big Bird.
 * The Street We Live On: in the intro to "Journey to Ernie"
 * The Sunny Side Up Show
 * In "What I Am", &a " Elmo 's Got the Moves", Vogel performs Big Bird's Muppetry to Spinney&'s voice.
 * Also, when  Oscar  & Big Bird (both characters performed by Caroll Spinney) are required in a scene together, Vogel will sometimes operate  Oscar  to a vocal track by Spinney so the latter can perform Big Bird.
 * The Adventures of  Elmo  in Grouchland: In many scenes throughout the movie, Matt Vogel Muppeteered the Big Bird suit to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney while the latter performs Oscar the Grouch, a protagonist in the film.

Matt Vogel/David Rudman Muppet Pairings

 * Howie Eatswell/Cookie Monster
 * Gary Gill/Baby Bear
 * 2 Scramalot Grouches
 * Floyd Pepper/Janice
 * Floyd Pepper/Scooter
 * Robin the Frog/Sweetums (soon)
 * Lew Zealand/Scooter (soon)
 * Crazy Harry/Bobby Benson (soon)

Muppeteer Credits

 * Vogel's main Muppet characters:
 * Count von Count (2012 - present)
 * Jerry Nelson (Sesame Street Episode 0406 (Season 4 premiere) (1972) - 2012)
 * Floyd Pepper (Studio DC: Almost Live hosted by Selena Gomez (2008) - present)
 * Jerry Nelson (The Muppet Show: Sex & Violence (1975) - Muppets Party Cruise (2003); Studio DC: Almost Live hosted by Dylan & Cole Sprouse (2008) (voice only))
 * Lew Zealand (A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa (2008) - present)
 * Jerry Nelson (The Muppet Show Season 3 (1978) - Muppets Party Cruise (2003))
 * Robin the Frog (A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa (2008) - present)
 * Jerry Nelson (The Frog Prince (1971) - Jim Henson: Creator of Dreams (2003))
 * Crazy Harry (Stars & Stripes Forever (2008) - present)
 * Jerry Nelson (The Muppet Show Season 2 (1977) - Muppets Party Cruise (2003))
 * Camilla the Chicken (Classical Chicken (2008) - present)
 * Jerry Nelson (The Muppet Show Season 3 (1978) - Muppets Party Cruise (2003))
 * Big Bird (understudy) (ca. 1998 - present)
 * Caroll Spinney (Sesame Street Episode 1 (1969) - present))
 * Sesame Street: Big Bird (understudy), Anderson Cucumber Letter of the Day Announcer, Maurice Pig (4095), Gassy (Dwarf #3) (4114), Baby Bear (assistant), Ernie (assistant) (2000 - 2003), Count von Count, Darth Chicken, "Elmo 's World" CGI Furniture, Humpty Dumpty, Herb (4113), David Letterguy (4125), Rapunzel's Prince (4127), Gardener, Groucho Marx Muppet, Howie Eatswell (4138), Ant (4147), Megan (Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer?), Pino, Professor Gary Gill, Scramalot  Grouch , Wyoming Walt, Mr. Yak, the the guinea pig (Pre-School Musical), The Super Foods banana, etc., Hubert the Human Cannonball
 * Don't Forget to Watch the Movie
 * Big Bag
 *  Big Bird  Gets Lost
 * Telling the Truth
 *  Elmo  Saves Christ mas
 * Telling the Truth: Additional Muppeteer
 *  Elmo palooza
 * Bear in the Big Blue House
 * Sesame Street Goes to the Doctor: Hoarse Horse
 * A Brief History of Motion Pictures
 * The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
 * Play With Me Sesame: Ernie (assistant)
 * Muppet RaceMania: Scooter & Janice (voices)
 *  Elmo 's Magic Cookbook: Glass of Water
 * Music Works Wonders
 * Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
 * A Celebration of Me,  Grover 
 * Sesame Beginnings: Baby Big Bird
 * The Producers: Pigeons
 * Kids' Favorite Country Songs: Elmer
 *  Elmo 's Christ mas Countdown: Stiller the Elf (Muppetry only)
 * Studio DC: Almost Live: Floyd Pepper (Muppetry only, character was performed to Jerry Nelson's vocals)
 * Studio DC: Almost Live: Floyd Pepper, Camilla the Chicken
 * Abby in Wonderland
 * A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken
 * Here for You: Chester's Dad
 * Coming Home
 * Food for Thought
 * Families Stand Together
 * Muppet viral videos
 * Virmup
 * Bohemian Rhapsody: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Camilla the Chicken
 * Christ mas in Rockefeller Center: Floyd Pepper
 * Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.: Sweetums
 * The Muppet Show "Theme" Music Video: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Uncle Deadly, Sweetums
 * The Muppets: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Uncle Deadly, Sweetums, Rowlf the Dog Moopet, Janice Moopet, Wanda (puppetry) Singing Food in "Me Party".
 * Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Robin the Frog ("When the River Meets the Sea")
 * Monstruos Supersanos: Dr. Ruster
 * The Muppets: Operation STS (Save the Swamp): Robin the Frog, Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Camilla the Chicken, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Uncle Deadly, Pops, Droop, Aunt Googles

Non-Henson Credits

 * Oz: Pecky
 * Between the Lions: Rumplestiltskin, Derek Cheetah, Monkey Ad Executive (Jeff Kidding), various characters
 * Jack's Big Music Show: Leonard the Squirrel, MC Turtle, The Squirrels, etc.

Trivia

 * When Matt Vogel was introduced to Caroll Spinney at his 1st audition for the part of Big Bird, the latter remarked, "Vogel is German for Bird. That's a good sign."
 * The word "Vogel" is Dutch for Bird as well.
 * The protective slippers Vogel wears over Big Bird's feet when he's not on set are labeled, respectively, "Vogel" & "Füsse," meaning "bird" & "feet", or read together "bird's feet".
 * Characters of Jerry Nelson's Matt Vogel has performed once or consistently are:
 * Count von Count (2000s - 2012; assistant (Muppetry only; Muppetry & voice together: 2012 - present)
 * Floyd Pepper (Studio DC: Almost Live hosted by Selena Gomez (2008) - present)
 * Lew Zealand (A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa (2008) - present)
 * Robin the Frog (A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa (2008) - present)
 * Crazy Harry (Stars & Stripes Forever (2008) - present)
 * Camilla the Chicken (Classical Chicken (2008) - present)
 * Dr. Julius Strangepork (Bohemian Rhapsody (2009), The Muppets (2011))
 * Uncle Deadly (The Muppets (2011))
 * Pops (behind-the-scenes video)