Don Sahlin

 John   Lovelady  worked for the  JIM HENSON  Company during the late 1960 s & 70 s as both a performer & a puppet builder. As a builder, he worked on the original  OSCAR THE GROUCH  & character s for The Great San ta Cla us Switch. As a puppeteer, he performed in every episode of The Muppet Show during the 1 st season. He left the company shortly after season 1 of The Muppet Show ended & went on to perform in a number of non -  HENSON  puppet series.

Lovelady was born in Oxford, Mississippi , & attended the same ( consolidated ) grade school as  JIM HENSON  , though he was in 6 th grade while  HENSON  in 5 th. He attended the University of Memphis ( 1950 - 1953 ), graduating with a B. A. S c. in Theatre, as well as the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville ( 1953 - 1955 ) , with an M. A. in Theatre.

For nearly 50 year s, Lovelady has been married to Nancy McGeorge , who performed back ground character s on The Muppets Valen tine Show. They have 2 children, Scott & Kate.

HENSON Puppeteer Credit s

 * The Muppet Show - The Announcer ( episodes 109, 113 - 117 ) , the Hound Baskerville the Hound ( episode 103 ) , Bernie , Bruce , Crazy Harry ( first season ) , Male Ghost ,  GREEN  Frackle ( episode 118 ) , Iggy Wiggy , Nigel ( 1 st season ) , Rats ( episode s 1 0 2 , 1 0 7 , 1 09 ) , Talking House# 1
 * The  Frog  Prince
 * The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
 * The Muppets Valen tine Show - Crazy Harry
 * T h e Muppet Show : Sex & Violence - Vanity & Abraham Lincoln
 * The Great San ta Cla us Switch - Alarm Frackle, Bong
 * The Muppet Movie - Muppet workshop coordinator
 * Emmet Otter ' s Jug - Band Christ mas

Non - Muppet Production s

 *  Adventure s   in   Wonder land  - Dormouse
 *  The   Mother   Goose   Video   Treasury  - Gregory Griggs
 * The Great Space Coaster - Knock Knock / Edison the Elephant
 *  Dumbo ' s   Circus  - Various Puppet s
 *  D . C .   Follies  - Various Puppet s & voice s / puppet builder