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 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 Spinney retires or dies, Vogel is to be the new Big Bird. Most recently, he's also served as assistant puppet captain on Sesame Street. He's also taken over most of Jerry Nelson's Muppet characters, by the recommendation of Nelson himself. Vogel is, as of 2008, the new voice 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 is still providing the voice. 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 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 and 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".

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: Whenever Oscar  & Big Bird both appear together, Vogel is manipulating Big Bird, at 1 point lipsyncing to a vocal track by Spinney.
 * 3851: For the scene where Elmo & Big Bird are practicing the tango, Vogel performs Big Bird's puppetry.
 * 3877
 * 3907
 * 3987
 * 3997: For the parts of the episode where Big Bird & Oscar  don't share a scene, Big Bird is 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 puppeteers 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 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", & "Elmo 's Got the Movies", Vogel puppeteers Big Bird to Spinney's voice.
 * When Big Bird & Oscar  (both 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.

Muppeteer Credits

 * Muppet characters: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken (all 2008 - present)
 * Sesame Street: Big Bird (understudy) (1998 - present), Letter of the Day Announcer, Maurice Pig (4095), Gassy (Dwarf #3) (4114), Baby Bear (assistant), Ernie (assistant) (2000 - 2003), Count von Count (assistant; Muppetry only), "Elmo 's World" CGI Furniture, 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)
 * Studio DC: Almost Live: Floyd Pepper
 * 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
 * The Muppets: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Uncle Deadly, Sweetums, Rowlf Moopet, Janice Moopet, Wanda (puppetry) Singing Food in "Me Party".

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:
 * Floyd Pepper (Studio DC: Almost Live hosted by Selena Gomez (2008) - present)
 * Lew Zealand (A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa (2008) - present)
 * Crazy Harry (Stars & Stripes Forever (2008) - present)
 * Robin the Frog (A Muppets Christ mas : Letters to Santa (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)