The Muppets

**The Muppets** are puppet characters created by Jim Henson. The characters include Kermit the Frog and the Muppet cast of _Sesame Street_. The Muppets are known for an absurd burlesque and humorous style of variety-sketch comedy.

Jim Henson started work with the Muppets in the 1950s and continued until his death in 1990. He said the name "muppet" came from combining the words "puppet" and "marionette." However, he also said he just liked the way the word sounded.

The Muppets are now owned by The Muppets Studio and The Walt Disney Company. The term "muppet" is trademarked and owned by The Walt Disney Company. Muppets used in _Sesame Street_ are still called muppets at times, and have special permission from The Walt Disney Company to use that name.

## Description

Many of Jim Henson's muppets have large eyes, round noses, and large mouths that go from one end of the face to the other (almost ear to ear). Muppets are often made out of foam with felt on top.

Puppeteers usually control the muppet with one hand in the head while the other hand controls the arms. Sometimes the arms have a stick that is used to move the hand and arm - this is called the "arm rod." Puppeteers hold the arm rod at one end and the other end touches the muppet hand.

Some muppets have hands that are gloves. Puppeteers put their hands in the gloves of these muppets so the muppet can move its fingers. For this reason, most muppets appear to favor their left hands.

### Main Muppeteers

Many Muppeteers voiced a variety of characters. For example, Jim Henson was the voice of Kermit the Frog, Ernie, Guy Smiley, Bruce (monster), Harvey Monster, The Big Bad Wolf, Rowlf the Dog, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, Link Hogthrob, Waldorf, Shakey Sanchez, Green Frackle, Green Heap, Beautiful Day Monster, Mahna Mahna, The Newsman, Flower Eating Monster, Cantus the Minstrel, Sam, Harry the Hipster, Yorick, Emmet Otter, Clyde (bird), Timmy Monster, Blue Martian, Lubbock Lou, and various other characters.

Similarly, Frank Oz voiced various other characters.

Meanwhile, Jerry Nelson voiced other characters.

Richard Hunt voiced and other characters. Dave Goelz also portrayed numerous Muppets.

### Additional Muppeteers

Additional Muppeteers include:
- Alice Dinnean: She voiced others
- Bill Barretta: others
- Carmen Osbahr: others
- David Rudman: others
- Fran Brill: Prairie Dawn, Zoe, Betty Lou, Little Bird, and others
- Joey Mazzarino: others
- John Tartaglia: others
- Julianne Buescher: others
- Kevin Clash: others
- Leslie Carrara-Rudolph - others
- Matt Vogel - others
- Martin P. Robinson - others
- Peter Linz - others
- Stephanie D'Abruzzo: Curly Bear and others
- Steve Whitmire: Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny, Lips, Pink Martian, Zeke and other characters

### Various characters

Several Muppeteers voiced various unspecified characters, including:

- Eric Jacobson
- Jennifer Barnhart
- John Kennedy
- Noel MacNeal
- Pam Arciero
- Ryan Dillon
- Tyler Bunch

### Cast and characters in adaptations

|rowspan="2" width="10%"|Characters|colspan="12"|Films||||||||||||||||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|colspan="3"|Jim Henson|colspan="8"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="2"|Matt Vogel||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" rowspan="2"|Frank Oz|colspan="1" rowspan="2"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ Kevin Clash _(puppetry)_|colspan="1"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ Peter Linz _(puppetry)_|rowspan="3"|McDonald's advert|colspan="6" rowspan="2"|Eric Jacobson||||||||||
|colspan="1"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ John Kennedy _(puppetry)_||||||||||||||||||
|colspan="6"|Dave Goelz|colspan="6"|Dave Goelz||||||||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Richard Hunt|colspan="3"|Jerry Nelson|Jerry Nelson|colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson _(voice)_ Steve Whitmire _(puppetry)_|colspan="3"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="2"|Peter Linz|||||||||
|colspan="3"|Jim Henson|colspan="10"|Dave Goelz||||||||||||||||
|colspan="6"|Dave Goelz|rowspan="2"|_Mentioned_|colspan="6"|Dave Goelz||||||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Richard Hunt|colspan="3"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="4"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="2"|David Rudman||||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Jim Henson|colspan="1"|David Rudman|colspan="9"|Bill Barretta||||||||||||||
|colspan="4"|Frank Oz|colspan="1"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ Kevin Clash _(puppetry)_|colspan="1"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ John Kennedy _(puppetry)_||colspan="1"|Kevin Clash _(voice)_ John Kennedy _(puppetry)_|colspan="5"|Eric Jacobson|||||||||
|colspan="4"|Frank Oz|colspan="1"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ Kevin Clash _(puppetry)_|colspan="1"|Frank Oz _(voice)_ Rickey Boyd _(puppetry)_||colspan="6"|Eric Jacobson|||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Jim Henson|colspan="2" rowspan="6"|||||||||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Jim Henson|colspan="3" John Kennedy||colspan="4"|Bill Baretta||||||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson _(voice)_|colspan="1"|John Kennedy|colspan="2"|Matt Vogel|||||
|colspan="3"|Richard Hunt|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Brian Henson|colspan="1"|Tyler Bunch|colspan="2"|David Rudman||||||||||
|colspan="3"|Dave Goelz|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="4"|Dave Goelz|||||||||
|colspan="6"|Jerry Nelson||colspan="2"|Bill Barretta|colspan="4"|Matt Vogel|||||||||||||
|colspan="1"|colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="1"|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="3"|Dave Goelz|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="4"|Dave Goelz||||||||
|colspan="3"|Richard Hunt|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="4"|David Rudman||||||||||||||
|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="10"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="2" style=”background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||colspan="6"|Bill Barretta|||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="4"|Peter Linz||||||||||||||||
|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="1"|Peter Linz||||||
|colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson _(voice)_|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Matt Vogel|colspan="1"|Peter Linz|
|colspan="2"|Richard Hunt|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="5"|John Henson|colspan="3"|Matt Vogel||||||||||||
|colspan="4"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="2"||colspan="2"|Bill Barretta|colspan="3"|Matt Vogel||||||||||||
|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="3"|Dave Goelz||||||||||||
|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="3"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson _(voice)_|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Matt Vogel|||||||
|colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Rickey Boyd|colspan="3"|Matt Vogel||||||||
|colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Alice Dinnean|colspan="3"|Matt Vogel||||||||
|colspan="1"|Frank Oz|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Eric Jacobson|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||
|colspan="1"|Jim Henson|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Steve Whitmire||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jim Henson|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Steve Whitmire||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="6"|Bill Barretta||||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Matt Vogel||||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="4"|Bill Barretta|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="4"|Brian Henson|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="3"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|David Rudman||||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Bill Barretta||||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|David Rudman||||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|Alice Dinnean _(voice)_ Mat Vogel _(puppetry)_||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Matt Vogel||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="2"|David Rudman||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bill Barretta||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bill Barretta||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Peter Linz||||||||||||||||
|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bill Barretta||||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Tyler Bunch|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Matt Vogel|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Matt Vogel|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||colspan="1"|Mel Brooks _(voice)_ Allan Trautman _(puppetry)_|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Kevin Clash||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Brian Henson||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bill Barretta||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="5" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bill Barretta||colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Kevin Clash|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Kevin Clash|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Kevin Clash|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="4" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bill Barretta|colspan="6" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jessica Fox _(voice)_ Rob Tygner, Karen Prell, William Todd-Jones_(puppetry)_|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson _(voice)_ Don Austen _(puppetry)_|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Don Austen, Rob Tygner _(puppetry)_|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jerry Nelson|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Tyler Bunch|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|David Shaw Parker _(voice)_ David Rudman _(puppetry)_|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|David Rudman|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="3" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="7" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bruce Edward Hall|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Brian Muehl|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Karen Prell|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Bruce Edward Hall|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Dave Goelz|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Steve Whitmire|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Kathryn Mullen|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Jim Henson|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Frank Oz|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="2" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Frank Oz|colspan="8" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"||colspan="1"|Caroll Spinney|colspan="9" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||
|colspan="1"|Caroll Spinney|colspan="10" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||||
|colspan="1"|Caroll Spinney|colspan="11" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||||
|colspan="1"|Caroll Spinney|colspan="12" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|||||||||||||||||

### Discography

- Opening themes
    - "The Muppet Show Theme" (1976-2022)
    - "Rock On" (2023)
- Closing themes
    - "The Muppet Show Theme" (instrumental) (1976-2022) (except 2011)
    - "The Rainbow Connection" (1979, 1986, 2001 and 2015 only)
    - "Mahna Mahna" (2011 only)
    - "Bright" (2015 only)
    - "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" (2016 only)
    - "The Muppets Mayhem End Credits" (2023)