The Big Bad Wolf The Big Bad Wolf is a famous fairy tale character , professional windbag , and connoisseur of pork and baskets of goodies . He continually engages in the good - natured pursuit of the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood . He has been seen on " Sesame Street " in many different incarnations over the years , most commonly performed by Jerry Nelson . The character debuted in " Sesame Street News Flash " segments which reenacted or spoofed his stories , but later began making appearances on the street itself . The earliest version of the Big Bad Wolf appeared in 1971 , as a blue , shaggy wolf with an angry expression , a variation of the early Herry Monster puppet . One " News Flash " segment about the Three Pigs ' feelings substituted a green Big Bad Wolf . By 1988 , the character had been redesigned , and a purple puppet was used most often ( and would also be used for Jackman Wolf ) . Other versions of the character with different fur colors have also popped up from time to time . However , all the puppets have had a moving eyebrow mechanism , save for the green wolf . On occasion , the purple wolf puppet would be used for different wolves ( such as the Big Mad Wolf in the song " Bad Wolf , " or a Big Good Wolf in one segment when the Three Little Pigs were asked to identify whom was the Big Bad Wolf ( it turned out to be the smaller green wolf , wearing a fake beard as a cheesy disguise . ) The Big Bad Wolf has occasionally displayed diverse talents or interests outside of blowing down houses and chasing pigs . In a 1980 News Flash with Cookie Monster as Little Red Riding Hood , he appeared as Dr . Wolf , tending to Cookie ' s sick grandmother . On , he invaded Ernie and Bert ' s apartment , where Bert assumed he was merely Ernie in another disguise . ( When the skit was adapted into book form as " The Many Faces of Ernie " , the Big Bad Wolf was replaced by Frazzle . ) The wolf was also a member of Guy Smiley ' s studio audience in a skit where Smiley takes his entire audience out to lunch . He also appeared in a Monsterpiece Theater skit parodying " Dances with Wolves " , in which the wolf and a female pig discuss their differences and dance with each other . In the late 1990s and beyond , in his now mostly standard purple form , the Big Bad Wolf frequently played key roles in street storylines and in videos . He showed a flair for civil service as well , functioning as City Nest Inspector in Episode 3980 , and using his hurricane breath to determine whether Big Bird ' s new nest was safe and could withstand the elements . In Episode 4035 , the Big Bad Wolf ' s brother Leonard visited Sesame Street and taught Elmo and Rosita that not all wolves are the same . On the video front , he appeared in the direct - to - video production " Sing , Hoot & Howl " . He also appeared in " The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street " , providing security as " Pig Control , " helping Grover recite his speech for Kermit without being bothered by the Three Little Pigs . Additionally , the Wolf starred in the direct - to - video " " ; as performed by Noel MacNeal , this was his most substantial role to date , appearing much more primal and less anthropomorphic . The Wolf also made a cameo in the opening number of the 2008 direct - to - video special " Abby in Wonderland " , performed by Kevin Clash . In 2005 , the Big Bad Wolf was revamped again in a gray variation using a similar puppet pattern . In Episode 4145 , he appears on Sesame Street to terrorize the pigs as Prairie Dawn provides a Special Report for Fairy Tale News . Here , the wolf acted more like a thespian than he usually does , and after he ' d blow down a house , he would sing " Huff and puff ! " This puppet alternated the role with the purple version in Season 38 as seen in episode 4149 . In Episode 4219 , the Big Bad Wolf was suspected by to have been behind the whoosh that made Elmo and Telly ' s basketball , investigator ' s hat , and crayon away . The Big Bad Wolf appears and tells them that he is no longer in the pig - chasing business as he is now working as a hair dryer at the salon as he blows at Mrs . Hathahkugel ' s hair in order to dry it . In Episode 4266 , the Wolf , unable to catch up with the pigs running away , sees Slimey and gets the idea to blow him away . With his singsongy " Huff and puff ! " , he blows Slimey into Snuffy ' s spaghetti and later blows Snuffy towards the stoop of 123 Sesame Street , not realizing the harm he ' s causing . When he does , he apologizes and switches to a new hobby : blowing bubbles ! The purple wolf has been a guest at " The Furchester Hotel " . ( Episode " " ) See also . _ _ NOWYSIWYG _ _