Bill Barretta

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Bill Barretta (b. June 19, 1964) is a puppeteer and producer, who has been performing with the Jim Henson Company since 1991 and has become one of the leading Muppet performers.
Originally from Yardley, Pennsylvania, Barretta was trained at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City as an actor and has appeared in the feature films Murder in the First and Born to Be Wild. He also worked as a carpenter before joining Henson. He met Brian Henson while they were both working at Sesame Place, and the younger Henson encouraged him to join the company.
His first break came performing the body of Earl Sinclair on Dinosaurs. From suit performance, Barretta transitioned to assisting and supporting roles on The Animal Show, multiple small character roles in Muppet Classic Theater and Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, and his film debut as a principal performer playing Clueless Morgan in Muppet Treasure Island. He later developed several new characters on Muppets Tonight, including Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama and Bobo the Bear.
Along with having his own Muppet characters, Barretta has taken over several of Jim Henson's roles, such as Dr. Teeth, Rowlf the Dog, Mahna Mahna and the Swedish Chef. On Sesame Street, Barretta originated the role of Elmo's dad Louie who first appeared in Sesame Beginnings (and was subsequently inherited by Tyler Bunch).
In addition, Barretta has served as a producer for It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. He has also served as Muppet Captain on The MuppetsNPR: For Muppeteers, It Isn't Easy Being Invisible and Muppets Most Wanted. He also co-wrote the screenplay of the Creature Shop film Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (appearing on camera as Thunderdell).
Barretta directed a test pilot for the America's Next Muppet pitch and directed another presentation pilot featuring the Muppet in mock documentary style, focusing on the Muppets' efforts to launch a network television series. The second presentation pilot was written and produced by Bill Prady and featured puppetry by Barretta, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacobson.
His brother, artist Gene Barretta, has worked on several Henson/Sesame Street projects.
==Puppeteer Credits==
for a complete character gallery, see Bill Barretta characters
* The Muppets characters: Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear, Johnny Fiama, Rowlf the Dog (1996-) The Swedish Chef (1996-), Dr. Teeth (2005-), Big Mean Carl, and others...
* Sesame Street projects: Louie (2006-2010)
**Sesame Beginnings
**Elmo's Potty Time
**"Elmo's Ridin'" (Episode 4160)
**Talk, Listen, Connect
**Families Stand Together
**When Families Grieve
* Dinosaurs: Earl Sinclair (body)
* 1993 Royal Variety Performance: Doglion
* "Kokomo" music video: background puppetry
* Muppet Classic Theater: Elvis, Chief of Police ("The Emperor's New Clothes")
* Muppets on Wheels: ancillary Muppets
* The Animal Show: Armstrong, Dullard the Aardvark, and others; animal footage voice-overs
* Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
* Muppet Treasure Island: Clueless Morgan, Flaubert, Angel Marie, Mr. Bitte, Pigs; hands for Blind Pew
* Things That Fly: Commander Slick Space Guy and others...
* Muppets Tonight: Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear, Johnny Fiama, Big Mean Carl, and others; hands for Dr. Phil van Neuter
* The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: Uncle Berklummer
* Brats of the Lost Nebula: Duncan (puppetry), Doctor Faboo (puppetry)Interview with Brats of the Lost Nebula Creator Dan Clark (20:29 mark), Smarts 
* Muppets from Space: Bubba the Rat, Cosmic Fish #2, Lead-singing Alien Gonzo
* The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Grouch Cab Driver, Grouches
* Telling Stories with Tomie dePaola: Strega Nona
* Kermit's Swamp Years: Croaker, Horace D' Fly, Roy, Turtle #2
* It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
* The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
* From the Balcony (episodes 1-8)
* Disney Xtreme Digital: Bigger Burger Drive Thru Man, Topo Sticky, Pickles
* Studio DC: Almost Live
* A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Husband Pigeon
* Muppet viral videos
* When Families Grieve
* The Muppets: Muppet Gary, Gene, Hobo Muppet, Beautiful Day Monster, Singing Food in "Me Party"Facebook post by Matt Vogel, April 25, 2012
* Muppets Most Wanted: Baby Boss, Carlo Flamingo, Leprechaun Security Guard
* Muppet Moments
* The Muppets 2015 Presentation Pilot
* The Muppets
* The Muppets Take the Bowl
* The Muppets Take the O2
* The Happytime Murders: Phil Phillips, Junkyard, Boar
* Muppets Now
* Muppets Haunted Mansion
* The Muppets Mayhem: Dr. Teeth, Davis Cactus
==Production credits==
*Dinosaurs, "A New Leaf" - choreographer, with Leif Tilden, of "It's a Most Unusual Day"
*Long John Silver's commercials - director
*The Muppet Show Live - stage director
*Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story - co-writer
*It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie - producer
*The Muppets' Wizard of Oz - producer
*Tinseltown - executive producer, writer, director
*A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa - Muppet captain
*Disney Xtreme Digital - directorProduction slate
*The Muppets - associate producer, Muppet captain
*Muppets Most Wanted - co-producer, Muppet captain
*Muppet Moments - director
*"Pure Imagination" music video - consulting producer
*The Muppets, "Little Green Lie" - director
*Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, 2016 opening number - director
*Muppets Now - director (credited as Vito Massaro)
*Muppets Haunted Mansion - executive producer and co-writer (including song lyrics)
*Holey Moley - segment director
*The Muppets Mayhem - executive producer and co-writer, director ("Eight Days a Week" epilogueTough Pigs The Muppets Mayhem: Backstage Pass – “Eight Days a Week”)
==Notes==
* He attended St. Mary's Hall in Burlington, New Jersey.
*In addition to his puppeteering, Barretta has provided several episodic character voices on the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible and performed the song "Jingle, Jang and Jive" for Disney's Christmas special Prep and Landing.
*Barretta met Jim Henson twice; once at Sesame Place, where he helped Henson find the automated characters,Muppet Guys Talking (00:57:35-00:58:30) and later at his apartment.The Muppet Mindset Interview with Bill Barretta, Part 3
*Rowlf talked about Barretta in 2011: "Bill Barretta? That name sure is familiar, but I can't quite place him...Oh, wait a second, is that the fellow who gives me a lift now and then? Sure! Great guy-funny, creative, and I can beat him at cards. What's not to like?"Yamaha All Access Magazine
==See also==
* Bill Barretta cameos
* Bill Barretta's Acting Roles
==Sources==
==External Links==
*The Muppet Mindset interview Part One, Part Two, Part Three
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Category:Muppet Performers
Category:Creature Shop Puppeteers
Category:Producers
Category:Directors
Category:Writers
Category:Choreographers
Category:Lyricists