Whatnots

thumb|300px|Three Whatnots (including Svengali) sing "Comedy Tonight."
thumb|300px|Crowd of Whatnots from The Frog Prince
Whatnots are blank Muppet heads, onto which facial features, bodies, and clothes are added to make any kind of character in the Muppet Show universe. A similar group of Muppets known as Anything Muppets appear on Sesame Street.
The concept of a blank-faced puppet with interchangeable facial features and ever changing personalities originated in the "A Change of Face" routine performed on several occasions in variety shows during the 1960s, usually with The Southern Colonel. The same puppet would be recycled during the first season of Sesame Street, assuming the guises of Jack and the initial version of Granny Fanny Nesselrode.
A new batch of skin-toned utility puppets would be introduced in The Great Santa Claus Switch and used as patterns for the Elves. These puppets would be used as the peasants in The Frog Prince and the human prisoners from the "Return to Beneath the Planet of the Pigs" in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, as well as for individual characters such as Wally and Leo.
In The Muppet Show, many varieties of Whatnots would be introduced. In the first two seasons, they mostly had basic face shapes with snouts rather than individual noses, such as Gogolala Jubilee Jugband. Later in the series, new puppets with sculpted noses and more complex head shapes appeared, including one large jawed Whatnot that would be later used as the base of Lew Zealand. Other notable recurring Whatnot characters include Marvin Suggs and Bobby Benson.
Other new Whatnot patterns would be seen in following Muppet productions and used both as "utility" Muppets and recurring characters: Muppets Tonight features Whatnot characters such as Zippity Zap and Bill the Bubble Guy, the Muppet Meeting Films had Franklin and Shirley, and From the Balcony had Larry and Oliver.
In 1993, Playskool released a series of toy Muppet Workshop Puppet Kits based on the concept of Whatnot Muppets.
In 2008, FAO Schwarz in New York City opened The Muppet Whatnot Workshop, an interactive puppet creation display that remained in operation until 2015. For promotion of the workshop, the Muppets (led by the Whatnots) took over the Today Show on November 13, 2008.
Additionally, Muppet Whatnot Workshop kits were sold through Toys R Us stores in late 2011 to coincide with the promotion for The Muppets.
==Designs==
Some of the frequently reused Whatnot patterns. The descriptions are all unofficial, in contrast to the style guides and other official sources used for Anything Muppet patterns, and should not be used outside this page until official terms are found. 
===The Muppet Show===
Lew Zealand blue.png|Square-jawed flat-head orangeLew Zealand, Sleeze Brother, Singing Fireman
AquareladoBrasil.jpg|Square-jawed round-head orangeScotsman, Bullets Barker, Terry a la Berry Muppet, Bongo Player
Marvinsuggs-.jpg|Tall blue snoutMarvin Suggs, Bernie, William Tell, Fred, Wig Trainer, Clive Cahuenga, Robot Dancer, Rodney Rugg
Character.announcer.jpg|Tall blueCarol Ide Muppet, The Announcer, Jacques, Robot Dancer, Ali Baba, Kent, Andorian, Timecaster, Nate Leakey, Mr. President
Steve-BeFriends.jpg|Sculpted-nose blue #1Mexican Hat Dancer, Accordion Player
BrianM-Construction.jpg|Sculpted-nose blue #2
Mullen villager 524.jpg|Saggy-cheeked blueRhonda, Mama Fiama
Shepherd.jpg|Flat blueShepherd, Teeterini Brother
Jerry Lee TMS315.jpg|Cone-shaped blueLee
Jim-Tourist103.jpg|Cymbal-shaped blueHashim, Eben, Two-Headed Singer, Harry, The Witch Doctor
313 blue backup singer.jpg|Oval shaped blue
Confused kid.jpg|Cymbal-shaped tealWally, Two-Headed Singer, Tom, Singing Fireman, Nurse, Bugsy
Jugband3.JPG|Teal snoutClyde, Hildegard, Mexican Hat Dancer, Sherry Coannacheck
Aquarius-Steve.jpg|Cone-shaped tealSleeze Brother, Warren, Shepherdess, Switcheroo, Female Singer
Jerry big eye singer 423.jpg|Oval-shaped teal
Aquarius-Richard.jpg|Purple snoutZeke, Cynthia Birdley, Dick, Singing Fireman, Two-Headed Woman, Groupie, Zubin Beckmesser, Larry Coannacheck
WCWBF-Richard.jpg|Round purpleTrumpet Girl
TMS320 groupie.jpg|Cone-shaped purpleSleeze Brother, Two-Headed Woman, Groupie, Switcheroo, Female Singer, Lola the Fan Dancer
WallyWhoopie.jpg|Sculpted-nose purple #1Mexican Hat Dancer, Wally Whoopie, Smilin' Ed, Donald B. Tucker, Co-Dependence Day therapist
TMS520 Lousie Gold Ying Tong mom.jpg|Sculpted-nose purple #2Milton Miller, Farmer, Teeterini Mother, Danny, Dino Doc, Sven
Jerry-OblahDi.jpg|Sculpted-nose purple #3Scorn
DATOB&B-Steve.jpg|Tall purpleNurse, Colonial Rum Cake Robber, Alvy Mellish
Jacques' Girlfriend.jpg|Oval shaped purpleJacques' Girlfriend, Denise
Dave-BigEyes.jpg|Oval shaped pink
Jerry discussion whatnot TMS105.jpg|Droop-nosed greySvengali, Jake, Herman, Burlington Bertie, Chester Pugh, Contender 980116, William Shakespeare, Bruno, Teeterini Brother, Snake Charmer, One-Eyed Jack
Jerry battle commander TMS206.jpg|Pointy-nosed greyDracula, Pierre LaCousse, Singing Fireman, Alfredo, Luis Greco, Dance-a-Lot
Jim-ChooChoo210.jpg|Round grey
Jerry cowpoke TMS322.jpg|Sculpted-nose grey #1Albert Flan, Steve Ide Muppet, Lefty, MuppPip
Jerry so happy 523.jpg|Sculpted-nose grey #2Fred, Zuzu Fitzwaller, Signor Baffi, Boo Mortmorkson, Ragtime Cowboy Joe, Farmer Lear, Mr. Applegate
Dave-NewsDoc.jpg|Sculpted-nose grey #3 Inspector LaBrea, Teeterini Brother, Lester Tomwater
Richard-322b.jpg|Tall greyDan Velika Muppet, Patti Saverne, The Showman, Conductor, Loyal Royal Advisor, The Head of the Network, Galahad, Marty Pipkin
Sheikh's Wife.jpg|PeachThe Sheik's Wife, Overweight Lady
Dancers217a.jpg|Round peach #1Wanda
Andre.jpg|Round peach #2Andre, Two-Nosed Whatnot
Oz Mary Louise TMS120.jpg|Small peach (two copies exist)Mary Louise, Goldilocks
Frank-MT101.jpg|Sculpted-nose peachKlaus Mueller, Prince Rudolph, The Duchess, Caveman
TMS220 Louise Gold dancer.jpg|Beak-nosed peach
Jerry Slim JHH Garbage.jpg|Tall peachAustralian, Slim
Character.billyboy.jpg|Button-nose peach #1Annie, Johnny, Gabriel, Benny, Billy Boy
TMS420 Louise Gold angel.jpg|Button-nose peach #2
RedheadedWhatnot.JPG|Button-nose peach #3Whirling Wanda
Dave-LidLikeThat.jpg|Button-nose peach #4Paul Williams Muppet, Walter Tell
Richard-DancingPirate.jpg|Sculpted-nose jade green #1
TMS519 Dave chap.jpg|Sculpted-nose jade green #2Matador, Cuddles, Peg-Leg, Melissa, Artie
Richard-SoHappy.jpg|Sculpted-nose jade green #3Angus MacGregor, Dead-Ear Dick
Green whatnot TMS310.jpg|Cone-shaped jade greenSleeze Brother, Les, Groupie, Mexican Hat Dancer, Switcheroo, Female Singer, Dr. Salamander, Don the Prop Guy
Jim-NavyVillager.jpg|Oval-shaped jade green
Roxanne-tms.png|Oval-shaped tanRoxanne
Bobby Benson.jpg|Button-nose tanWayne, Bobby Benson, Security Guard, Roger
Doctor-tms.jpg|Sculpted-nose tan #2 David Grover Muppet, Doctor, Mexican Hat Dancer, MuppPip, Singing Weatherman
Character.britishchap.jpg|Sculpted-nose tan #1MuppPip, British Chap, Big Tiny Tallsaddle
===Muppet Meeting Films===
Gimleysboss.jpg|Sculpted-chin pale green Bob, Gimley's Boss, William Shakespeare, Ted Thomas, Ted Thomas Sr.
Jones.jpg|Square-chin pale green Jones
Smerdley.jpg|Small round peach Smerdley, Coffee Guy
MeetingFilm-Dan.jpg|Sculpted-chin yellow-orange Dan
Royal Jester.png|Oval gold Raw Material, Mookie, Howard Straighttalk, The Royal Jester
Franklin.jpg|Tall Tan Franklin, Moses
Maxine-Darlene.jpg|Pear purple Maxine, Margaret
Gimley.jpg|Round purpleGimley
How to end a meeting speaker.jpg|Oval light blueFred, Auditor, Mulligan, Julius Caesar, Lee Turgid
Noimage-big.png|Round pinkConductor, Flick Flashman
==See also==
*Songs performed by Whatnots on The Muppet Show
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Category:Muppet Characters
Category:Muppet Character Types
Category:The Muppets Characters