Rufus

Rufus is a fluffy white dog, originally built in September 1963Falk, Karen. Jim Henson's Red Book, 9/–/1963 – 'Build Rufus.' for the TV special, Tall Tales, starring alongside Jack Gilford. It is suggested that he was named after Rufus Rose, puppeteer and puppet builder for The Howdy Doody Show.Karen Falk at "A Henson Valentine" at the Museum of the Moving Image, February 10, 2024
Rufus would go on to feature in the unsold pilot for The Land of Tinkerdee, which was filmed August 9 of the next year. In that pilot, Rufus was the watchdog and best friend of Darryl, a human who worked as the gatekeeper of Tinkerdee. Rufus was good-natured and helpful, although clumsy. He was performed here by Jim Henson. The Land of Tinkerdee wasn't picked up, and Rufus was denied his chance at stardom. He is referred to by Darryl as a sheepdog, but Rufus counters that he has not only never seen a sheep, but he's afraid of them.
Rufus next appeared in the 1965 pilot for a Cinderella series, as Cinderella's pet dog. In the pilot and for further appearances, Rufus doesn't speak; he communicates through gestures and barks. He would play the same role again for the special, Hey Cinderella!. Rufus then appeared in three episodes of the first season of Sesame Street (44, 84, and 90); in the audio commentary for I Am Big Bird, Caroll Spinney refers to him as "Flash the Wonder Dog."
Rufus was part of the main cast in The Muppets Valentine Show in 1974, interacting with guest star Mia Farrow. That same year, Rufus appeared alongside Brewster in Herb Alpert and the TJB. In mime, he requested his favorite song to Herb: "Spanish Flea." In one of his last prominent appearances, he appears in the 1985 home video Country Music with the Muppets, miming a request for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with a cassette tape in in his mouth; he utters an audible "Thank you" when his request is fulfilled.
In 1976, another fluffy white dog puppet was created for The Muppet Show -- J.P. Grosse's dog, Muppy. Muppy had more realistic features than Rufus did, so that he could be switched to a real dog in long shots.
Both Rufus and Muppy can be spotted in The Muppets Take Manhattan (in the scene with Rowlf at the dog shelter and in the wedding sequence) and in The Muppets at Walt Disney World (during the musical number, "I'm Doggin' It"). 
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Rufus Sesame Street Frank Oz Mr Hooper.jpg|Footage from I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
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==Filmography==
*Tall Tales
*The Land of Tinkerdee
*The Pied Piper of Astroworld
*Hey Cinderella! 
*The Muppets Make Puppets
*Sesame Street (Season 1)
**Episode 0044 - Scenes 1-7
**Episode 0084 - Scenes 1-7
**Episode 0090 - Scenes 3 & 8
*The Muppets Valentine Show
*Herb Alpert and the TJB
*The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence
*Cher
*The Muppets Take Manhattan
*Country Music with the Muppets
*The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
*The Muppets at Walt Disney World
==Sources==
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Category:Muppet Characters
Category:Tinkerdee Characters
Category:The Muppets Characters
Category:Sesame Street Muppet Characters
Category:Sesame Street Characters
Category:Pets
Category:Tales from Muppetland Characters