The Noodle Family

The Noodle Family appear in the Elmo's World segments of Sesame Street. Elmo frequently asks the Noodles, a group of silent characters, to demonstrate how to perform a chore or answer a question; they respond through pantomime but invariably get the process wrong or fail to follow Elmo's instructions. Through trial and error and repeated prompting, The Noodles usually manage to figure it out.
Writer Louise Gikow called the Noodles "a dynasty of mimes,...in the tradition of great silent film comedians like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd."Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street. (page 169) They make mistakes but solve them with the help of "enthusiastic kid voice-overs," which empower children and help them feel smarter than the adults. They are silent to allow Elmo to do all the talking and to give children the opportunity to respond to what they see on the screen. Acting similar to clowns, using slapstick and similar types of physical comedy, they physically and humorously act out their replies to Elmo's questions.Clash, Kevin (2006). My Life as a Furry Red Monster (page 77) According to writer and Elmo's World co-creator Judy Freudberg, "Mr. Noodle, who never speaks, is all about trial and error. When you throw him a hat, he acts like he's never seen one before. Kids feel empowered watching him because they can do what he can't."Davis, Michael (2008). Street Gang.(page 339) According to Sesame Street researcher Lewis Bernstein, the characters, whom he calls "bungling," give young viewers "the opportunity to figure it out" before the adults do.
==Family members==
MrNoodle.jpg|
Elmo'sWorld-NoodleEars.jpg|
Noodles.jpg|
Othernoodlesister.jpg|
DanielKorenNoodle.png|
DaveedDiggsNoodle.png|
IlanaGlazer.jpg|
AmberNoodle.jpg|
==Casting==
Mr. Noodle was introduced along with Elmo's World in Season 30. Mr. Noodle was played by Bill Irwin, who had previously worked with Arlene Sherman, executive producer of Sesame Street and co-creator of Elmo's World, on short films produced for the show.
For the next season Irwin was unavailable, so Sherman asked her friend Michael Jeter to replace Irwin as Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle. Jeter enthusiastically accepted, later calling it his favorite role in 20 years.Oliver, Myrna (2003). "Michael Jeter, 50; 'Mr. Noodle' on Sesame Street". The Los Angeles Times. Irwin returned to the role of Mr. Noodle and appeared alongside Jeter in two Season 32 segments, after which the two Noodle brothers alternated and occasionally appeared jointly. Jeter continued in the role as Mr. Noodle's brother until his death in 2003 (at the end of Season 34); Jeter appeared in 23 Elmo's World episodes and two Elmo's World specials.
In 2001 Actress Kristin Chenoweth was cast as Mr. Noodle's sister Ms. Noodle and appeared alongside her two brothers in two home-video productions. She later appeared in a Season 34 episode and two Season 37 episodes.
In Season 38, Sarah Jones appeared in the "Helping" episode of Elmo's World as Mr. Noodle's other sister, Miss Noodle.
Bill Irwin, the original Mr. Noodle, continued in the role throughout the entire initial run of Elmo's World (which concluded in Season 40); Irwin appears in 42 of the original episodes plus three Elmo's World specials. In "Grandparents," he also appears as .
Starting in Season 47, the concept of Elmo's World was revived in a new format. Irwin returned as Mr. Noodle and the series introduced some new Noodle family members, including two new brothers, played by the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Daveed Diggs and comedian Daniel Koren.Season 47 Press Kit In the "Father's Day" episode, Diggs also played the Noodles' dad, .
In Season 48, Ilana Glazer was added to Elmo's World as another one of Mr. Noodle's sisters.
Starting in Season 53, Amber Ruffin appears as one of Mr. Noodle's sisters.
==Appearances==
===Original format (seasons 30-40)===
Episode 	Irwin 	Jeter 	Chenoweth	Jones
Balls 	X 	 	  	 
Shoes 	X 	 	  	 
Hats 	X 	 	  	 
Dancing 	X 	 	  	 
Jackets 	X 	 	  	 
Food 	X 	 	  	 
Books 	X 	 	  	 
Music 	X 	 	  	 
Water 	X 	 	  	 
Transportation 	X 	 	  	 
Singing 	 	X 	  	 
Dogs 	 	X 	  	 
Exercise 	 	X 	  	 
Babies 	 	X 	  	 
Bananas 	X 	 	  	 
Drawing 	X 	 	  	 
Telephones 	 	X 	  	 
Farms 	 	X 	  	 
Hair 	 	X 	  	 
Plants 	 	X 	  	 
Computers 	 	X 	  	 
Bugs 	 	X 	  	 
Pets 	 	X 	  	 
Teeth 	 	X 	  	 
Hands 	 	X 	  	 
Birthdays 	 	X 	  	 
Birds 	 	X 	  	 
Games 	X 	X 	  	 
Bicycles 	 	X 	  	 
Families 	X 	X 	  	 
Wild Wild West 	X 	X 	X 	 
Fish 	 	X 	  	 
Sky 	X 	 	  	 
Sleep 	 	X 	  	 
Weather 	X 	 	  	 
Getting Dressed 	X 	 	  	 
Happy Holidays! 	X 	X 	X 	 
Mail 	X 	 	  	 
Ears 	 	X 	  	 
Firefighters 	 	 	X 	 
Wild Animals 	 	X 	  	 
Open & Close 	X 	 	  	 
Feet 	X 	 	  	 
The Street We Live On	X 	 	  	 
Bath Time 	X 	 	  	 
Bells 	X 	 	  	 
Up & Down 	X 	 	  	 
Dinosaurs 	X 	 	  	 
School 	X 	 	  	 
Cats 	X 	 	  	 
Skin 	X 	 	  	 
Jumping 	X 	 	  	 
Cameras 	X 	 	  	 
Friends 	X 	 	X 	 
Penguins 	X 	 	  	 
Doctors 	X 	 	  	 
Building Things 	 	 	X 	 
Horses 	X 	 	  	 
Fast & Slow 	X 	 	  	 
The Beach 	X 	 	  	 
Mouths 	X 	 	  	 
Violins 	X 	 	  	 
Noses 	X 	 	  	 
Helping 	X 	 	  	X
Drums 	X 	 	  	 
Eyes 	X 	 	  	 
Frogs 	X 	 	  	 
===Revised format (seasons 47-present)===
Episode 	Irwin 	Koren 	Diggs 	Glazer	Ruffin
Kindness 	 	X 	 	 	 
Friends 	 	X 	 	 	 
Babies 	 	X 	 	 	 
Dress Up 	X 	 	 	 	 
Dancing 	X 	 	 	 	 
Birthdays 	 	X 	 	 	 
Bees 	X 	 	 	 	 
Morning Routines 	 	X 	 	 	 
Painting 	X 	 	 	 	 
Gardens 	 	X 	 	 	 
Instruments 	X 	 	 	 	 
Homes 	X 	 	 	 	 
Restaurants 	 	X 	 	 	 
Father's Day 	 	 	X 	 	 
Recycling 	 	 	X 	 	 
Camouflage 	 	 	X 	 	 
Books 	X 	 	 	 	 
Habitats 	 	 	X 	 	 
Cooking 	X 	 	 	 	 
Seasons 	 	X 	 	 	 
Skin 	 	X 	 	 	 
Thanksgiving 	X 	 	 	 	 
Nursery Rhymes 	 	X 	 	 	 
Fairy Tales 	 	 	 	X 	 
People 	 	X 	 	 	 
Hair 	 	 	 	X 	 
Celebrations 	X 	 	 	 	 
Crafts 	X 	 	 	 	 
Butterflies 	 	X 	 	 	 
Shapes 	 	 	 	X 	 
Wheels 	 	 	 	X 	 
Grandparents 	X 	 	 	 	 
Bubbles 	X 	 	 	 	 
Karate 	X 	 	 	 	 
Yoga 	 	X 	 	 	 
When You Wish Upon a Pickle 	 	 	 	X 	 
Dog Walkers 	 	X 	 	 	 
Photographers 	 	X 	 	 	 
Newspapers 	 	X 	 	 	 
Factories 	 	 	 	X 	 
Bus Drivers 	 	 	 	X 	 
Supermarkets 	 	X 	 	 	 
Camp 	 	 	 	X 	 
50th Anniversary Celebration	X 	 	 	 	 
Building Things 	X 	 	 	 	 
Getting Dressed 	 	X 	 	 	 
Games 	 	 	 	X 	 
Scientists 	 	 	 	X 	 
Patterns 	 	 	 	X 	 
Fruit 	 	X 	 	 	 
Balls 	X 	 	 	 	 
Elephants 	 	 	 	X 	 
Emotions 	X 	 	 	 	 
Chickens 	 	X 	 	 	 
Maps 	X 	 	 	 	 
Ramps 	 	 	 	X 	 
Nighttime 	 	X 	 	 	 
Measuring 	X 	 	 	 	 
Doctors 	 	 	 	X 	 
Blocks 	X 	 	 	 	 
Spiders 	 	 	 	X 	 
Transportation 	 	X 	 	 	 
Sports 	 	 	 	X 	 
Machines 	X 	 	 	 	 
Arts and Crafts 	 	 	 	 	X
Food 	X 	 	 	 	 
Rocks 	X 	 	 	 	 
Shoes 	 	 	 	 	X
School 	X 	 	 	 	 
==Merchandise==
Erniekwiatsmrnoodleillustration.jpg|An illustrated version of Mr. Noodle, drawn by Ernie Kwiat, was featured in Sesame Street Magazine.
Elmonoodle.jpg|Silly Parts Talking Elmo featured Mr. Noodle costume pieces
Mrnoodleplush.jpg|Mr. Noodle Plush
Noodle-keychain.jpg|Mr. Noodle keychain
FisherPriceElmosWorldFigurineSet.jpg|Elmo's World figurines
==Notes==
* Elmo doesn't know why the Noodle family lives outside his window.Ask Elmo.
* The "Elmo's World Live!" stage shows at Sesame Place feature Mr. Noodle's nephew, Mr. Noodle in a similar role. Mr. Noodle and Ms. Noodle began meeting guests in November 2024.
* The Cookie Thief depicts Mr. Noodle in a painting by "Cookie Magritte" entitled The Brother of Mr. Noodle (a spoof of Magritte's Son of Man). Despite the title, the painting is of the original Mr. Noodle rather than Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle.
* The Noodle family also has three dogs - Schmoodle, Floodle, and Frank.Season 47 Press Kit In Elmo's World: Wild Wild West!, the Noodle Gang has a horse named Macaroni.
* Outside of Elmo's World, Mr. Noodle (Irwin) appeared in one of the many celebrity montage versions of "Sing."
==Gallery==
Elmo'sWorld-MrNoodle.jpg|Mr. Noodle, Elmo, and a frog
Elmo'sWorld-MrNoodlesBrother.jpg|Mr. Noodle's Brother, Mr Noodle and Elmo
Elmo'sWorld-MrNoodle-Camera.jpg|Mr. Noodle and Elmo
Elmo'sWorld-NoodleHurdles.jpg|Mr. Noodle and Elmo
MrNoodle.jpg|Mr. Noodle and Elmo
Elmo'sWorld-NoodleSeeSaw.jpg|Mr Noodle, Elmo, and Snuffy
Elmo'sWorld-WildWildWest!-Noodles.jpg|The Noodles in Elmo's World: Wild Wild West!
Character.noodles.jpg|The Noodles (with Elmo) dressed as cowboys
2NoodlesandElmo.jpg|Elmo dressed as a Noodle with Mr. Noodle and his brother
MrNoodle2016.png|Mr. Noodle as seen in the second Elmo's World format which debuted in Season 47
==Sources==
__NOWYSIWYG__
Category:Sesame Street Characters
Category:Family Groups
Category:Elmo's World Characters
Category:Sesame Street Human Characters