Dolls
and Puppets
Muppet Collectibles
Hawaiian
Punch (1970)
Hawaiian
Punch had a promotional offer for 4 mail-away Muppet puppets that were
released as a tie-in to the "Hey Cinderella" special on ABC.
The text on the can says "Boys and girls put on your own puppet show.
Get four colorful, plastic Muppet hand puppets." The puppets featured
King Goshposh, Cinderella, and two others.
Fisher-Price
(1978)
The
original Fisher-Price dolls and puppets are some of the best Muppet toys
that have been produced. All five of the original dolls and the two puppets
are classics and should be part of everyone's collection. Even though
it takes considerable more work to find these dolls in their original
boxes, they display beautifully and are much more valuable in their original
boxes from the late seventies.
Kermit
Doll
This
classic Kermit doll is everyone's favorite frog with Velcro on his hands
so he can be posed in all kinds of positions.
Fozzie
Bear Doll
As you can tell by the shape of his head the Fozzie doll was based on
the original, first-season Fozzie who was later redesigned after the second
season of the Muppet Show. Fozzie's hat is supposed to be non-removeable.
Rowlf
Doll
Another
great Fisher-Price release, the Rowlf puppet is more stylist than his
original Ideal counterpart. He's a lot of fun
to play with as his ears flop around when you perform him. Like the Animal
puppet, Rowlf has a hole in his back that you can put your hand through.
Scooter
Doll
The Scooter doll has a green satin jacket with the Muppet Show logo and
hard plastic shoes. His face and body are stuffed. Velcro is on his hands,
but he's not real poseable.
Animal
Puppet
The
Animal puppet is an incredible version of the character, so much so that
Igel would release a puppet based on the same mold twenty-years later.
With this puppet, you put your hand through Animal's back in order to
operate him. The eyebrows move up and down from a lever located inside
his body above his mouth.
Two
different versions of this doll were released the original had red and
orange fur, the later and more common version of this doll used pink and
orange for fur.
Kermit
and Fozzie Puppets
The
Kermit puppet is remarkable for not having any stuffing in his head, so
the puppet is really fun to perform. Kermit has a broad range of expressions
not possible in most kids' puppets.
The
Fozzie puppet is also very nice with no stuffing in his head. The original
puppet had Fozzie's hat sewn on, even though most of them that are around
today are no longer attached.
Fisher-Price
(1979)
Miss
Piggy Puppet
Fisher-Price's
original line continues with the Miss Piggy puppet, the first Piggy doll
ever produced, with a nice vinyl head and blonde hair. It's hard to find
any today that don't have mangled hair.
This
puppet was interestingly released in two different boxes, one was taller
with cellophane and an open front (like the other Fisher-Price dolls).
The later box was a little smaller, had cellophane, and it was enclosed
all-around. A lot of people were playing with Piggy excessively at the
store so they changed the box design so she became a harder to reach without
opening the box.
Muppet
Beanbags
The
Kermit beanbag is plush with plastic eyes. Fozzie is plush with a plastic
hat. Miss Piggy has a plastic head with plush body. The beanbags are all
about 6 inches tall. Like the larger Fisher-Price Miss Piggy puppet, the
hair on the beanbags is often unruly as well.
Pelham
Puppets (1979, UK)
Pelham
Puppets released a series of Muppet marionettes featuring Kermit and Animal.
Prototypes of Miss Piggy and Rowlf do exist in private collections, however,
they were never officially released because Henson was not fully satisfied
with the quality of the character likenesses. There are some Pelham "rip-offs"
floating around out there so if you are purchasing one be sure that you
are acquiring an authentic doll.
Kermit
The
Kermit marionette is a lot of fun and will be a popular item in your collection.
Even though Kermit's head is slightly bigger than his body this is a neat
marionette, especially since it's the only official Kermit marionette
ever produced.
Animal
This
is a Muppet marionette of Animal. He is approximately 15 inches tall from
head to toe.
Animal
has a molded composition head, hands and feet, is dressed in felt costume
decorated with clothes and wooden drum sticks. Animal has bright red fur
hair and a huge moving mouth. A very fun and expressive Muppet marionette.
Go
back to Muppet Collectibles.
Section
compiled by
Artie Esposito, Cindy Chapman, and Phillip Chapman
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