Behind the Scenes of "The Muppet Movie"

[unclematt]

Do you have any other stories for us?

 

[Infinity Sirius]

I have a small story, though it can't compare with Once With Ernie. About two years ago, I think, Caroll Spinney came to my local bookstore to sign copies of "The Wisdom of Big Bird", I went there with my first puppet Kiki the Kiwi Bird and Caroll eventually brought Oscar out.

Before this Caroll saw Kiki on my lap and he said, "Ah a puppeteer!"
I blushed and grinned and said "Somewhat." I was excited and humbled for Caroll to notice me with a two foot bird on my lap.

Back to my original story, I couldn't resist so I put Kiki on and Oscar looked at me and Kiki. He said, "There's a bird in the audience."
Kiki being the smary aleck she is, "I'm not a bird! I'm a Kiwi Bird!"
Then Caroll told a story about how he and his wife went to New Zealand and there were kiwi birds everywhere and how big pests they were. (I don't think that reflected back on my puppet.) Then Oscar said, "Good-bye, Kiwi." and that was that.

So my claim to fame is a one minute bit with Oscar the Grouch.

 

[Was Once Ernie]

Do you have any other stories for us?

This is not a Muppet story, per se, but it is related. Check out the story I just posted on the thread titled "The PBS Gig" on the Puppetry Forum. It'll give you a little more of my background.

 

[unclematt]

I have a small story, though it can't compare with Once With Ernie. About two years ago, I think, Caroll Spinney came to my local bookstore to sign copies of "The Wisdom of Big Bird", I went there with my first puppet Kiki the Kiwi Bird and Caroll eventually brought Oscar out.

Before this Caroll saw Kiki on my lap and he said, "Ah a puppeteer!"
I blushed and grinned and said "Somewhat." I was excited and humbled for Caroll to notice me with a two foot bird on my lap.

Back to my original story, I couldn't resist so I put Kiki on and Oscar looked at me and Kiki. He said, "There's a bird in the audience."
Kiki being the smary aleck she is, "I'm not a bird! I'm a Kiwi Bird!"
Then Caroll told a story about how he and his wife went to New Zealand and there were kiwi birds everywhere and how big pests they were. (I don't think that reflected back on my puppet.) Then Oscar said, "Good-bye, Kiwi." and that was that.

So my claim to fame is a one minute bit with Oscar the Grouch.

Excellent. I would love to be able to see any of them Puppeteer live. That is one of my dreams. It would be nice if it was Carol or Dave. You know one of the originals.

 

[minor muppetz]

Did the puppeteer who performed bert in the closing scene also perform another character?

 

[Was Once Ernie]

Did the puppeteer who performed Bert in the closing scene also perform another character?

No. Most of the people doing the main Sesame Street puppets only had one character. One person had Bert, one had Oscar, one had Cookie Monster, one had Grover. I can't say for certain, but I'm sure a few of the others, like The Count, also were one person-one character.

 

[rumtar_10165]

one person puppet

No. Most of the people doing the main Sesame Street puppets only had one character. One person had Bert, one had Oscar, one had Cookie Monster, one had Grover. I can't say for certain, but I'm sure a few of the others, like The Count, also were one person-one character.

I had read somewhere that big Bird was performed by someone else when Carol was sick.

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I had read somewhere that big Bird was performed by someone else when Carol was sick.

You may have read it earlier in this thread. Although, I don't know anything about Carroll being sick... he just wasn't there.

 

[minor muppetz]

You may have read it earlier in this thread. Although, I don't know anything about Carroll being sick... he just wasn't there.

I know that during the first season of Sesame Street Carroll Spinney was sick during the filmingof a few episodes, so Daniel Sergeant performed Big Brd in those episodes, and Jim Henson performed Oscar. I don't think Caroll Spinney dubbed the voices in those episodes, but I also haven't seen those episodes. it's possible that the person who read that caroll was sick was reading about him being sick in the first season, and mistook it for the ending of The Muppet Movie.

 

[Oliver]

I just spent nearly 40 minutes reading through this entire thread and find your stories so fascinating and interesting to read!

I would really love to know more about your involvement in animation and how you came in to association with Disney's "9 old men" and the other major studios mentioned liked MGM and so forth...

Also, I eblieve you said that you have been interviewed on several of Warner Home Video's DVD releases such as the Looney Tunes Golden Collection - would you mind telling us who you are or revealing your name as I'm sure that would familiarize everyone a little better.

On the subject of the Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 2 - Do you know if the cartoons featuring the 'Mammy Two-Shoes' character will be presented with their original language track and not a redubbed version? Would you also be able to confirm whether all the contents on the set will be presented complete and uncut/unedited?

Finally, do you have any inside info on upcoming animated DVD titles from WHV... Quickdraw McGraw, The Hanna Barbera New Cartoon Series, Tex Avery, MGM's Happy Harmonies series, etc?

AND...

Last but not least, could you offer a bit of background info on how you came to be involved in so many creative projects; puppeteering, animation, etc? Are you a historian by chance since you seem to be commissioned by studios such as Warner to appear on DVD releases to offer insight into productions and whatnot?

Please give us more detail into this - I'm especially curious to know your involvement in the Hollywood animation industry... circa what time frame would you say you came to be involved?

Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful stories about your life and colorful career, please keep them coming!

~ Oliver.