Follow That Bird Discussion Thread

[minor muppetz]

Maybe when I go to Sesame Street I'll ask Kevin Clash, who was supposibly a background Muppet, about the film? Or maybe even Caroll Spinney. Then, I'll defintly be able to answer some questions that seem to have lingered around this thread for a long long long long time.!

Althouhg I did suggest this in another thread, I would like to point out that if you get a job on Sesame Street, you shouldn't spend all of your time asking about the movie. maybe you can find the right time. Perhaps during a break from taping you could talk to caroll spinney (who I hear likes to talk about his life), one of the humans, jerry nelson (if you get to meet him), or anybody else who worked on the movie and ask them certain questions. I know that all of us want to know why david wasn't in the movie. You should also focus on your performing, but I don't think it would hurt to ask a few questions a day to the people you work with.

If you get to meet Caroll Spinney, could you do me a favor and ask him how he could see what he was doing when he performed bruno?

 

[AAO]

Well I know if I'm working for Sesame Street that I'm not going to be asking questions all day. I mean, I might not even ask, I'll be too busy doing Muppet stuff. You can't act like too much of a "fan" around them. Could cost me the job...Anyway, I doubt I'll be able to ask a lot of questions...I was just metaphorically speaking... sorry

 

[BEAR]

I continue to wonder in the next few years will Sesame Street consider doing another film? This time it actually be good?! You know?! I thought Elmo in Grouchland was wacky and out of control...wasn't tooo crazy about it...although, I did love the publicity Sesame Street was getting...especially from Rosie O Donald....I loved it when she did her entire set as a replica from Sesame Street...I taped it...now I've lost it!!!

I think you meant to say Rosie O'Donnell. Also, I don't know about the episode you are referring to, but I know she did do a show on Sesame Street. I believe Whoopi Goldberg was a guest and I think she sang with Baby Bear.

 

[AAO]

Nope....Rosie's show was dedicated to Sesame Street and her own set was formed into the stage of Sesame Street - not exact - but close...there was an entire studio audience there... i do fondly remember Oscar and her talking about Slimey...Rosie seemed to be have a special place in her heart for Sesame Street - I'm guessing with her kids and all - she was a really really big fan! And u are right as well - She did do "a show" on Sesame Street...One of the show's occured during the Elmo in Grouchland thing and 30th Anniversary and something else...Elmo seemed to be on the show a lot..

 

[minor muppetz]

I wonder why Jerry Nelson just got a "Principle Muppet Performers" credit. The Count had a big role in the movie. Jerry Nelsons credit should have just said "Jerry Nelson as The Count" and either his billing should have been after Frank Oz's credit or in the Muppet Performers section of the credits.

It is also a bit interesting that Richard Hunt and Kathy Mullen got "principle Muppet Performers" credits. They could have easily just gotten listed under "Additional Muppet Performers". I guess since they were main performers at the time and didn't do any roles worth crediting somebody might have thought they needed a special kind of credit. But still, with these performers listed as principle muppet performers, I wonder why they didn't perform any of the grouches at the grouch resturaunt, or any of the feathered friends. Heck, they could have performed the Dodos and Miss Finch, instead of some outside actors providing the voices and other performers inside the suits.

I think it would have been more appropiate for the credits to be like this:
Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch.
Dave Thomas as Sam Sleaze.
Joe Flaherty as Sid Sleaze.
Sally Kellerman as the voice of Miss Finch.
Frank Oz as Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover.
Jim Henson as Kermit The Frog and Ernie.
Jerry Nelson as The Count.
Bob Mcgraph as Bob.
Sonia Manzano as Maria.
Roscoe orman as Gordon.
Alania reed hall as Olivia.
Linda Bove as Linda.
Brian Holfield as the voice of daddie Dodo.
Larane Newman as Mommie Dodo.
Eddie Deezen as Donnie Dodo.
Cathy Silvers as Marie Dodo.
Martin P. Robinson as Mr. Snuffleupagus and Telly Monster.
Tim Gosley as Honker.

and so on. Something like that.

 

[AAO]

You know, I never noticed that till now! Wow...you're right minor muppetz..

 

[BEAR]

Who did we decide performed the head of the Feathered Friends? Some people were saying it was Noel MacNeil's voice but I believe it now to have been Kathy Mullen.

 

[BEAR]

I wonder why Jerry Nelson just got a "Principle Muppet Performers" credit. The Count had a big role in the movie. Jerry Nelsons credit should have just said "Jerry Nelson as The Count" and either his billing should have been after Frank Oz's credit or in the Muppet Performers section of the credits.

It is also a bit interesting that Richard Hunt and Kathy Mullen got "principle Muppet Performers" credits. They could have easily just gotten listed under "Additional Muppet Performers". I guess since they were main performers at the time and didn't do any roles worth crediting somebody might have thought they needed a special kind of credit. But still, with these performers listed as principle muppet performers, I wonder why they didn't perform any of the grouches at the grouch resturaunt, or any of the feathered friends. Heck, they could have performed the Dodos and Miss Finch, instead of some outside actors providing the voices and other performers inside the suits.
.

Richard Hunt performed Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, a Grouch, Sully and others.
Kathryn Mullen played the Feathered Friend's Magistrate and a Grouch.
Jerry Nelson performed Biff, the Count, Herry Monster and Sherlock Hemlock in the movie.

So they were playing their regular characters in the movie some even had lines, but I guess they just didn't have as prominant a role to be credited the same way Spinney, Oz and Henson were, and not quite small enough to be with the "additional performers". I think they should have atleast been creditted the way Martin Robinson and Tom Gosley were with the smaller cast list along with the characters they played. Though maybe it wasn't considered very high billing.

The same can be seen in Steve Whitmire billing in the first 3 Muppet films. Steve Whitmire is never listed with the other performers, but separately with the list of additionals. The only difference is he still got to be credited with "as Rizzo the Rat" next to his name.

 

[minor muppetz]

Richard Hunt performed Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, a Grouch, Sully and others.
Kathryn Mullen played the Feathered Friend's Magistrate and a Grouch.
Jerry Nelson performed Biff, the Count, Herry Monster and Sherlock Hemlock in the movie.

It looks like you read this information at the Internet Movie Database, which is sometimes wrong. Who was the feathered friends magistrate? Kathy Mullen didn't get credited as one of the Board Of Birds, and I think the number of performers credited with the board of birds was the same as the number of birds seen (with te obvious exception of the performer who performed Miss Finch).

The Count should have been credited at least. He was definately important enough to be listed in the credits.

Herry Monster also had a different voice when he said his one line in the movie. It is obvious that Jerry Nelson didn't perform him in that one scene. None of Jerry Nelsons other characters spoke in that scene, so it would have been ridiculous for somebody else to have performed Herry just so Jerry nelson could perform somebody who didn't talk. That scene was the only scene where Sherlock hemlock appeared, and he didn't speak. Forgetful Jones also didn't speak and didn't do anything major in the movie. There weren't even any close-up shots of him. Richard Hunt could have performed him in those scenes. Or somebody else could have.

So they were playing their regular characters in the movie some even had lines, but I guess they just didn't have as prominant a role to be credited the same way Spinney, Oz and Henson were, and not quite small enough to be with the "additional performers". I think they should have atleast been creditted the way Martin Robinson and Tom Gosley were with the smaller cast list along with the characters they played. Though maybe it wasn't considered very high billing.

I think jerry nelson might have been available to perform in the movie more than Jim Henson did. I think Jim Henson and Frank Oz only had such prominate crediting (secodn and third billing) because thye are better known to the general public than the other performers. If you think about it, kermit only appeared in one scene, and Ernie didn't really have too many lines, with his only real major scene being in the Upside-Down World number. I wonder if Jim henson dubbed Ernies lines in any of his smaller scenes (such as when Ernie and Bert head off to get the plane or when they are at the gas station).

The same can be seen in Steve Whitmire billing in the first 3 Muppet films. Steve Whitmire is never listed with the other performers, but separately with the list of additionals. The only difference is he still got to be credited with "as Rizzo the Rat" next to his name.

I thought he was listed with the other main performers in The Muppets take Manhattan. Also, remember that in GMC his credit had "As Rizzo The Rat and Lips" next to his name, while in MTM his credit had "as Rizzo The Rat and Gill (frog)" next to his name.

 

[BEAR]

I think jerry nelson might have been available to perform in the movie more than Jim Henson did. I think Jim Henson and Frank Oz only had such prominate crediting (secodn and third billing) because thye are better known to the general public than the other performers. If you think about it, kermit only appeared in one scene, and Ernie didn't really have too many lines, with his only real major scene being in the Upside-Down World number. I wonder if Jim henson dubbed Ernies lines in any of his smaller scenes (such as when Ernie and Bert head off to get the plane or when they are at the gas station).



I thought he was listed with the other main performers in The Muppets take Manhattan. Also, remember that in GMC his credit had "As Rizzo The Rat and Lips" next to his name, while in MTM his credit had "as Rizzo The Rat and Gill (frog)" next to his name.

I think it was appropriate for Henson and Oz to get the billing they did and it isn't because of they're name and position in the company, but I think that their characters were very prominant in the storyline. You are right about Ernie and Kermit. Kermit only made a cameo and Ernie and Bert were supporting characters. However they did have their own song and that counts for something. I think if they didn't have that song, the parts would seem much smaller. Frank Oz certainly deserved his billing. I think he played more characters than anyone. He played all of his top characters Bert, Grover and Cookie. And they were all very much involved in the storyline, especially Cookie and Grover.

If what you say is true, I wonder why Nelson only performed the Count primarily. Obviously it is his biggest and most popular character and I believe he once said it was his fav to perform. Maybe his time was limitted when doing that movie. Maybe he had some personal stuff going on as well. Wasn't his daughter sick around that time.

Also, you are right about Steve Whitmire. I forgot about his creditting in MTM. Although, that is when Rizzo really stepped into the spotlight. The character was much more prominant to the story.