How did certain Muppeteers get chosen as current Muppet recasts?

[rexcrk]

I was thinking about this the other day, how some characters get/got recast immediately (Kermit- obviously, Statler and Waldorf, Beaker, Swedish Chef) and then others it took YEARS (Scooter, Janice, Rowlf, etc.)

This mainly applies to early '90s casting after the Muppets lost not only Jim Henson, but Richard Hunt too. As I said before, Kermit was an obvious recast since he's the main character, but I wonder how they chose who got recast and who didn't. Was it by popularity? Statler and Waldorf both had to be recast, I assume they were thought of as essential. Same thing with Swedish Chef and Beaker (I guess since Dave was still around to perform Bunsen they needed Beaker, whom I don't think was difficult to recast lol).

But then if it went by popularity, how could Dr. Teeth, Janice, Rowlf, and Scooter not have been recast right away? They're all major players. I suppose the reason could be they just couldn't FIND anyone right away.

Thoughts?

 

[dwayne1115]

After Jim's passing in 1990, it was rumored that Rowlf would stay silent in honor of Jim, and the character. Then when they wanted to bring Rowlf back the Muppeters felt that there was not anyone capable of taking on the role. Then Bill got the role, and has grown into doing Rowlf more.

Looking on the Muppet wiki, I could not find any real info on how any of Richard's characters got recast, however I do know that when Disney bought the Muppets in 2005, they had a meeting with Muppeter Jerry Nelson, and Jerry spoke very highly of Matt Volgel taking over his characters. He also told Disney that David Rudnan, would be a prefect fit for Richard's characters.

Interesting fact I did learn though, is that Fran Brill, preformed Janice on the pilot Muppet Show: Sex and Violence

 

[Slackbot]

My guess would be that they recast the characters as they needed them.

 

[minor muppetz]

Statler and Waldorf both had to be recast, I assume they were thought of as essential.

I don't know how they would be more essential than Rowlf, Scooter, Dr. Teeth, or Janice. It's also interesting because their performers had died so soon to each other, they could have just been reduced to background cameos. After all, they usually just watch the Muppets or show up where the Muppets go and observe them.

And it seems like Jerry Nelson and Dave Goelz have never talked about taking them over. It's too late now for Jerry Nelson, but when Dave was interviewed for The Muppet Mindset a few weeks ago I was hoping he'd talk about what it was like to take over as Waldorf. And Jerry never talked about it in his interviews for Tough Pigs or The Muppet Mindset (the closest is in his Muppet Central interview where it's pointed out that he originally performed Statler and then took over again years later). At least Steve Whitmire talked about what it was like to take over him in the Tough Pigs interview.

Though even after they were recast, there was quite a gap between MCC and their next appearance, 1996's Muppet Treasure Island. That's five years of Statler and Waldorf not being seen in any productions. I can see them not being in Muppet Beach Party or Kermit Unpigged (it was early in their recasts, so hearing them in audio-only productions might have been too much at the time), but they could have been in Muppet Classic Theater.

In fact they didn't need to add another Marley brother so they both could have a part. Jacob Marley could have been played by Pops or J.P. Grosse.

 

[dwayne1115]

In just about every interview I have seen or hear in recent years Frank Oz would get asked "What was it like to preform the voice of Piggy?" This would always frustrate him, and he would always point out that the voice is only a small part of the performance. He would go on to say that finding out who the character was, and what there quirk was a very important part of working with the Muppets.

In the Muppet mindset interview Dave talked about Steve Whitmere, and the frustration he had with Lips. For 30 years he has been working and trying to find Lips's quirk, and until recently he found it.
This has to be the same, in some ways for a recast as well. The new performer has to have time to find there own quirk in the character they are taking over. They also don't want to try and copy everything the original performer would say or do. Because in some ways they have to make that Muppet there own without taking to much of what has already been established for that character.

 

[minor muppetz]

In just about every interview I have seen or hear in recent years Frank Oz would get asked "What was it like to preform the voice of Piggy?" This would always frustrate him, and he would always point out that the voice is only a small part of the performance.

I bet he wouldn't get that if he was interviewed for one of the Muppet fan sites. Though it seems he's not interested in that. A year ago one of the Tough Pigs people actually came across him and Frank turned down an offer to be interviewed, saying something along the lines of he "doesn't do those". Not sure if that was interviews (though he has done many interviews) or fan interviews.

In the Muppet mindset interview Dave talked about Steve Whitmere, and the frustration he had with Lips. For 30 years he has been working and trying to find Lips's quirk, and until recently he found it.

And there was a 16-year period when Lips wasn't used at all. That probably prevented some chances at character development.

 

[dwayne1115]

I wish I could interview Frank, or just talk with him one on one. There are so many things I would love to ask him.

I would also love to talk with Eric Jacobson, and Matt Vogel. I wish I had connections, and guts to talk to these men, about there careers, but sadly I don't. I would love to do a fresh batch of interviews for the interview section, but I would not know where to begin.

 

[minor muppetz]

I wish I could interview Frank, or just talk with him one on one. There are so many things I would love to ask him.

That gets me thinking, I know that the Tough Pigs and Muppet Mindset people have occasionally gotten to chat with/spend time with Muppet people, outside of interviews for the websites.... When they do so, I wonder if they ever do talk about their careers or ask certain questions fans would want to know, or if they just save all Muppet questions for interviews.

 

[dwayne1115]

That gets me thinking, I know that the Tough Pigs and Muppet Mindset people have occasionally gotten to chat with/spend time with Muppet people, outside of interviews for the websites.... When they do so, I wonder if they ever do talk about their careers or ask certain questions fans would want to know, or if they just save all Muppet questions for interviews.

I know that when I was working on the Ask Jim Lewis thread I developed a wonderful friendship with Jim, and sometimes we would talk about things with the Muppets that I would never be able to post on here, so I would think that they would.

I liked the Mindset's interview with Dave, but I think it was almost to long, With interviews it's hard to sometimes think of questions that you wont get the same answers from over and over. I think one good example of that would be Carol Spinney, in the recent interviews he has been asked a lot of the same or similar questions. Then he would give the same answer each time, with little differences here and there.

I think that all of the Muppeters are very knowable, and could share a a whole lot about Jim Henson, The Muppets there own performances' and so forth. The right questions just have to be asked.