Muppets' Arm Rods

[shtick]

Did most of the star muppets have removable arm rods or were they built with arm rods permanently set in? Was there a Kermit with removable arm rods and one without?

 

[TopperFraggle]

I doubt the arm rods were removeable. As I understand it, most removeable arm rods don't perform the way puppeteers prefer. Most likely, since there were several puppets of each character made, there were probably some without arm rods. Frequently the puppets had heads that were detachable from the bodies, so some bodies were probably specially made to do different things. Frequently you see Jim holding the Kermit whose body has no legs, but then there's the Kermit that they used to sit on the wall and talk to the guest star. I always assumed that these legs just velcroed on or something, but I noticed on one episode that you can see how the leg continues over the wall, behind kermit, and I assume there is a control back there to make his legs move, kick etc....


As someone who grew up coveting a real live Muppet puppet (even a decent stuffed version) it was hard to imagine that these people who worked with the real Muppets might even have multiple copies of one character. I mean, I know that that's what they do, they build puppets, but the ones you saw on the screen were such works of art, that to think that they had captured this magic, and cranked out half a dozen Gonzo's, Piggy's, or Fozzies, was just unfathomable.

What was your question?

 

[Blink]

I was recently at the Muppets audition in Toronto.

I was fortunate enough to be called back and I got to wear Kermit. The "real Kermit".

The person who was helping me put the puppet on pointed out two little loops that were attached to the handles of the arm rods. The woman who helped me put on the puppet said "These loops are here because Steve (Whitmire) likes them to give extra control".

The arm rods seemed to be permanently attached and were not removeable. This is not to say that there are no versions of Kermit with removable arm rods, but this was a current screen used version of Kermit and that is what I noticed.

I doubt that "most" Muppets have removable arm rods. I would say that most probably do not. Pepe didn't have removable arm rods either.

 

[ravagefrackle]

All MUPPET ARM RODS ARE REMOVABLE< THEY ARE INSIRTED AND REMOVED AS NESSARY

(i am not shouting, just trying to be clear)

the fact is they are put in in such a way as to make it seem like they arent being inserted into a hole in the wrist, but all muppet arm rods are removable, and no they arnt any special gizmos in the arms, yes they used to have a special clip, but it was more trouble than it was worth to make and maintain them,, they are pined, sometimes sewn in, but they are always removable.

 

[Blink]

All MUPPET ARM RODS ARE REMOVABLE< THEY ARE INSIRTED AND REMOVED AS NESSARY

(i am not shouting, just trying to be clear)

the fact is they are put in in such a way as to make it seem like they arent being inserted into a hole in the wrist, but all muppet arm rods are removable, and no they arnt any special gizmos in the arms, yes they used to have a special clip, but it was more trouble than it was worth to make and maintain them,, they are pined, sometimes sewn in, but they are always removable.

There you have it. Since RavageFrackle has experience building Muppets I would say he knows what he is talking about.

The Muppets I used had no pins in them that I could see, so I assume that the rods were sewn in.

So for the Muppets who have the arm rods sewn in, how easy are they to take out? Would you need to cut the thread, remove the rods and when ready to put the rods back in, sew them up again? I guess I have a different image in my mind when I hear "removable rods". Technically however, if you can remove them (even by cutting thread), then they are removable.

When I used puppets from Radical Sheep (puppet company here in Toronto), the late Karen Ohland (a well know local builder who built for Fraggle Rock and the Jim Henson Hour), built many of their puppets and they hand pins in them to hold the rods in place. The rods were easily removed by pulling the pins out. So I guess the Muppets have the same thing as well.

Thanks for clearing that up RavageFrackle.

 

[ravagefrackle]

by pinned in, i mean that the pins are used to seal up the seam in the wrist, Or stitched up, it all depends onthe size of the puppets hand, wrist and arm rod,

all the rod is
is a handle and the metal rod bent in shape to fit in the hand, their is no special technology involved at all, its probaly the simpliest thing about them

 

[Blink]

by pinned in, i mean that the pins are used to seal up the seam in the wrist, Or stitched up, it all depends onthe size of the puppets hand, wrist and arm rod,

all the rod is
is a handle and the metal rod bent in shape to fit in the hand, their is no special technology involved at all, its probaly the simpliest thing about them

Yes,

Totally understood. Thanks again.

 

[shtick]

Ravafrackle, are they simply bent into a loop and inserted into a pocket in the muppet's hand? Would you have any photos to show an example?

 

[Punch'n'Judy]

The Fraggles also all had removable arm rods. It does make sense, especially for TV work where you may jusy want to pin an arm into place for some shots.

 

[Lab Rat]

The Fraggles also had removable arms they used press studs.