New Muppet Exhibit in Washington

[MeepBorkMeep]

Nope. They weren't there. Unless I missed em, which would be pretty difficult.

 

[Muppet Matt]

I'm planing to go!

 

[unclematt]

I wish I could afford to go.

 

[doctort13]

Me and my family will be visiting the DC area at the end of August, we will go to to Muppet Exhibit for certain.

 

[unclematt]

Me and my family will be visiting the DC area at the end of August, we will go to to Muppet Exhibit for certain.

Take pictures if you can and post them. I would love to see the exhibit.

 

[Michael Earl]

Snuffy - 1978, '79, '80

Hi, all. Thought I'd clear up some confusion for you all. My name is Michael Earl Davis, though I go by Michael Earl. In 1978 I met Kermiit Love at a Puppeteers of America festival in San Luis Obispo when I was 17. He liked my puppet maing and offered me a building job in New York. Growing up in the Bay Area, I had known Frank Oz's parents (Mike and Francis Oznowitz) through the local puppetry guild. Between them and Kermit talking to Jim Henson about me, Jim hired me in 1978 sight-unseen for The Muppet Movie. I had just turned 19. Afterwards, Jim asked if I'd like to take over the front end of Snuffy on Sesame Street since Jerry had hurt his back. Richard had been subbing for him and they needed fulltime replacement. Since I was young, tall and strong, and a good puppeteer, I got the job. The first season I lip-synced to Jerry's voice from the booth. The second season he told producers, "I'm a puppeteer, not a voice actor" and bowed out of the character all together. That lead to a big search for a new voice. They auditioned every voice actor in NYC and when I heard about this, I asked Kermit if I could audition...since I was already IN the puppet. He said ok, so on a home recorder, I read a scene from an old script doing both Snuffy and Big Bird's voices (I was also Caroll Spinney's understudy, as well as being in BB in Muppet Movie Finale). I got the job, the puppet was now all mine and was for that season and one more, three total. I also originated Polly Darton, Forgetful Jones (a young Kevin Clash, brand new to the show, performed Buster my Horse), a Honker, and many others, working with the writers, creating characters tailored to our talents. Brian Muehl and I (and Carroll Spinney) were the only fulltime puppeteers on Sesame Street at that time (I was under contract for 3 years). The other Muppeteers were in London much of the year shooting Muppet Shows and came to the street for Muppet Inserts just once a year. So Brian and I got a LOT of opportunity to learn through doing, script after script. I think I was in about 150 episodes; Brian many more because he stayed longer than I did, creating Telly, Barkley, etc. As for the Sesame Unpaved book, when I read it I called CTW lawyers who explained to me there were many inaccuracies in that book, and issued me a letter of proof stating my involvment in Sesame Street. So that's the real (partial) history of those years. I could write a book with many more of those stories, nice and naughty, but for now, here's for the record. - Michael Earl (Davis)

 

[unclematt]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing and clarifying.

 

[MeepBorkMeep]

Wow. A real life Muppeteer. Thanks for telling us, Michael.

 

[zns]

Nice to meet you Michael. It's great to get to talk to someone here in the forum who had worked with Jim Henson. Do you still keep in contact with the company? I ask this because (I apologize to those who've heard me say this one too many times) I hope to land a job at Henson as a puppeteer, which is one reason why I'm going to see the exhibit in Washington this summer. I would like to keep in close contact with you if that's all right. Thanks alot.

 

[Fozzie6]

I was in DC last weekend and saw the exhibit as well as the statue up at the University of Maryland, I will post pics when I get them back.