Video: Sesame Street cast panel at the Sillicon Valley Comic Con

[D'Snowth]

One thing I find interesting is in the theme song, you can clearly hear the voices of the Muppet Performers singing (definitely hear Frank in their), but the actual characters themselves in the inserts had their voices dubbed by the human castmembers.

Then again, I think Sonia participated in one of Jim's workshops when they needed more female performers, but she couldn't get the hang of it. As Frank always said, it's not as easy as it looks.

 

[cjd874]

One thing I find interesting is in the theme song, you can clearly hear the voices of the Muppet Performers singing (definitely hear Frank in their), but the actual characters themselves in the inserts had their voices dubbed by the human castmembers.

Then again, I think Sonia participated in one of Jim's workshops when they needed more female performers, but she couldn't get the hang of it. As Frank always said, it's not as easy as it looks.

....Sonia Manzano did one of Jim's puppetry workshops??? Y'know, it would be kind of interesting (and perhaps a bit jarring) to think about if Sonia became a Muppeteer instead of playing Maria. Can you imagine discovering a photo of Sonia performing an Anything Muppet in the early 1970s? But I digress...

I hope that the cast members continue doing more panels. Most of them are past the age of retirement (save for Alison Bartlett), but they still want to be involved with SS in any way possible. This is a good way for them to keep contributing to the SS legacy ...especially since the human cast consists of just Alan (the father figure), Chris (big brother type), and Nina (big sister type).

 

[LittleJerry92]

That was something interesting I noticed myself. I always wondered why Henry's "bahhh...." Sounded different.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

....Sonia Manzano did one of Jim's puppetry workshops??? Y'know, it would be kind of interesting (and perhaps a bit jarring) to think about if Sonia became a Muppeteer instead of playing Maria. Can you imagine discovering a photo of Sonia performing an Anything Muppet in the early 1970s? But I digress...

I hope that the cast members continue doing more panels. Most of them are past the age of retirement (save for Alison Bartlett), but they still want to be involved with SS in any way possible. This is a good way for them to keep contributing to the SS legacy ...especially since the human cast consists of just Alan (the father figure), Chris (big brother type), and Nina (big sister type).

What about Luis?

 

[cjd874]

What about Luis?

I don't think they needed any more men to work as puppeteers on Sesame Street. They already had Jim, Frank, Richard, Jerry, and Caroll before they added Brian, Kevin, Marty, etc. One of Jim's goals was to make his puppeteer staff as diverse as possible. By 1972 he scouted out Fran Brill and Marilyn Sokol to be his primary female performers, but Marilyn eventually gravitated towards voiceover work (e.g. "I Want a Monster to Be My Friend," "Me/Yo," and "City/Country Song").

Maybe Emilio and the other cast members took a Henson puppetry workshop for kicks 'n' giggles, but that is still a mystery as far as I know. But I'm telling you, it would be GREAT to see footage or photos of Emilio and the others trying to operate a rod Muppet or a Live-Hand.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

I don't think they needed any more men to work as puppeteers on Sesame Street. They already had Jim, Frank, Richard, Jerry, and Caroll before they added Brian, Kevin, Marty, etc. One of Jim's goals was to make his puppeteer staff as diverse as possible. By 1972 he scouted out Fran Brill and Marilyn Sokol to be his primary female performers, but Marilyn eventually gravitated towards voiceover work (e.g. "I Want a Monster to Be My Friend," "Me/Yo," and "City/Country Song").

Maybe Emilio and the other cast members took a Henson puppetry workshop for kicks 'n' giggles, but that is still a mystery as far as I know. But I'm telling you, it would be GREAT to see footage or photos of Emilio and the others trying to operate a rod Muppet or a Live-Hand.

I meant past the age of retirement.

 

[cjd874]

I meant past the age of retirement.

Emilio/Luis is in his mid-to upper-70s, Bob is over 80, and Roscoe is in his early 70s. Alison has about twenty years to go before she can retire, unless she decides to do so earlier.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Emilio/Luis is in his mid-to upper-70s, Bob is over 80, and Roscoe is in his early 70s. Alison has about twenty years to go before she can retire, unless she decides to do so earlier.

Roscoe and Emilio are that old now? And Bob too?

 

[cjd874]

Roscoe and Emilio are that old now? And Bob too?

Yes! Emilio and Roscoe were both about 30 years old when they joined SS in 1971 and 1974 respectively. So if they're 3 years apart, that means Emilio is now 76 and Roscoe is 73. Bob is the oldest at 84 or 85. All of them aged really well in my opinion. And let's not forget Sonia Manzano, who is still a knockout at 67.

Maybe that's the secret to looking young past 65: working on an educational kids' show with birds, monsters, Honkers, and Snuffleupaguses!

 

[D'Snowth]

Y'know, it would be kind of interesting (and perhaps a bit jarring) to think about if Sonia became a Muppeteer instead of playing Maria.

I don't think it was "instead of," I think she participated in a workshop while already as being Maria. Kind of like how she also eventually became a writer on the show in addition to being Maria.