Jerry Nelson
Encyclopedia
Jerry Nelson is an American Muppet
puppeteer
, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt
.
and was raised in Washington, D.C.
He began puppeteering for Bil Baird
. His first job with the Muppets was The Jimmy Dean Show
in 1965. Frank Oz
was going to take some time off from puppeteering, so Nelson was hired to perform Rowlf the Dog
's right hand in his stead.
After the Jimmy Dean Show closed, Nelson continued to right hand Rowlf on a live tour with The Jimmy Dean Show. At the conclusion of the tour Frank Oz rejoined the company and Jerry continued working with The Muppets doing variety shows and commercials until in 1966 the work dropped off somewhat and Jim Henson
had to let Nelson go, as there wasn't enough work on the show for three puppeteers. Following this, he puppeteered in a number of projects in the late 1960s, but none of these would make him as famous as his years to come.
, he rejoined Henson and Oz as a puppeteer, beginning in the second season. He received a number of his major characters early in the show's run, including the Sherlock Holmes parody Sherlock Hemlock
(1970–1995, 2010), a hapless magician named The Amazing Mumford (1971–present), and the overly-strong but sensitive Herry Monster (1970–present). His most famous character is the arithmomania
c vampire Count von Count
(1972–present).
He was also the first puppeteer to perform Mr. Snuffleupagus
, keeping the role from 1971 to 1978. He gave up the role when it became too straining on his back. Minor recurring characters include educator Herbert Birdsfoot (1970–1973), the sound-mimicking Simon Soundman (1971–1992), the more frightening-looking monster Frazzle
(1971–present), Grover
's customer Mr. Johnson (1971–present), Little Jerry of the band "Little Jerry and the Monotones" (1970–2000) and most of the announcers that appear in Sesame Street sketches (1970–present). Jerry Nelson also made a cameo appearance as the giant in the "Sesame Street News" story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
When Richard Hunt joined the Muppets, he was only 18, so Nelson acted as a mentor to him. The two quickly became a powerful puppeteer team, performing such characters together as Sully and Biff (1972-ca. 1999) and The Two Headed Monster (1978–present). David Rudman
took over Hunt's halves of these duos following his death.
Nelson also performed many characters on The Muppet Show
, including Sgt. Floyd Pepper (the bassist of the Electric Mayhem
band), Pigs in Space star Dr. Julius Strangepork
, the boomerang fish-throwing Lew Zealand
, Kermit the Frog
's nephew Robin
, and Gonzo
's girlfriend Camilla the Chicken. Nelson's Muppets on The Muppet Show were all only supporting roles, but they did occasionally play a central role in an episode's plot.
Less prominent characters on the show include sportscaster Lewis Kazagger, Pops the doorman
, gossip columnist Fleet Scribbler, and Scooter
's uncle J.P. Grosse who owned the theatre. He performed Statler in the pilot episodes, but dropped the role when he could not perform full time on the first season. He was, however, a full-time performer for the rest of the show's run. Nelson was selected to play Statler after Richard Hunt's passing.
Nelson performed the puppet and voice of Emmet in Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas, and one-hour special that originally aired on HBO. He later performed the signature song from that show, "When the River Meets the Sea," as Robin in a duet with John Denver for a Muppet Christmas special. That version of the song gets frequent radio airplay during the Christmas season (although the song is not seasonal).
On Fraggle Rock
he performed Gobo Fraggle, Pa Gorg and Marjory the Trash Heap. Frank Oz did not perform on Fraggle Rock, and Jim Henson and Richard Hunt limited their time on the show, so they performed supporting characters. For this reason, Nelson was asked to perform Gobo, the central role on the show.
Nelson's characters were often singers or musicians. He performed the lead vocalist for many songs as Floyd of the Electric Mayhem, Little Jerry of Little Jerry and the Monotones, Slim Wilson of Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers, and a number of Anything Muppet bands. Most of his main characters in all three shows sang songs at one time or another.
, the Nickelodeon show KaBlam!
, Sniz & Fondue in the episode "Crustacean Sensations" and Dewey, one of Donald's Nephews
.
He also was a voice in an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy as King Grimmy (Grim's Grandfather).
and died from the disease in 1982 after attending Rye Country Day School
. Her health problems were the reason her father took so much time off The Muppet Shows first season. She had a cameo in The Great Muppet Caper
. Jim Henson
gave her a speaking part so she would become a member of the actors' union.
In 2004, Nelson announced he would no longer be puppeteering his Muppet characters, citing health reasons. However, he continues to voice his characters on Sesame Street. Matt Vogel currently performs his Muppets characters.
In December 2009, Nelson independently released his first album of original songs, entitled "Truro Daydreams".
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
puppeteer
Puppeteer
A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or...
, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt
Richard Hunt (puppeteer)
Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
.
Early years
Nelson was born in Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
and was raised in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He began puppeteering for Bil Baird
Bil Baird
William Britton Baird , professional name Bil Baird, but often referred to as Bill Baird, was an American puppeteer of the mid- and late 20th century.One of his better known creations was Charlemane the lion...
. His first job with the Muppets was The Jimmy Dean Show
The Jimmy Dean Show
The Jimmy Dean Show is the name of several similar music and variety series on American local and network television between 1957–75. Each starred country music singer Jimmy Dean as host.-Daytime:...
in 1965. Frank Oz
Frank Oz
Frank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
was going to take some time off from puppeteering, so Nelson was hired to perform Rowlf the Dog
Rowlf the Dog
Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson....
's right hand in his stead.
After the Jimmy Dean Show closed, Nelson continued to right hand Rowlf on a live tour with The Jimmy Dean Show. At the conclusion of the tour Frank Oz rejoined the company and Jerry continued working with The Muppets doing variety shows and commercials until in 1966 the work dropped off somewhat and Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
had to let Nelson go, as there wasn't enough work on the show for three puppeteers. Following this, he puppeteered in a number of projects in the late 1960s, but none of these would make him as famous as his years to come.
The Muppets
After learning that the Muppets were used on Sesame StreetSesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, he rejoined Henson and Oz as a puppeteer, beginning in the second season. He received a number of his major characters early in the show's run, including the Sherlock Holmes parody Sherlock Hemlock
Sherlock Hemlock
Sherlock Hemlock is a former Muppet character on the children's TV show Sesame Street. His catchphrase is "Egad!" which he exclaims whenever he makes a discovery...
(1970–1995, 2010), a hapless magician named The Amazing Mumford (1971–present), and the overly-strong but sensitive Herry Monster (1970–present). His most famous character is the arithmomania
Arithmomania
Arithmomania is a mental disorder that may be seen as an expression of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sufferers from this disorder have a strong need to count their actions or objects in their surroundings....
c vampire Count von Count
Count von Count
Count von Count, often known simply as "The Count", is one of the Muppet characters on Sesame Street, performed by Jerry Nelson. The Count is a vampire modeled after Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Count Dracula.-Description:...
(1972–present).
He was also the first puppeteer to perform Mr. Snuffleupagus
Aloysius Snuffleupagus
Aloysius Snuffleupagus, more commonly known as Mr. Snuffleupagus or Snuffy, is one of the Muppet characters on the longest-running educational television program for young children, Sesame Street. He was created as a woolly mammoth, without tusks or ears, and has a long thick pointed tail, similar...
, keeping the role from 1971 to 1978. He gave up the role when it became too straining on his back. Minor recurring characters include educator Herbert Birdsfoot (1970–1973), the sound-mimicking Simon Soundman (1971–1992), the more frightening-looking monster Frazzle
Frazzle
Frazzle is the only Muppet monster intended to be "scary" in the children's television series Sesame Street. During the late-1980s to early-1990s, his career was limited to that of a background extra, due to his intimidating appearance....
(1971–present), Grover
Grover
Grover is a Muppet character on the popular television show Sesame Street. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a monster who almost never uses contractions when speaking or singing....
's customer Mr. Johnson (1971–present), Little Jerry of the band "Little Jerry and the Monotones" (1970–2000) and most of the announcers that appear in Sesame Street sketches (1970–present). Jerry Nelson also made a cameo appearance as the giant in the "Sesame Street News" story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
When Richard Hunt joined the Muppets, he was only 18, so Nelson acted as a mentor to him. The two quickly became a powerful puppeteer team, performing such characters together as Sully and Biff (1972-ca. 1999) and The Two Headed Monster (1978–present). David Rudman
David Rudman
David Rudman is a puppeteer, voice actor and producer, best known as a performer of many of Sesame Street's Muppets. He originated the role of Baby Bear, and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for his work replacing Frank Oz in the role of Cookie Monster...
took over Hunt's halves of these duos following his death.
Nelson also performed many characters on The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
, including Sgt. Floyd Pepper (the bassist of the Electric Mayhem
Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
band), Pigs in Space star Dr. Julius Strangepork
Dr. Julius Strangepork
Dr. Julius Strangepork was a character on The Muppet Show. He was a Muppet pig, who most often appeared with Miss Piggy and Link Hogthrob in the recurring Pigs in Space skit, in which he was the science officer on the USS Swinetrek. He wore wire-rim glasses and sported wide, bushy grey...
, the boomerang fish-throwing Lew Zealand
Lew Zealand
Lew Zealand is a Muppet character who's name is a play on the Oceanian country of New Zealand. Performed by Jerry Nelson, he has an obsession for throwing fish. His thrown fish are unique in that they return to him once thrown. In the 1984 movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, he appears at Scooter's...
, Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
's nephew Robin
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
, and Gonzo
Gonzo the Great
Gonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
's girlfriend Camilla the Chicken. Nelson's Muppets on The Muppet Show were all only supporting roles, but they did occasionally play a central role in an episode's plot.
Less prominent characters on the show include sportscaster Lewis Kazagger, Pops the doorman
Pops (Muppet)
Pops is an elderly doorkeeper at the Muppet Theater. He would greet the week's guest star in every episode of Season 5 of The Muppet Show. He also had a major part as the innkeeper of the Happiness Hotel in The Great Muppet Caper...
, gossip columnist Fleet Scribbler, and Scooter
Scooter (Muppet)
Scooter is a bespectacled character from The Muppets. In The Muppet Show he was the troupe's backstage "gofer". He was originally performed by Richard Hunt.-Characteristics:...
's uncle J.P. Grosse who owned the theatre. He performed Statler in the pilot episodes, but dropped the role when he could not perform full time on the first season. He was, however, a full-time performer for the rest of the show's run. Nelson was selected to play Statler after Richard Hunt's passing.
Nelson performed the puppet and voice of Emmet in Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas, and one-hour special that originally aired on HBO. He later performed the signature song from that show, "When the River Meets the Sea," as Robin in a duet with John Denver for a Muppet Christmas special. That version of the song gets frequent radio airplay during the Christmas season (although the song is not seasonal).
On Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
he performed Gobo Fraggle, Pa Gorg and Marjory the Trash Heap. Frank Oz did not perform on Fraggle Rock, and Jim Henson and Richard Hunt limited their time on the show, so they performed supporting characters. For this reason, Nelson was asked to perform Gobo, the central role on the show.
Nelson's characters were often singers or musicians. He performed the lead vocalist for many songs as Floyd of the Electric Mayhem, Little Jerry of Little Jerry and the Monotones, Slim Wilson of Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers, and a number of Anything Muppet bands. Most of his main characters in all three shows sang songs at one time or another.
Cartoon actor
Nelson has also performed character voices in Sesame Street cartoons, General Specific from Sheep in the Big CitySheep in the Big City
Sheep in the Big City is an American animated television series which ran on Cartoon Network for two seasons, from November 4, 2000 to April 7, 2002....
, the Nickelodeon show KaBlam!
KaBlam!
KaBlam! is an American animated television series that ran on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000. Then it moved to The N on April 15, 2002 as part of its The N's Saturday Nights block...
, Sniz & Fondue in the episode "Crustacean Sensations" and Dewey, one of Donald's Nephews
Donald's Nephews
Donald's Nephews is a Donald Duck animated cartoon which features Donald being visited by his three nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. This cartoon is Huey, Dewey, and Louie's very first appearance.-Synopsis:...
.
He also was a voice in an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy as King Grimmy (Grim's Grandfather).
Personal life
Nelson had a daughter, Christine. She had cystic fibrosisCystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
and died from the disease in 1982 after attending Rye Country Day School
Rye Country Day School
Rye Country Day School, or Rye Country Day or RCDS, is an independent, co-educational college preparatory school located in Rye, New York. Its Upper School , Middle School , and Lower School enroll a total of 886 students on its 26-acre campus...
. Her health problems were the reason her father took so much time off The Muppet Shows first season. She had a cameo in The Great Muppet Caper
The Great Muppet Caper
The Great Muppet Caper is a 1981 mystery comedy film directed by Jim Henson. It is the second of a series of live-action musical feature films, starring Jim Henson's Muppets. This film was produced by Henson Associates, ITC Entertainment and Universal Pictures, and premiered on 26 July 1981. The...
. Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
gave her a speaking part so she would become a member of the actors' union.
In 2004, Nelson announced he would no longer be puppeteering his Muppet characters, citing health reasons. However, he continues to voice his characters on Sesame Street. Matt Vogel currently performs his Muppets characters.
In December 2009, Nelson independently released his first album of original songs, entitled "Truro Daydreams".
External links
- Muppet Wiki: Jerry Nelson