List of Muppets
are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed here originated on The Muppet Show, a television series that aired from 1976 to 1981. Since then, several more characters have been introduced in other television series, as well as theatrical films.
The first Muppet characters appeared in Sam and Friends, a Washington, D.C.–based show which was broadcast from 1955 to 1961. Kermit the Frog was one of the show's regulars, and thus was one of Henson's first Muppet creations. The Muppets became a household name after their appearance in the children's television program Sesame Street. Henson was initially reluctant to become involved with Sesame Street because he feared being pigeon-holed as a children's performer, but agreed to work on the show to further his social goals.Henson's company owned the characters created for Sesame Street until 2001, since 2001, they have instead been owned by Sesame Workshop and are now considered a separate franchise.
The characters listed here are owned by the Muppets Studio, a division of the Walt Disney Company, who acquired the characters from the Jim Henson Company in 2004.Main characters
Kermit the Frog
A pragmatic frog who is the straight man protagonist and de facto leader of the Muppets. Created by Jim Henson and introduced in 1955 on Sam and Friends, Kermit, arguably Henson's best-known character, quickly became the de facto face of the franchise, including regularly appearing on Sesame Street, sometimes as a reporter. He starred on The Muppet Show, as the showrunner, responsible for managing the show's production, and has appeared in every Muppet-branded production since.Miss Piggy
A temperamental diva pig who is the Muppets break-out and "authentic superstar."Until 2015, she was the romantic significant other of Kermit. Authors Maryanne Fisher and Anthony Cox call Piggy "uniquely strong and feminine," but "domineering and demanding." She was designed and built by Bonnie Erickson. Debuted in a 1974 Herb Alpert television special, where she was performed by Jerry Nelson. She is one of Oz's best-known characters.Fozzie Bear
- Performed by Frank Oz, Eric Jacobson
An insecure, stand-up comic bear introduced in The Muppet Show. Fozzie's characterization was created by Frank Oz, who performed the character from his debut in 1976 until Oz's retirement in 2000. Eric Jacobson has performed the character since then. Finch calls Fozzie "a sweetly insecure and absolutely terrible comedian." According to Oz, Fozzie is such a bad comedian that he "can't afford good joke writers, and he can't write good jokes himself" He was designed by Michael K. Frith.An eccentric, hooked-nosed creature and stunt performance enthusiast who debuted in The Great Santa Claus Switch in 1970 as the Cigar Box Frackle. A running gag is that Gonzo's species is unknown. In past Muppets films and series, he was called a "whatever" and in Muppet Babies, Gonzo was known as a weirdo. In Muppets from Space, Gonzo is shown to be an alien. He was created by Dave Goelz, who has performed Gonzo since his inception.An easygoing pianist dog who first appeared in Purina Dog Chow commercials. He was designed by Jim Henson. He then appeared in The Jimmy Dean Show, as Jimmy Dean's sidekick. Finch calls Rowlf "the first fully rounded character performed by Jim Henson," and also calls him "wonderfully down-to-earth, with a dry, self-deprecating sense of humor" and "a master of the double take." He was built by Don Sahlin.Scooter
The loyal stage manager and gofer of the Muppet Theatre. Richard Hunt based Scooter's voice and personality on how he remembered himself when he was younger. He was designed by Michael K. Frith. Debuted in the first season of The Muppet Show.The wild, frenzied monster drummer for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Author Christopher Finch calls Animal "the ultimate representation of a long line of Muppets who personify unbridled appetite,"both "carnivorous beast" and "physical manifestation of pure libido." He was designed by Jim Henson and built by Dave Goelz. Debuted in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.Pepe the King Prawn
- Performed by Bill Barretta
A scheming and sassy Latino king prawn, Pepe was introduced in Muppets Tonight, where he and Seymour would often work as elevator operators and commissary cooks. His first theatrical film appearance was in Muppets from Space. Pepe became the spokesman of restaurant chain Long John Silver's in 2002.Rizzo the Rat
- Performed by Steve Whitmire, Bradley Freeman Jr.
Rizzo is a sly and witty brown rat from the inner city that Whitmire describes as "a sarcastic kind of New York City character," he debuted in season four of The Muppet Show.Walter
A shy, soft-voiced human-like Muppet and obsessive fan of the Muppets. Introduced in the film The Muppets, Walter is the younger brother of Gary in the film. Along with Gary and his girlfriend, Mary, Walter assists Kermit in reuniting the Muppets as an effort to raise enough money to regain control of the Muppet Theater from oil tycoon Tex Richman. After his successful contributions to the telethon with his lauded whistling act, Walter is accepted as a member of the Muppet ensemble. Walter returns in Muppets Most Wanted, where he is instrumental in discovering Constantine's intentions and in rescuing Kermit.Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
- Dr. Teeth: Performed by Jim Henson, John Kennedy, Bill Barretta
- Animal: Performed by Frank Oz, John Kennedy, Eric Jacobson
- Floyd Pepper: Performed by Jerry Nelson, John Kennedy, Matt Vogel
- Janice: Performed by Fran Brill, Eren Ozker, Richard Hunt, Brian Henson, Tyler Bunch, David Rudman
- Zoot: Performed by Dave Goelz
- Lips: Performed by Steve Whitmire, Peter Linz
A rock house band consisting of six members: Dr. Teeth, the gravelly voiced leader and keyboard player of the band, Floyd Pepper, the cynical "hippie" bass player, Janice, the lead guitar player with a flower child personality, Zoot, the laid-back saxophone player, Animal, the crazed drummer, and Lips, the mumbling trumpet player.
Other characters to perform with the Electric Mayhem on occasion were Rowlf the Dog on piano on many occasions, Rizzo on cymbals in the "Paul Simon" episode, Beaker on vocals in the "Diana Ross" episode, Scooter in The Muppet Movie, Clifford in The Muppets at Walt Disney World, and Crazy Harry as part of the band in the first episode and later.Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
An inventive yet absent-minded scientist who frequently performs science experiments and invention demonstrations that typically go awry and has an "affable cluelessness" whenever his assistant, Beaker, is a victim of these presentations. Bunsen serves as a foil for Beaker.Bunsen debuted during the first season of The Muppet Show and was joined by Beaker during the second season.Beaker
- Performed by Richard Hunt, Steve Whitmire, David Rudman
A hapless lab assistant to Bunsen, who performs ill-fated experiments which often result in him becoming the victim and seriously injured. He was designed by Henson and built by Don Sahlin. Beaker debuted in the second season of The Muppet Show.A non-sensical chef that speaks in mock Swedish. Based on the "standard finger puppet,"the Swedish Chef was originally a dual collaboration between Henson and Oz, who provided the hands. Oz would deliberately do unexpected things, like tossing chickens and juggling meat cleavers, that Henson would have to improvise with a reaction. He was designed by Michael K. Frith and built by Henson and Bonnie Erickson. He debuted in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.- Statler: Performed by Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Steve Whitmire, Peter Linz
- Waldorf: Performed by Jim Henson, Dave Goelz
Two elderly and grumpy gentlemen who constantly heckle the Muppets from the audience, specifically from an upper balcony box on The Muppet Show.Statler and Waldorf were named after two New York City hotels: the Statler Hilton and the Waldorf-Astoria. They were designed and built by Bonnie Erickson. They debuted in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.Sam Eagle
A patriotic bald eagle and the group's self-proclaimed delegator of disciplined manners and values. Critic Jordan Schildcrout describes Sam as "a cross between Uncle Sam and the bald eagle with a dash of Richard Nixon, represents a conservative, nationalist Puritanism that makes him a snob and a prude." He was designed by Henson and built by Don Sahlin. Debuted in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.Most recently, Sam has appeared alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo in The Muppets Present...Great Moments in American History at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida.Camilla the Chicken
Camilla the Chicken is a hen who is Gonzo's longtime girlfriend on The Muppet Show. This chicken with hay fever was performed by veteran Muppet performer, Jerry Nelson, and is seen frequently on The Muppet Show, but also makes appearances on the various full-length Muppet movies such as The Muppets Take Manhattan where she hyperventilates after attacking a villain and needs "mouth-to-beak resuscitation," and The Muppet Movie as Gonzo's plumber girl and is in the back of the car for the whole movie. She also appeared in TV specials such as A Muppet Family Christmas where she is seduced by the turkey who was invited to the family gathering by the Swedish Chef.
On Muppet Babies, Camilla was Baby Gonzo's stuffed yellow chicken doll. She was voiced by Frank Welker, and subsequently Dave Coulier and Russi Taylor when she came to life in Gonzo's imagination.
In The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, the Tin Thing mentions that he and Camilla are engaged, but this is never elaborated with the actual Gonzo. Camilla appears as Gonzo's business partner in the 2011 film The Muppets, where she and her chicken companions also perform "Forget You" in the big Muppet reunion show.