Muppetology 101: Recasting of Muppet Show Characters, Pt. 2

Ryan Dosier - Welcome back to class, class! Hope you brought your purple gloves and your rubber chicken because today is all about Frank Oz and Eric Jacobson. We're continuing our series of Recasting of Muppet Show Characters today. As you'll recall, last week we explored the recasts of characters performed by Jim Henson. The only logical second step is to take a look at the characters performed by Jim Henson's right-hand man (sometimes literally), Frank Oz. Frank retired from performing with the Muppets in 2002 and since then all of his characters have been passed on to the incredibly talented Eric Jacobson, who, for the most part, has given near-perfect performances of every character on this list.

Take notes! That quiz is coming up! (Eventually, probably. First I need some lunch.)

• MISS PIGGY
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1976-2002)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2001-present)
• Miss Piggy was the first of Frank Oz's characters to be recast after Frank's retirement from working with the Muppets. It didn't prove too difficult to cast the porcine diva once the exceptionally talented Eric Jacobson took over. In fact, at Eric's first performance as Miss Piggy at MuppetFest in 2001, most people in the audience had no idea that it wasn't Frank performing--the voice and mannerisms were that spot-on. Frank performed Piggy a few more times before officially retiring from the character in 2002.
• Frank Oz first performed Miss Piggy in The Muppet Show Season One (1976), trading off the character with Richard Hunt for the first few episodes but finally settling in as Piggy's permanent performer before the season ended. Frank Oz's last performance as Miss Piggy was on The Today Show in 2002 for the 50th anniversary special.
• Eric Jacobson first performed Miss Piggy during a video insert in "The Muppet Show: LIVE" at MuppetFest in 2001. Eric Jacobson has continued to perform Miss Piggy in every appearance of the character after 2002, including The Muppets in 2011.

• FOZZIE BEAR
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1976-2000)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2002-present) 
• Fozzie Bear remained silent and unseen after Muppets From Space in 1999, and did not physically perform the character again after that. Three years later, Eric Jacobson donned the role of the bear in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, solidifying himself as Fozzie's permanent performer. Eric's Fozzie remains one of the best recasts in Muppet history, as Eric's characterization of the bear is reminiscent of what Frank did with Fozzie on The Muppet Show.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Fozzie Bear was on The Muppet Show Season One in 1976. Frank Oz remained Fozzie's sole performer for over 20 years, up to Muppets From Space in 1999. Frank's final vocal performance as Fozzie was in the Muppet RaceMania video game in 2000.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Fozzie Bear was in the TV movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002. Eric Jacobson has performed Fozzie for the past decade, including Fozzie's major role in The Muppets in 2011, and will continue with Fozzie for the foreseeable future.

• ANIMAL
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1975-2000)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2002-present)
• Animal is without a doubt one of the most popular Muppets, but even he was not recast permanently after Frank Oz's retirement for two years. Even during Muppets Tonight, 1996-1997, Frank began phasing his way out of the character as Kevin Clash performed Animal in a few of his appearances, with Frank looping the dialogue later. However, when it came time for It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002, Eric Jacobson was the obvious choice for the permanent recast of the drummer. A few other performers took on Animal in the 2000s (most notably John Kennedy, who did Animal's voice for Muppet Party Cruise, a 2003 video game), but Eric has been the only performer of Animal from 2005 onward.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Animal was in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot in 1975. Frank Oz gave his last physical performance as Animal in Muppets From Space in 1999, but also did Animal's voice for Muppet RaceMania in 2000.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Animal was in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002. Eric would be the main Animal throughout the 2000s, with a few other puppeteers doing the character's voice. But from The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005 to Animal's semi-starring role in The Muppets in 2011 and beyond, Eric Jacobson has been Animal's only performer.

• SAM THE EAGLE
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1975-2000)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2005-present) 
• Sam the Eagle was perhaps the most difficult of Frank Oz's characters to recast after his retirement. In It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002 and the Muppets Party Cruise video game in 2003, Kevin Clash was the voice of Sam Eagle. It wasn't until The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005 that Eric Jacobson performed Sam for the first time. Since then, Eric has been the only performer of Sam, giving another near-perfect performance as the pompous eagle. Eric performed Sam in such hits as "Stars and Stripes FOREVER!", "American Woman," and "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 2008 and 2009.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Sam the Eagle was in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot in 1975, where Sam was one of the main characters alongside Nigel and Floyd Pepper. Frank Oz's final, physical performance as Sam Eagle was in Muppets From Space in 1999, but Frank did provide Sam's voice for the Muppet RaceMania video game in 2000.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Sam the Eagle was in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005, where Sam played the Emerald City gate guard. Eric Jacobson has continued to perform Sam the Eagle ever since, including Sam's role in The Muppets in 2011.

• MARVIN SUGGS
• Originally performed by FRANK OZ (1976-1981)
• Currently performed by ERIC JACOBSON (2011-present)
• One of Frank Oz's stranger characters was Marvin Suggs, a minor character who would appear various times throughout the run of The Muppet Show. Marvin Suggs would continue to appear in silent roles after The Muppet Show ended in 1981, but Frank Oz never spoke as the character after that. Marvin disappeared after a brief, silent cameo in Muppets From Space, but in 2011 director James Bobin revealed that one of his favorite Muppets was Marvin Suggs, so the character had a semi-resurgence in The Muppets and the OK Go music video for "The Muppet Show Theme Song," performed by Eric Jacobson both times.
• Frank Oz's first performance as Marvin Suggs was in The Muppet Show Season One, Episode 105, in 1976 where Marvin and his Muppaphones performed "Lady of Spain." Frank Oz's last known performance as Marvin Suggs was in The Muppet Show Season Five, Episode 506, in 1981 playing the Wonderland Judge.
• Eric Jacobson's first performance as Marvin Suggs was in OK Go's "The Muppet Show Theme Song" music video in 2011. Eric Jacobson has only performed Marvin Suggs in 2011, but even this was enough to have Marvin Suggs and the Muppaphones sang a line in the finale version of "Life's a Happy Song" in The Muppets in 2011.

Well, that'll do it for class today... I'm letting you out early, be grateful! Next week we'll jump back into it with a look at the recast characters of The Muppet Show characters performed by Richard Hunt! Now, be gone with you!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

86 Days Until "The Muppets"

Lucas Ervin - For this third week, I would like to showcase some of the craziest characters on The Muppet Show that appeared many times over the show’s five year run. These characters also seem to show Jim Henson’s wicked sense of humor that he was so well known for. Everybody has their weird moments--even Kermit--but these guys are what gave The Muppet Show its crazy vibe. So this week, prepare for sick, weird and morally appalling characters who will make you laugh, sing and run for cover.

86.   Koozebanians
I decided to kick off with the Koozebanian characters because they’re featured more often than people might think. Kermit, dressed in the same reporter outfit from Sesame Street, interviewed many of the different species that inhabited the planet Koozebane, such as Phoobs, Spoobles and even covered a Koozebanian mating ritual. The crew from Pigs In Space have also landed on the planet a couple of times, including the Star Wars episode. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be seen throughout the entire five-year run of the show. The link above shows Dom DeLouise during his visit to the planet, dealing with some mischievous Merdilops.

85.   Bobby Benson and His Baby Band
Richard Hunt was another Muppet performer who really understood Jim’s odd sense of humor, and he proved it by playing several questionable characters like Beaker, Sweetums, and, of course, Bobby Benson, a middle-aged man who smokes and somehow has a band of babies with him at all times, and apparently is returning in The Muppets in November. He always said, "That’s my babies!" But I’m pretty sure he just stole them from a daycare center, and the moms and dads never investigated it further. Of course, if their parents actually cared about their babies, then we wouldn’t have great numbers like "Pennsylvania 6-5000."

84.   Sam the Eagle
A Frank Oz character, the fact that Sam was always trying to instill moral and wholesome entertainment into the Show but always failing at his attempts to do so is exactly why he makes the list this week. He’s tried discussing the issues of nudity, stealing, and even has read the fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper," where, in this version, the story actually ends with the ant getting stepped on and the grasshopper drives down to Florida. He’s even tried censoring the show a couple of times, and failed miserably. He really doesn’t seem to get along well with anyone either. In fact, the only two people--aside from Wayne and Wanda--that he really can communicate with are Statler and Waldorf. He’s a pretty well-known character, has been around since the Sex & Violence pilot, and despite being a bit difficult towards the other characters, he’s still pretty lovable. In the hilarious clip above, Sam tries to talk to Kermit about his family tree.

83.   Wayne and Wanda
If there was one act Sam Eagle really enjoyed, it was this singing duo. The definition of insanity is someone who does the same thing over and over again, expecting different results, and during the first season of The Muppet Show, these two came back, week after week, singing a different song and hoping it would go smoothly. But as we all know, it never did. Kermit ended up firing the two singers (although Wayne would still appear in a melodrama or a song from time to time). The duo returned during Season 4, singing to Kermit for his birthday, but Kermit is reminded of why he fired them in the first place, and fires them again. And who knows? Maybe they’ll be fired for a third time when The Muppets hits theaters.

82.   Lew Zealand
I love Lew. It’s that simple. He’s silly, funny and has a very unique act; boomerang fish-throwing. He throws the fish awaaaaay... and they come back to him. He was supposed to only appear once in the Marisa Berenson episode, but Jerry Nelson and the writers enjoyed him so much, he stayed on. Lew has appeared in every theatrical and television Muppet movie. With his goofy laugh and his clown-like apparel, Lew gradually did more than just sling fish; he became a superhero, turned into a chicken, even sang a few memorable songs like "Goodnight, Sardine" and "Another Opening, Another Show." You could even say he was a pretty prominent character by the time the show ended, and from what I understand, he didn’t enjoy his previous job very much. Apparently he used to work with a porpoise just for the halibut, but then he lobster. Yeah, it’s funnier said than written. Anyway, the clip above shows one of Lew's greatest moments: throwing fish while Leslie Uggams sings.

81.   Marvin Suggs and the Muppaphone
When we first saw this guy performing "Lady of Spain" on his Muppaphone--a xylophone made of furry little orange and pink Muppet heads that, when you hit them with a mallet, cry "Ow!"--we knew Marvin Suggs sure was... something. He certainly provided some other unique moments, like when he portrayed the judge in Alice In Wonderland, or when he tried out a new act with a singing food chorus, doing his rendition of "Yes, We Have No Bananas." Most recently, he made an appearance in the OK GO music video of "The Muppet Show Theme Song," and is rumored to be making a comeback in The Muppets. When asked what he may be like off the show, Frank Oz once said, "I’ve always felt that Marvin lived in a skuzzy trailer park with his put upon wife, and he kept the Muppaphones in a cage and would beat them regularly." Whatever his off-camera life, Marvin is sure entertaining such as in the clip above, performing "Witch Doctor."

80.   Crazy Harry
Crazy is his first name. Crazy Harry--with his love of explosives and eerie laugh--has also been around since Sex & Violence but was originally named Crazy Donald, in reference to the famous puppet-builder Don Sahlin. Also, during the first season, he could be found in the orchestra pit playing the triangle, and was performed by John Lovelady. When Jerry Nelson took over the character in season two, Crazy Harry got that famous laugh and you had to be careful with what you said around him. For example, if Kermit were to say something like, "We’re starting the show off tonight with a bang," Harry would show up with his dynamite plunger, ask "Did somebody say BANG?!" blow Kermit up, and start in with his maniacal laughter. He was recently seen in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, blowing up an old house, made a dynamite appearance in the OK GO video, and, like many other lesser-known characters, he’ll appear in the new Muppet film in November. I honestly can’t wait to see him, because as Jean Stapleton sings in the clip above, I’m just wild about Harry.

86 Days Until The Muppets!!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Marvin Suggs

Written by Ryan Dosier.

MARVIN SUGGS

Performed by...
Frank Oz 

First appearance...
The Muppet Show Episode 105: Rita Moreno (1976) 

Most recent appearance...
The Muppets (2011)

Best known role...
Muppaphone player, manager, operator, slave-driver; PETA's Most Wanted

WHO IS MARVIN SUGGS?
Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphone were one of the first recurring acts on The Muppet Show. Marvin is the world's only known player of the famed Muppaphone instrument, which consists of a group of furry pink and orange creatures who make the most beautiful yelping sound when struck just the right way with a mallet. Marvin is well-known for his performances on the Muppaphone of such timeless classics including "Lady of Spain" and "Witch Doctor."

Although most often seen with the Muppaphone, Marvin Suggs is a multi-talented individual as can be seen in the Steve Martin episode of The Muppet Show when he performed "Yes, We Have No Bananas" with his All-Food Glee Club. However, Marvin's true passion seems to rest with his beloved Muppaphone, considering his leafy-green show choir never appeared again. (Or perhaps they broke up when Marvin threatened to turn them into a salad... the world may never know.)

Oddly unseen since the days of The Muppet Show, Marvin's most recent appearance was a very brief cameo in Muppets From Space. He is presumably on tour (or off the grid) with his Muppaphone, entertaining the masses with his inhumane exploits.

Although Marvin has been largely absent, an action figure was made of Marvin in 2004 as part of Series 8 of Palisades Toys line of action figures. Marvin came packaged with two mallets, a musical wall, and six Muppaphones. Series 8 also included a variant figure of Marvin, dressed in black and silver attire.

MARVIN SUGGS AND FRANK OZ
Although Marvin Suggs is a very obscure character, Frank Oz still talked about and developed a backstory for Marvin, which was expanded upon in the liner notes for the 2002 CD "Muppets: Music, Mayhem and More." When asked about Marvin, Frank said,

"I don't recall where Marvin Suggs came from... probably from one of the writer's meetings. But the accent came from my French friend Phillippe Gentry -- I just exaggerated it and made it really annoying. I've always felt Marvin lived in a scuzzy trailer park with his put-upon wife, and he kept the Muppaphones in a cage and would beat them regularly."

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED MARVIN SUGGS?
Quite frankly, they might not need him, really. After all, the Muppets already have multiple counts of animal abuse (read: karate chopping pigs, sexually harassing king prawns, bears with tomatoes hurled at them), so tossing Marvin Suggs back in the mix will surely do nothing to get PETA off of their furry backs.

However, Marvin was always very funny and his over-exaggerated performance by Frank Oz was a hoot. That voice is still something I try to imitate (it ain't easy) and I find myself quoting Mr. Suggs often, saying, "I am not a CRUEL man!" So... the Muppets might not need Marvin, but wouldn't it be fun to see him smacking those whiny balls of fur again?

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier