Muppet Scooby Doo Art Mash Up

Our pal Danny Beckwith is at it again with some more really, really wonderful Muppet fan art. This time, Danny decided to tackle a crossover between the Muppets and Scooby Doo--and it worked out tremendously. Here's a little info about the pieces from Danny himself...

Some origin information: This mash-up came from the idea of Link Hogthrob as Fred Jones getting stuck in my head. They are so similar, not only in appearance, but in personality, too. After some thought about the other characters, they began to take form on paper and stuck from the first round. Shaggy was hard to pin down, but I really enjoyed the color scheme (and the thought of Kermit saying "Zoinks!" tickled me).

Of course, I can't draw Muppets without monsters sneaking in there. The monsters were fun to identify and match to Muppet characters. Uncle Deadly as the Phantom Ghost came first and worked well, playing off of his role on The Muppet Show as the Phantom of the Muppet Theatre. The other monsters include:

Sweetums as the Creeper
Gonzo as the Spooky Space Kook
Beaker as Charlie
Snowth as Witch Doctor (could it be that Mahna Mahna is really under that disguise?)

And who could forget Scrappy-Doo!

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

Danny Beckwith's Muppet Melodrama Posters

Our friend Danny Beckwith, is a hugely talented artist with a fantastic penchant for Muppets. You may know Danny from his fantastic Muppet Monster Mash-Ups series from last October. Well, Danny is back with three more incredibly fantastic pieces of artwork that you just have to see. Danny calls these pieces "Probably three of my favorites that I've done." I would have to agree with him, because they're dynamic and fantastic. Don't miss out on Danny's DeviantArt page as well!

 

 

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

The Great Muppet Survey - Danny Beckwith

Answers and Artwork by DANNY BECKWITH

1.   Who are your three favorite characters from The Muppet Show, Muppets Tonight, The Jim Henson Hour, the Muppet movies, etc. and why?

Gonzo the Great has always been my favorite Muppet. Gonzo's imagination knows no limit; he tries everything and anything with enthusiasm and doesn't care what others think. He knows who he is and shows it. There is nothing better than being yourself, or a whatever (plus, I love that sound-effect in The Muppet Show when he enters and exits a scene and he makes me laugh loud and hard!). Another favorite is Rowlf--the master of the double take, the witty comment and observation, and the best piano playing dog around. I love that he is so down to earth and easy going. He's not bothered by much, which I admire. And, since I can only choose three, my final choice would have to be Kermit. Not only is Kermit the best friend you can ask for, he's clever, smart, caring, and so many other things. I've also been compared to Kermit many times in terms of my personality, so I can relate to the little green guy.

2.   Who are your three favorite characters from Sesame Street and why?

Big Bird has always been my favorite Sesame Street character. What a sweet, kind, caring, innocent character. Always curious, not afraid to ask questions, and always sharing the things he loves with the people he loves. Big Bird definitely has a special place in my heart. I love Ernie. Ernie is a dreamer. He lets his imagination soar to heights beyond the bonds of Earth. He cares deeply for his friends, especially Bert, and loves to play games and have fun. What's not to like? Count Von Count has always made me laugh. I'm a huge fan of movie monsters, so the Count is easily one of my favorites. The Count is another character who has such a passion for something, in this case counting. He shares it with such enthusiasm you can't help but become a part of it!

3.   Who are your three favorite characters from Fraggle Rock and why?

Boober, for some reason, has always been one of my favorite characters. I think his paranoia is a friendly reminder to not take yourself too seriously. No matter how afraid he may be of something, he always comes through for his friends in the end (I think this is wonderfully shown in "The River of Life"). Cantus is high on this list as well. He helps everyone he comes in contact with to do things they didn't know they could do, helping them, in his sometimes confusing ways, to become a better person and look deep inside themselves. Wembley needs to be here as well. I see a lot of myself in Wembley, always wanting to please everyone, sometimes to a fault. But Wembley is also extremely easy going, light-hearted, and a great friend.

4.   What is your favorite television program starring any of Jim Henson's creations (e.g. The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Dinosaurs, etc.) and why?
I think I'm going to have to go with the classic--The Muppet Show. I can't imagine a time when I haven't been in the mood to watch The Muppet Show. I really think that this show helped influence much about what I think is funny. Puns, running gags, visual gags, no matter how terrible, make me laugh. But there is also a lot of heart in the show, as evident by the relationships the Muppets have with one another.  After watching The Muppet Show, any episode, it makes you think, "Anything is possible!" Even a frog putting on a variety show. It pushed so many bounds and still remains one of the best shows ever to grace television.

5.   What is your favorite Muppet movie and why?
It’s somewhat of a tie--The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper. But I really love The Muppet Movie. Here's why--it's the American dream of traveling west and making it big, meeting people who share in your dream and celebrating that, and it's flat out funny and full of heart. The music and songs are classic and spectacular, the jokes hilarious and often, and the human supporting cast is top-notch. But in the end, it's about having a dream and not giving it up, and I love that. (As a side note--The Great Muppet Caper is the pinnacle of Muppet hilarity, that's why it's a tie.)

6.   What is your favorite Muppet/Sesame/Fraggle song and why?
Tough, tough question! Okay, so "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" is on this list, as is "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" and "Let Me Be Your Song," among so many others. But ultimately, "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" wins. Why? Well, it's such a defining Gonzo moment. I think we know who Gonzo is with this song. But for myself, it’s a song about reaching for your dreams even though there are obstacles in the way and things you can't control. Plus, it has one of my favorite sentiments ever, "There's not a word yet/For old friends who've just met.” Too true Gonzo, too true.

7.   If you could have dinner with any living Muppet performer who would you choose and why?
Dave Goelz. So many of my favorite characters are performed by Dave. I think he's such an incredible performer. I think a dinner with him would be such a wonderful and enjoyable experience. And if Dave wasn't available, Caroll Spinney--the man is a legend. I think I would love to talk art, life, and everything with Caroll. I think he might be up for that.

8.   If you could tell Jim Henson one thing, what would it be?
"Thank you for the magic, the dreams, and everything."

9.   If the President called you and asked to discuss Muppet projects, what would you tell him was the "Greatest Muppet Moment of All Time"?
"The Greatest Muppet Moment of all Time," good grief, no pressure there. I think I'm going to go classic and say the end of The Muppet Movie. You know the scene when the rainbow comes in through the roof? Yes, Mr. President, the scene with the lyrics "Life's like a movie/Write your own ending/Keep believing, keep pretending/We've done just what we set out to do/Thanks to the lovers, the dreamers, and you." Indeed, Mr. President, it is the greatest.

10.   What's the name of that song?
Hugga Wugga.

11.   If a judge ruled that Grover had to be your personal assistant for a month, what jobs would you have him do?
I would ask Grover to be my official Scheduler. What I mean is that Grover would be in charge of helping make sure I'm making the most of every moment. For instance, I have an open afternoon, what do I do? Well, Grover would help me decide that going under, over, around and through would be just the ticket to fun! Then tomorrow we can go near and far.

12.   In your opinion, what is the worst Muppet production ever made?
At the risk of being unpopular (get your tomatoes ready), I just wasn't a huge fan of The Muppets. I think it was a great attempt at bringing the characters back into mainstream culture and consciousness. But there were a few moments in the film that absolutely made me cringe (just a few, but many other moments were filled with nostalgia, laughter, and tears of joy). I don't think it's the absolutely worst, not by a long shot, but it's what comes to mind right now. Studio DC is right up there as well, as is The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. Let the heckling and tomato throwing begin.

13.   Who is one celebrity you would love to see cameo in the next Muppet movie?
David Tennant or Matt Smith--The Doctor did say that he loved The Muppet Movie in "Tooth and Claw." I think it would be such a clever cameo, especially with the Muppets being across the pond for the next film, for them to run into the TARDIS or The Doctor at some moment.

14.   If you could take a picture with any Muppet, who would you choose and how would you pose?
Uncle Deadly. I think it would be awesome. We could do the typical villain pose with incessant hand wringing and big smiles on our faces!

15.   What is your favorite piece of Muppet merchandise that you own? (Feel free to include a picture!)
I'd have to say the three original Muppet Scripts I own from the Henson Archives:
The Frog Prince--Original script by Jerry Juhl in binder, 1971
The Muppet Valentine Show--Original script, 1973
The Great Santa Claus Switch--Original script by Jerry Juhl in binder, 1970

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

Danny Beckwith's Muppet Monster Mash-Ups, Pt. 3

Today we're so excited to present the final pieces in our friend and contributor Danny Beckwith's Muppet Monster Mash-Ups series! Today we've got two more Muppets who have been monsterized as well as a final picture collecting all seven Muppets in one--which makes a fantastic desktop background... just sayin'. Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2, as well as Danny's DeviantArt page for the rest of his fantastic work!

Beaker as Frankenstein

Miss Piggy as The Bride of Frankenstein

Fozzie Bear as The Phantom of the Opera, Scooter as The Mummy, Miss Piggy as The Bride of Frankenstein, Beaker as Frankenstein, Rowlf the Dog as The Wolf Man, The Great Gonzo as The Invisible Man, and Kermit the Frog as the Creature from the Black Lagoon

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

Danny Beckwith's Muppet Monster Mash-Ups, Pt. 2

Our good friend and contributor Danny Beckwith has returned with even more stellar artwork in his Muppet Monster mash-up series! This week we're spotlighting spooky incarnations of Gonzo the Great, Fozzie Bear, and Rowlf the Dog as some of the most iconic monsters of all cinema! Be sure to check out Part 1 from last week to see monsterized versions of Kermit the Frog and Scooter!

Gonzo the Great as The Invisible Man

Fozzie Bear as The Phantom of the Opera

Rowlf the Dog as The Wolf Man

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

Danny Beckwith's Muppet Monster Mash-Ups, Part 1

Starting this week and for the rest of the Fridays in October, we at The Muppet Mindset are thrilled to present some wonderful artwork from our friend and contributor Danny Beckwith! Danny has created a special series of art just for us for our 2012 Halloween celebration. Here's a quote from Danny explaining the work in his own word, "I just had so much fun doing each one! If there are two things I love the most, it's Muppets and Monsters." This week we're showcasing Kermit the Frog as the Creature from the Black Lagoon and Scooter as The Mummy! Enjoy (and click the image to make it bigger)!

Kermit the Frog as the Creature from the Black Lagoon

Scooter as The Mummy

Thanks to Danny Beckwith for letting us showcase his art! Check out Danny's DeviantArt account for even more spectacular work!





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

Muppet Fan Art Showcase: Danny Beckwith

Today we are spotlighting the artwork of a friend of the blog, Danny Beckwith! Danny has the honor of being one of the few Muppet fans that I've met in person (the first Muppet fan, actually) thanks to The Muppet Mindset. He's a great guy and a good friend--and also a very talented artist! Below are five of his fantastic pieces, starting first with three Muppet-parody posters for the classic Disneyland attraction "The Haunted Mansion." The fourth piece is a mock-up cover Danny made for last year's The Green Album. Enjoy the artwork!

 

 

 

 

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

Coverage of Fran Brill and Zoe in Chicago, Part 1

Danny Beckwith - The weekend of November 13-14th (Note – The Programs for Saturday and Sunday were switched.) was a very memorable one in Chicago. The Gene Siskel Film Center began its Jim Henson retrospective with two great programs and one (or should I say two?) very special guest.

Here is how the Gene Siskel Film Center billed the first event:

Fran Brill and Zoe in person!

Jim Henson & Friends:
Inside the Sesame Street VaultVarious dates, Various directors, USA, 83 min.

This super-entertaining program highlights the contributions of Jim Henson and his early Sesame Street collaborators, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Fran Brill, and Caroll Spinney. In addition to old favorites, there are some extremely rare clips from specials and guest appearances on other television programs. Beta SP video.
--description courtesy of the Jim Henson Legacy

Emmy Award-winning puppeteer, actress, and voice-over performer Fran Brill will host the program on Sunday, November 14, accompanied by Zoe, her signature Muppet character.

Barbara Scharres, the Director of Programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center, took to the podium at 7:30pm. She began by introducing Fran Brill and listing her credentials from her amazing body of work. It was a wonderful introduction for a wonderful lady.

Fran Brill was simply glowing as she approached the podium to introduce herself and what the audience was about to see. She briefly gave some context to Sesame Street and setting up the first clip that would allow fans to get a glimpse of Sesame’s humble beginnings.

1969 – “The Ed Sullivan Show”

Clip was in color at screening.

Kermit and Grover appeared six months after the first season off Sesame Street aired. Kermit is playing a piano and singing, “What kind of Fool Am I?” Grover enters and does his classic, “Hey, froggy!” and slap. Kermit will not let Grover sing, so instead Grover pulls out a banjo. Finally, after an exasperated frog has had enough of Grover’s antics and calling Grover a “furry dumb dumb,” Kermit lets him sing. Grover calls in more Muppet monsters to help.

Fran came back up to the podium while the audience laughed. Commenting on how we were laughing at the odd amount of time Ed Sullivan shook Jim’s hand. She explained that Jim and Frank were probably the funniest duo of puppeteers, with Frank being the catalyst. She mentioned that Jim and Frank were great on set, but they didn’t really socialize outside of it.


“The Dick Cavett Show”
Ernie and Bert start off trying to look and act cool for the show. Ernie has convinced Bert that in Hollywood, everyone talks and looks a certain way, much to Bert’s reluctance. Dick Cavett enters and Bert begins talk in a very ridiculous fashion, using the same words that Kermit did as an agent in The Muppets Take Manhattan. Ernie, meanwhile, is quiet and slowly taking off the silly clothes. Dick wonders what is going on, and Ernie, much to Bert’s chagrin, looks quite normal.

Grover gets to help Dick with the lead in to the commercial. Grover, who can’t seem to see to cue cards, has the cue card man bring them closer. Even though they are close, Dick wonders why Grover can’t read them. Grover admits he can’t read. Dick helps him successfully make the lead in. Oscar the Grouch also gets to help with a lead in. Oscar just wanted to get to the trash on the show and wonders where the commercials are.

Dick then has a conversation with Carroll Spinney, still in his Big Bird legs, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and Jerry Nelson. Dick wonders if Carroll only got the job as Big Bird because of his legs. Jim then explains about Anything Muppets and Jim, Frank, and Jerry perform the song, “My Favorite Letter P.” (Available on SesameStreet.org.) This clip actually had a side-by-side comparison of the recorded segment and the live performance.

1970 – “The Flip Wilson Show”
Big Bird makes an appearance as a guest star and performs the song “ABC-DEF-GHI” with Flip Wilson.


1970 – Bob Hope Christmas Special
Big Bird makes an appearance and of course makes a crack at Bob’s nose. Bob wonders what kind of birds are Big Bird’s parents and what that makes Big Bird. Big responds with, “A chicken with a gland problem.”


1985 – Night of 100 Stars
Big Bird sings a song with Carol Channing.

1973 – “Julie on Sesame Street”
Julie Andrews did special with the Sesame Street characters. It was filmed in London and you could tell that a replica set because of the raised curbs. The real set did not have real curbs, they were painted on. Highlights include Kermit and Julie singing “Bein’ Green” and Biff, Ernie, Bert, and Julie performing hilarious versions of “Fugue for Tinhorns” from Guys and Dolls, with a great ending, and “Big Spender” from Sweet Charity with Cookie Monster almost devouring Julie.

Hollywood Squares
Big Bird and Oscar both appear as the secret square, though at different times. Someone asks what kind of bird he is and Big responds with, “I’m a Lark!”

“What’s My Line”
Big Bird appears as a guest.


“Family Food” with Richard Dawson
The Hungry family from Twin Forks, South Dakota appears on the show. (Available on YouTube.)


1984 – “Out to Lunch”
The Electric Company and Sesame Street take over ABC while the news anchors are out to lunch. The special included Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman, and Carol Burnett (who also happened to be on lunch break). This contained a great Grover and Kermit sketch. Grover unwittingly is supposed to jump the Grand Canyon, as Grover Knover, on a motorcycle and turns it around on Kermit, who ends up plummeting to the bottom. It also included The Nighty Night Show where Cookie Monster plays Johnny Carson and Guy Smiley plays Ed McMahon.

1975 – “Johnny Carson”
Kermit and Jim Henson as guests.


1976 – “The Dinah Shore Show”
Jim and Frank are guests. Dinah asks if Frank is funny and Jim responds with, “As a man, he’s not that funny.” Jim recognizes though that Frank is a hilarious puppeteer. Jim then brings out Kermit and they chat. Frank brings out Grover and they discuss the Grover and Kermit relationship with the classic, “Hey froggy!” and slap to Kermit’s back. Kermit also says it's his 21st birthday and Grover did not get him anything. Grover asks Kermit what he wants and it can be anything. Kermit asks for Grover not to slap him on the back anymore. Grover responds with that is a very big request!

Fran then took to the podium again and explained the idea of Muppet inserts on Sesame Street. She said that they would try to film four inserts in one day, which was not a lot. Especially with Frank being somewhat of a perfectionist, they could do many takes, taking up a lot of time. And when Frank said it was the “Do or Die” take, that meant the absolutely last one. What followed was a series of classic inserts.

Episode #0279 – “Fish in the Cowboy Hat” Ernie and Bert
Episode #0494 – “Beat the Time” Cookie Monster, Guy Smiley
Episode #3594 – “Oklahoma!” Kermit, Forgetful Jones
The Sesame Street Special – Robert MacNeil, Kermit as an attorney, and Cookie Monster
Episode #2538 – “Captain Vegetable” Eddie, Andy, Captain Vegetable
Episode #2797 – “Exercise” – Betty Lou, Grover, four Anything Muppets
This clip showed behind the scenes footage of Fran Brill and Richard Hunt puppeteering. Richard was doing Grover.
Exercise #2773 – “The Honker-Duckie-Dinger Jamboree” Ernie, Honkers, Dingers
The clip also featured behind the scenes footage of the puppeteers.

1976 – “Mike Douglas Show”

Kermit sings a “new” song for the time, “A Song From Kermit.” Dom DeLuise also appeared on the show. After Kermit’s song, Dom promptly wipes Kermit’s mouth clean with a handkerchief and then tickles him. He also tries to give Kermit some water while the end credits are scrolling.

After the compilation of videos finished, Fran came back up for a Q&A session. She explained how she got started with Jim Henson while he was looking for puppeteers for the Ed Sullivan Show Christmas Special and how she and Richard Hunt went through training together. She answered a question about the difference between Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, and how the characters –with the exception of Kermit – did not cross over shows. She explained Zoe’s origins and then much to everyone’s excitement, took out Zoe!

Zoe answered some questions as well, with the help of Fran. After some more Q&A, Barbara Scharres informed the audience that Fran would be out in the lobby to take pictures and cut the cake!

Yes, there was a reception with cake afterwards hosted by the Chicago Reader! But not just any cake. A three-tiered cake adorned with Sesame Street characters including Grover, Ernie, Bert, Oscar, Big Bird, Count von Count, Elmo, and Cookie Monster. It was delicious. Oh yes, and there was sparkling wine.

Fran and Zoe cut the cake, with a little help. Zoe mentioned her favorite flavor of cake was chocolate and hoped the first layer was chocolate (which was actually the last layer!). After cutting the cake, Fran and Zoe took pictures and chatted with anyone who was still around, including Ryan and myself.

It was a great night lasting an impressive four hours. Fran Brill was an extraordinary speaker with an astonishing story and talent. But that was not the end of the wonderful world of Fran Brill – the fun would continue the next day!







The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier