Do you recall rushing to get out of school so you could dump your bag and turn the TV on in time to hear the theme song?
If the Muppets are one of your childhood memories from the 70s, the sensation is definitely still in your head. Sesame Street began in 1969, and The Muppet Show aired from 1976 to 1981. Between the two, they created our most beloved characters.
1. Kermit the Frog
Kermit in the ’50s, out of his mom’s old green coat and half of ping-pong balls for eyes. Kermit was the level-headed one keeping the whole crazy thing together. He hosted The Muppet Show and performed “Rainbow Connection” in The Muppet Movie (1979), a tune that earned an Oscar nomination.
2. Miss Piggy
She was initially a minor role in the show from the year 1974 onwards, but could you ignore such beauty? Frank Oz did the voice of Miss Piggy, thereby creating an outstanding character. Glamorous, dramatic, in love with Kermit, and would use karate on anyone who critiques her. The phrase: “Moi?” has been popular since the time of the creation of Miss Piggy.
3. Fozzie Bear
What a sad fate for Fozzie, a bear with the worst jokes. His catchphrase, “Wocka wocka!” would make all audience members groan. And then he would be heckled from above, from the balcony. But the best thing about him is that he is so sweet.
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4. Gonzo
Gonzo was a strange individual, and that’s exactly why we loved him. This was a character who did a lot of unusual things like being launched from a cannon and fell in love with a hen called Camilla. It’s still unclear what he actually is. The man behind Gonzo’s voice was Dave Goelz. Gonzo kept saying “weird is fine”.
5. Animal
Animal was a wild, loud personality who was always seen at the drums. In fact, Animal was a member of a band, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Most of the time, he yelled out many different words like “WOMAN!” and “DRUMS!” He frightened us and made us laugh at the same time. Frank Oz was the man behind Animal’s voice.
6. Statler and Waldorf
Two elderly grouchy gentlemen who always ridiculed everything while sitting in the balcony. They were named after the famous New York hotels Statler and Waldorf. The two were brought to life by the talents of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt.
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7. The Swedish Chef
He cooked and sang but nobody could understand his speech. “Bork bork bork!” It was not a Swedish language but merely a sound that resembled it. He cooked in a very chaotic manner. Jim Henson portrayed him and Frank Oz helped him using hand movements.
8. Rowlf the Dog
Rowlf was an older member of the gang and was known for his talent of playing piano. Rowlf was one of the Muppets to appear in The Jimmy Dean Show back in the early 60s and has become a regular of the show. On The Muppet Show he played the piano while singing using a warm soft voice. He was the most calm member of the crew.
9. Beaker
Beaker used to work as a lab assistant for Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. He could only say the word “meep” and was made the subject of every experiment. Tall and skinny, Beaker was always the one to get hurt during experiments. Richard Hunt portrayed Beaker while the character of Dr. Honeydew was played by Dave Goelz.
10. Big Bird
Big Bird was the heart of Sesame Street. He was about 8 feet tall (8 feet 2 inches, to be exact) and always six years old. Caroll Spinney was inside the costume, and he played Big Bird for almost 50 years. Big Bird asked the questions a kid would ask, and he never made you feel silly for not knowing something.
11. Cookie Monster
“Me want cookie!” Cookie Monster, blue, fuzzy, with a big appetite and funny antics. Cookie could be remembered for his well-known song “C is for Cookie” first presented in 1971. It was Frank Oz who was behind the character and throughout the 1970s he made Cookie monster smash cookies everywhere.
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12. Bert and Ernie
This famous duo represents one of the most unique pairs. Bert was obsessive about pigeons, paper clips and oatmeal whereas Ernie was interested in funny jokes and rubber duckie. Bert was mostly angry whilst Ernie was always finding ways to aggravate Bert. Bert’s and Ernie’s characters were played by Frank Oz and Jim Henson, respectively, and Ernie’s song “Rubber Duckie” got popular and topped music charts in 1970.
13. Oscar the Grouch
Oscar lived within a garbage can, taking pride in that reality. Interestingly, he was depicted as orange in the first season but changed to green later in the show. Peformer Caroll Spinney mentioned that he used the voice of the angry taxi driver of New York to create Oscar’s voice.
14. The Count (Count von Count)
The Count made his television debut in 1972. He had a voice similar to that of a vampire from one of the horror movies. Each time he counted, there was thunder and lightning strikes. Jerry Nelson played The Count.
15. Grover
The adorable Grover got things right, well, at least he believed he did all the time (ask him!). He was portrayed by Frank Oz in the 70s. His personality was a mix of clumsiness, sincerity, and confusion. There is an iconic scene when he runs back and forth while explaining the concept of “near and far” to kids.
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Conclusion
The Muppets were relatable. They made silly faces or screamed, just like any other normal human. Moreover, like humans too, they went their separate ways at the end of their program. It seems that after many years, people still smile as they hear the Muppets’ theme music.
So who was your favorite character? Was it Kermit, Animal or did you just enjoy Cookie Monster’s cookies?
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