Richard Hunt



Richard Hunt (Aug 16, 1951 - Jan 7, 1992)

Because everyone in his family had worked in show business at some point, Richard always felt he'd end up in entertainment, too. But even though he adored the Muppets, the idea of puppeteering never occurred to him. "I'd drop anything to watch them," he said, "I thought they were weird."

After high school graduation and a four-month stint at a local radio station, Richard had his first inkling that he might join the Muppets. He met with Jim Henson, who a few weeks later invited Richard to be in a workshop production. The newcomer was so good, Jim asked him to work a Muppet appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Again he scored high marks, and in June 1972, Richard was hired on full-time with Sesame Street. During his time with The Muppet Show, he performed many favorite characters, including Beaker, Janice, Statler, Sweetums, and Scooter.

In the 1981 book Of Muppets and Men, Christopher Finch described Richard's endless energy and humor. "He seems to get more unadulterated pleasure from performing than anyone else in the organization," Finch wrote. "When he is not working on camera, he is apt to have Scooter or Beaker or Janice -- anyone -- on his arm for the purpose of entertaining visitors to the studio. If there are no visitors around, he wil attempt to entertain his co-workers... Like Jerry Nelson, he is a versatile on-camera performer, but his importance to the show derives also from his off-camera personality. He makes the crew laugh, jokes with the guest star, clowns for the shop personnel. He is one of the chief reasons for the loose atmosphere that exists around Studio D despite the pressure and the slow pace that are endemic to television production."

Hunt died of AIDS-related complications in 1992.

Puppeteer Credits

 * Muppet Show Characters: Beaker, Behemoth (episode 119), Billy the Bear (episode 401), Bobby Benson, Gladys the Cafeteria Lady, Janice, Mildred, Ohboy Bird, Scooter, Statler, Sweetums, Wayne,


 * Sesame Characters: Aristotle, The Beetles' Lead Singer, Don Music, Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, Placido Flamingo, Sully, Timmy Twiddlebug, Two Headed Monster,


 * Fraggle Rock: Gunge, Junior Gorg, Beige Cave Fraggle, Firechief Fraggle, Gillis Fraggle (aka The Maestro), Herkimer Fraggle (Custodian of Rhyming Rock), Magical Spider-Fly, The (aka The Odd Old Man), Mean Genie, Mudwell the Mudbunny, Storyteller Fraggle (Episode 8 only), Turbo Doozer, Venerable Sage Lambo, Wizard


 * Saturday Night Live: Wisss


 * The Christmas Toy: Belmont


 * Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas: Charlie Beaver, Lizard


 * The Ghost of Faffner Hall: Wild Impresario


 * Little Muppet Monsters: Tug Monster


 * The Tale of the Bunny Picnic: Lugsy


 * Tales from Muppetland: Taminella Grinderfall (puppetry only) in The Frog Prince


 * Follow That Bird: Grouch Diner Patrons, Various


 * Puppetman: Del (on-camera role), Gertha, Earl

Trivia

 * Appeared in a cameo role in the film Trading Places with his colleague Frank Oz.


 * Appeared in a cameo role in the film Oxford Blues as Larry, a parking attendant.


 * Richard can be seen as the taxi driver during the "Hey, a Movie" muscial number in The Great Muppet Caper.


 * Sometimes, Richard Hunt would entertain visitors on the set by performing a character ordinarily played by another puppeteer, assuming the voice and personality of whichever puppet was on-hand.