Bill Barretta

Bill Barretta (b. June 19, 1964) has been performing with the Jim Henson Company since 1991 and has become one of the leading Muppet performers.

Originally from Yardley, Pennsylvania, Barretta was trained at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City as an actor and has appeared in the feature films Murder in the First and Born to Be Wild. He also worked as a carpenter before joining Henson. He met Brian Henson while they were both working at Sesame Place, and the younger Henson encouraged him to join the company.

His first break came performing the body of Earl Sinclair on Dinosaurs. From suit performance, Barretta transitioned to assisting and supporting roles in The Animal Show, playing multiple small character roles in Muppet Classic Theater and Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, and made his film debut as a principal performer playing Clueless Morgan in Muppet Treasure Island. He later developed several new characters on Muppets Tonight, including Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama and Bobo the Bear.

Along with having his own Muppet characters, Barretta has taken over several of Jim Henson's roles, such as Dr. Teeth, Rowlf the Dog, Mahna Mahna and the Swedish Chef. Most recently, he has also taken on the role of Louie, Elmo's dad, in Sesame Beginnings.

In addition, Barretta has served as a producer for It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. He's also served as Muppet Captain for more recent projects such as The Muppets. He also co-wrote the screenplay of the Creature Shop film Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (appearing on camera as Thunderdell).

Barretta directed a test pilot for the America's Next Muppet pitch and directed another presentation pilot featuring the Muppet in mock documentary style, focusing on the Muppets' efforts to launch a network television series. The second presentation pilot was written and produced by Bill Prady and featured puppetry by Barretta, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacobson.

Puppeteer Credits

 * Muppets Characters: Bobo the Bear, Big Mean Carl, one of the Elvises, Johnny Fiama, Pepe the King Prawn, Bubba the Rat, Zippity Zap, The Swedish Chef (1996-), Rowlf the Dog (1996-), Mahna Mahna (2001-), Lew Zealand (2002 and 2005), Dr. Teeth (2005-)
 * Dinosaurs: Earl Sinclair (body)
 * Muppets on Wheels
 * The Animal Show: Armstrong, Bubba the Walrus, Dave the Human, Jake (right hand), various guest animals including Tommy the Thomson's Gazelle, Sly the Crocodile, Eugene the Hunting Dog, Randall the Zebra, Frankie the Wildebeest, Slick the Sea Lion, Lenny the Crocodile, Guffrey the Vulture, Octavio the Octopus, Lamont the Sloth, Jared the Tiger, Rudy the Spider, Johnny the Wolf, Vernon the Grizzly Bear, Baby Bear (voiceover), Gabi the Gila Monster, Rocky the Bighorn Sheep, Humphrey the Badger, Lazlo the Hyena, Nemets the Ant, Bufo the Toad, Travis the African Buffalo, Milton the Blue-Footed Booby, D'kembe the Gemsbok, Rudy the Roadrunner, Custer the Bison, Dullard the Aardvark, Cornelius the Crab, Timothy the Owl, Paul the Pelican, Stanley the Mouse, Frankie the Crocodile, Mel the Lemur, Max the Wasp, Bart the Coyote, Galahad the Grasshopper Mouse, Larry the Fish, Charlie the Chamois, Julius the Spoonbill, Quincy the Flying Squirrel, Kyle the Secretary Bird and Malcolm the Lion
 * Muppet Treasure Island: Clueless Morgan, Flaubert, Blind Pew (hands), Pigs, Angel Marie, Mudwell the Mudbunny, Mr. Bitte
 * Things That Fly: Balloon Salesman Whatnot, Pigs, Pilot, Slick
 * Muppets Tonight: The AL-1995 Plus Tax, Baby George, Carla the Big Mean Mom, David Hoggselhoff, Dr. Phil Van Neuter (hands only)
 * The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: Uncle Berklummer
 * Muppets from Space: Lead-singing Alien Gonzo
 * The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Additional performer
 * Kermit's Swamp Years: Croaker, Horace D' Fly
 * Sesame Beginnings: Louie
 * Disney Xtreme Digital: Bigger Burger Drive Thru Man, Topo Sticky, Pickles (alligator)
 * Studio DC: Almost Live!
 * A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Husband Pigeon
 * Families Stand Together
 * Muppet viral videos
 * The Muppets: Muppet Gary, Behemoth, Hobo Muppet, Beautiful Day Monster, Singing Food in "Me Party"
 * Muppets Most Wanted: Lead Leprechaun, lead Baby

Production credits

 * Dinosaurs, "A New Leaf"- choreographer, with Leif Tilden, of "It's a Most Unusual Day"
 * Long John Silver's commercials - director
 * The Muppet Show Live - stage director
 * Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story - co-writer
 * It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie- producer
 * Muppets' Wizard of Oz- producer
 * Tinseltown- executive producer, writer, director
 * A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa - Muppet captain
 * The Muppets - associate producer, Muppet captain

Trivia

 * He attended St. Mary's Hall in Burlington, New Jersey
 * In addition to his puppeteering, Barretta has provided several episodic character voices on the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible.
 * He is the brother of Gene Barretta.
 * Barretta met Jim Henson twice; once at Sesame Place, where he helped Henson find the automated characters, and later at his apartment.
 * Rowlf talked about Barretta in 2011: "Bill Barretta? That name sure is familiar, but I can't quite place him...Oh, wait a second, is that the fellow who gives me a lift now and then? Sure! Great guy-funny, creative, and I can beat him at cards. What's not to like?"