Baskerville the Hound

Baskerville the Hound is a small, shaggy, brown dog with glasses and a pointed snout, who was originally created in 1962 as a foil for Rowlf in a series of Purina Dog Chow commercials. His name, which comes from the Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, as well as his design were both originally considered for Rowlf.

Like Rowlf, Baskerville made a single appearance in the first season of Sesame Street, but most of his further appearances were on The Muppet Show and related films, series, and specials.

Baskerville's first role on The Muppet Show was in episode 103, where he played Dr. Watson to Rowlf's Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Clues." That first appearance would prove to be one of Baskerville's most prominent on the series, but as the sketch was moved to a UK Spot when it was decided that the episode was short on songs, it wasn't seen by American audiences until the release of The Muppet Show: Season One DVDs. In fact, most of Baskerville's featured appearances in the first season were also UK Spots, namely two musical numbers where he featured prominently alongside Rowlf, the duet "Dog Eat Dog" and "May You Always.

Although Baskerville was consequently relegated to a background player on The Muppet Show, mostly appearing in group numbers or alongside the other dogs, he was featured several times in the second season: in episode 208, notable as the only episode in which he is mentioned by name, Baskerville auditions for Kermit as a new comedian for the show before being pulled offstage by a jealous Fozzie Bear; in episode 214, he served as the patient on "Veterinarian's Hospital"; and although it wasn't a major appearance, in episode 221, he sat at the feet of J. P. Grosse during the "Long, Long Ago" medley, in a spot one would have considered reserved for the Muppet Theater owner's favorite pet, Muppy.

Performers

 * Jim Henson (Purina Dog Chow commercials)
 * Frank Oz (Sesame Street "Pick Your Pet" sketch, The Muppet Show episode 110)
 * John Lovelady (episode 103)
 * Jerry Nelson (episodes 106, 116, 208 and 308)
 * Dave Goelz (episode 524)

Filmography

 * Purina Dog Chow commercials
 * Sesame Street
 * Episode 0067 ("Pick Your Pet")
 * The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence
 * The Muppet Show
 * Episode 103: Joel Grey ("Willkommen," "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Clues")
 * Episode 106: Jim Nabors
 * Episode 110: Harvey Korman
 * Episode 114: Sandy Duncan ("Try to Remember")
 * Episode 116: Avery Schreiber ("May You Always")
 * Episode 121: Twiggy
 * Episode 122: Ethel Merman
 * Episode 208: Steve Martin (Comedian Audition)
 * Episode 210: George Burns ("It All Depends on You" / "You Made Me Love You")
 * Episode 211: Dom DeLuise
 * Episode 214: Elton John ("Veterinarian's Hospital")
 * Episode 216: Cleo Laine
 * Episode 220: Petula Clark ("Upidee")
 * Episode 221: Bob Hope ("Long Long Ago Medley")
 * Episode 308: Loretta Lynn ("Oh, Lonesome Me")
 * Episode 317: Spike Milligan
 * Episode 401: John Denver
 * Episode 404: Dyan Cannon
 * Episode 414: Liza Minnelli ("Pass That Peace Pipe")
 * Episode 422: Andy Williams
 * Episode 517: Hal Linden
 * Episode 519: Chris Langham
 * Episode 523: Linda Ronstadt
 * Episode 524: Roger Moore ("Talk to the Animals")
 * The Muppet Movie ("The Rainbow Connection" Finale)
 * The Muppets Take Manhattan (Wedding Finale)
 * Country Music with the Muppets
 * The Muppets at Walt Disney World
 * Muppets Tonight
 * Episode 101: Michelle Pfeiffer
 * Mopatop's Shop