Jerry Nelson

Jerry Nelson (b. July 10, 1934) started out puppeteering for Bil Baird. Throughout the 60s, he worked on-and-off with Henson. Then in 1970, he joined the company and began working regularly on Sesame Street. Since then, Jerry has performed as a principal puppeteer in numerous Muppet productions including the Muppet movies, The Muppet Show, and various TV specials.

In 2004, Jerry announced he would no longer be performing his classic Muppet characters, citing health reasons. However, he has continued to perform his characters on Sesame Street. In 2005, he was one of the narrators on the audiobook version of It's Not Easy Bein' Green, displaying his vocal versatility by reciting most of the quotes from Muppet characters, including Dr. Teeth and the Doozers.

On his characters, Jerry was quoted in a 1978 Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter: "Each one of them is an aspect of my own personality. The Muppets are roles I assume, rather than puppets I manipulate. Robin, for instance, is an undersized metaphor for my own insecurities. He has a childlike curiosity about how things work. Uncle Deadly is the greatest ham actor of all time; Floyd is my laid-back, mellow side -- cool. And then there's Crazy Harry, whose ultimate trip is spontaneous combustion. An analyst told me I should develop that side of my personality. I don't think he meant I should go around exploding everything -- just that I should give my emotions more freedom."

From the 1999 book Muppets From Space: The Making of Muppet Movie Magic: "I feel blessed to have worked on something that has become such an icon of the times. I've certainly always thought I've been really lucky in that respect. I enjoy singing and I get to sing a lot. I get to be in a band (the Electric Mayhem) without really being in a band. All of those things make me say, 'Well, that's one blessing. That's another blessing.'"

Official bio
From sesameworkshop.org:

Jerry Nelson began working on Sesame Street in 1970 and over the years has been involved in the development of dozens of Muppet characters, including Count von Count, Sherlock Hemlock and Herry Monster. Starting in the business as a film, stage and television actor, he was a member of the Bil Baird Puppet Company and The Jim Henson Company before joining Sesame Street in its second season. Since then, Nelson has worked on most of the Muppet television and film projects. He also plays the guitar, writes songs and performs with several bands.

Puppeteer Credits

 * The Muppet Show Characters: African Mask, Albert Flan, Angus McGonagle, The Announcer (1977-1981), Automatic Wastebasket, Baskerville the Hound (episodes 106, 116, 208 and 308), Beakie (episode 412), Benny, Big Tiny Tallsaddle, Burlington Bertie, Bust of Beethoven, Camilla the Chicken (1978-2004), Cheesecake, Chuckie, Crazy Harry (1977-2003), The Dancing Clown, The Devil, Doglion (episode 209), Dracula, Droop, The Eel (episode 417), Emily Bear, Featherstone, Female Koozebanian Creature, Fleet Scribbler, Floyd Pepper (1975-2002), Fozzie Pig, Fred, Fungus, Fuzz Brother, The Gambler, Gingerbread Man, Gnu, Harold, Herman, House #1 (episode 107), House #2, Humpty Dumpty, Irving Bizarre, J.P. Grosse, Jar of Orange Marmalade, Jerry, John Cleese's Agent, Julius Strangepork, Koozebanian Phoob, Lenny the Lizard (episode 107), Lew Zealand (1978-2003), Lewis Kazagger, Luncheon Counter Monster (occasionally), Mean Mama (occasionally), Merdlidop, Miss Mousey, Mulch (episode 509), Paul, Paul Revere, Pierre LaCousse, Pops, Pris Rudolph, Punching Bag, The Queen (episode 121), Quongo (episode 513), Robin the Frog, Sacrificial Idol, Salsburg Sauerkraut Singer, Sarcophagus, Shark (episode 417), The Shouting Lady, Signor Baffi, Singing Owl, Slim Wilson, The Sphinx, Statler's Grandson, Super Sheep, Talking Machine, Thog, Three-Legged Screaming Thing, Thudge McGerk, Tom, Dick, and Harry (Tom), Uncle Deadly, Vendaface, Vendawish, Whaddayasay Bird, Whatnot Monster, William Tell, The Witch Doctor, Yorick, Zelda Rose (episode 218)
 * Sesame Street Characters: The Amazing Mumford, Andy, Baby Bree Boo Bop A Doo, Biff, Count von Count, Farley, Fat Blue, Frazzle, Fred the Wonder Horse, Herbert Birdsfoot, Herry Monster, Little Jerry, Mr. Snuffleupagus (1971-1978), Sam the Robot, The Sesame Street News Flash Announcer, Sherlock Hemlock, Simon Soundman, Tina Twiddlebug, Two Headed Monster, Yip Yip Martians


 * The Jimmy Dean Show (1965-1966): Rowlf's right-hand


 * Commercials: Assisting for Southern Colonel, Nutty Bird, and others.


 * The Ed Sullivan Show


 * The Great Santa Claus Switch: Thog, Zippity, Snivelly, Green Scoff


 * Tales from Muppetland: Featherstone, Caleb Siles, T.R. the Rooster, Sweetums (puppetry only)


 * Muppet Meeting Films (1975): Announcers, P. Fenton Cosgrove


 * Julie Andrews: One to One: The King of Phumph


 * Saturday Night Live: Scred


 * The Muppet Valentine Show


 * The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence: Envy, Gluttony, Gene Shalit Muppet, Mount Rushmore (Thomas Jefferson), Statler, Yellow Stalk


 * Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas: Emmet Otter, Doc Hogg, Weasel, Will Possum, Yancey Woodchuck


 * The Muppet Movie


 * The Great Muppet Caper: Dirty Bird


 * The Dark Crystal: Dying Skeksis Emperor (voice), Skeksis High Priest (voice)


 * Fraggle Rock: Gobo Fraggle, Marjory the Trash Heap, Pa Gorg, Architect Doozer, Archbanger Fraggle (Pipebanger), Feenie Fraggle, Fishface Fraggle, Mervin Merggle, Uncle Gobo


 * The Muppets Take Manhattan: Bear


 * Follow That Bird


 * The Christmas Toy: Balthazar


 * Little Muppet Monsters


 * A Muppet Family Christmas


 * The Jim Henson Hour: Beard, Orange Extreme


 * The Muppet Christmas Carol: Ghost of Christmas Present, Mr. Applegate, Father Mouse, Pig Businessmen, Rat Bookkeepers, Statler (as Jacob Marley)


 * Muppet Sing-A-Long: Billy Bunny's Animal Songs: Cecil Bear, Raccoon, Turtle


 * The Secret Life of Toys: Balthazar, Bratty Rat, Dinkybeard


 * Muppet Classic Theater: Big Bad Wolf, Royal Advisor


 * Muppet Treasure Island: Blind Pew, Mad Monty, Monocled Pirate, Monkey #1, Island Heads, Statler (as Figurehead of the Hispaniola)


 * The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: The Snoozer


 * Muppets Tonight: The Bird Announcer, Elvises, Mama Fiama, Statler


 * Muppets From Space: Ubergonzo, Statler


 * The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Pestie, Grouch Mayor, Grouch Cop

Audio Credits

 * Elmo and the Orchestra: Leonard Birdseed
 * It's Not Easy Being Green audio book: Performed quotes from Dr. Teeth, Fraggles, Doozers, the guitarist from The Cube, and others
 * Muppets Inside CD-ROM

Trivia

 * His daughter, Christine, made a cameo appearance with him in The Great Muppet Caper
 * Jerry's performance of "Halfway Down the Stairs" (as Robin the Frog) had massive record sales around the world.