Dave Goelz

Dave Goelz (b. July 16, 1946) attended the Los Angeles Art Center's College of Design. In 1972, he met Frank Oz, who invited him to New York for a taping of Sesame Street. A few months later, Goelz showed his design portfolio to Jim Henson, who offered him a job with Henson Associates as a puppet builder. Goelz built some puppets for Henson, and then went back to California to start his own business creating puppets for industrial and trade shows. In 1974, Henson called him again to work as a Muppet performer.

Puppeteer Credits

 * The Muppet Show Characters: Alfredo the Mop Dancer, Ali Baba, Aliens, Avocado, Banananose Moldenado, Baskerville the Hound (episode 524), Beauregard, Behemoth (episode 115), Billy Boy (episode 420), Billy the Bear (episode 412), Brewster, Brown Bat, Bullets Barker, Bunsen Honeydew, Gingerbread Man, The Gogolala Jubilee Jugband (Blue Whatnot), Gonzo the Great, Inspector LaBrea, Kermit the Pig, Klaus Mueller, Koozebanian Spooble, Lenny the Lizard (episode 103), The Lion, Lubbock Lou, Luncheon Counter Monster (occasionally), Mackerel, Matador, Mildred Huxtetter (episode 115), Miss Kitty (Episodes 101, 103 and 107), Muppy, Otto the Automatic Entertainer, Professor Salamander, Righton Bird, Salsburg Sauerkraut Singer, Svengali (episode 103), Timmy Monster (occasionally), Tom, Dick, and Harry (Dick), Walter Tell, Wig Trainer, Zoot
 * Sesame Characters: Piño, Humongous Chicken, Elephant, Mr. Between
 * The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence: Avarice
 * The Muppets Take Manhattan: Bill the Frog, Chester Rat
 * The Jim Henson Hour: Digit
 * The Muppet Christmas Carol: Betina Cratchit, Waldorf (as Robert Marley
 * Muppet Treasure Island: One-Eyed Jack, Waldorf (as Figurehead of the Hispaniola
 * Muppets Tonight: Baby Kramer, Bill the Bubble Guy, Randy Pig
 * Muppets From Space: The Birdman, Swedish Chef
 * Fraggle Rock: Boober Fraggle, Large Marvin, Philo, Uncle Traveling Matt, 7-Words-Max, Sidebottom, Skenfrith, World's Oldest Fraggle, Wrench Doozer
 * The Christmas Toy: Rugby Tiger, Ditz
 * The Dark Crystal: Fizzgig (puppetry only), SkekUng (puppetry only)
 * Labyrinth: Fiery 3 (puppetry only), Left Door Knocker (face), One of The Four Guards (puppetry only), Sir Didymus (puppetry only), Wiseman's Hat (puppetry only)
 * Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas: Wendell Porcupine, Will Possum, Pop-eyed Catfish
 * The Animal Show with Stinky and Jake: Stinky
 * Dinosaurs: Earl Sinclair (through Episode 207), Grapdelite (Episode 205: Endangered Species), General Chow (puppet) (Episode 207: When Food Goes Bad)
 * Bear in the Big Blue House: Jack the Dog (Episode 325: A Berry Bear Christmas)
 * Muppet Meeting Films: Big Mean Carl

Trivia

 * Dave Goelz provides the voice of Figment in the current version of the Journey Into Imagination ride at Walt Disney World's Epcot, which opened in 2002. Figment's voice is actually identical to Gonzo's but with the pitch brought up a great deal.