Matt Vogel



Matt Vogel (b. October 6, 1970) is an accomplished puppeteer who joined the Sesame Street troupe in 1996. He later joined The Muppets family of characters, inheriting several roles while working with Jerry Nelson, and was cast as Kermit the Frog in 2017.

Vogel first auditioned for The Jim Henson Company in his final year of college (c. 1993), but didn't begin performing with the company until a year later when he became John Henson's understudy for the Coca-Cola Polar Bear.

On Sesame Street, Vogel started out as most Muppeteers do, right-handing for other characters; in his case, for David Rudman on Baby Bear. He eventually became Caroll Spinney's understudy for Big Bird, performing in the role whenever Spinney was unavailable. Beginning in 2002, he exclusively performed Big Bird for "Journey to Ernie", a regular Sesame Street segment. He also played Big Bird's infant self Baby Big Bird in the Sesame Beginnings DVD series.

With his numerous performances as Big Bird over the course of two decades, while Caroll Spinney was also continuing the character, Vogel holds the distinction of being one of very few Muppeteers who perform a character in conjunction with another performer. With Spinney's retirement in 2018, Vogel became Big Bird's primary performer. In addition, Vogel plays minor recurring characters such as Herb the dinosaur and Hansel (of Hansel and Gretel). He is currently the Sesame Street Muppet Captain and has been a series director since Season 39.

Vogel has also assumed some of Jerry Nelson's roles, by the recommendation of Nelson himself. Since 2008, he has been the performer of most of Nelson's main Muppet Show characters, including Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, and perhaps most prominently, Uncle Deadly. For a period on Sesame Street, Vogel puppeteered Count von Count and other characters while Nelson continued to voice them. After Nelson's death in 2012, Vogel fully inherited the Count, now providing both the voice and puppetry. Vogel also performs Mr. Johnson, another character Nelson originated.

His early Muppet credits include assisting or supporting roles on Big Bag, Bear in the Big Blue House, and Sesame English. Work outside the Henson fold include the video series MATHmatazz, Jack's Big Music Show, The Puzzle Place, the HBO drama Oz (as Pecky in the TV clips of Miss Sally's Schoolyard), Oobi, Blue's Room, and Between the Lions, as well as puppeteering Fred in the video project Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map. On the big screen, Vogel has appeared in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted (where he took on the major role of Constantine), the Creature Shop film The Producers (as various pigeons), one of the "Muppet" characters in Old Dogs, and the voice of Wilkins in Alice Through the Looking Glass for director James Bobin.

In theater, Vogel has acted in regional productions of various plays, including The Foreigner and Six Degrees of Sparation, and was involved in the 2003-2004 Broadway run of Little Shop of Horrors, manipulating Audrey II and playing various bums and Skid Row residents (alongside Martin P. Robinson and Anthony Asbury).

In addition to puppeteering, Vogel's interest in music is evident as front man for the The Mighty Weaklings. The band released a CD of songs "for kids--and grown-ups" called You Can't Rock Sittin' Down in June of 2008 after appearing in the video for their song "Rocket Ship" on Jack's Big Music Show. With Joey Mazzarino, Vogel co-owns Pratfall Productions, which produced the film-noir puppet short film Murder, He Squeaked as well as various videos and inserts for Sesame Street, and Nick Jr.'s Curious Buddies.

On July 10, 2017, it was announced that Vogel had been cast as the new performer of Kermit the Frog, following Steve Whitmire's departure from The Muppets. Vogel's first public performance as Kermit was a Muppet Thought of the Week video; originally planned to debut on YouTube during the week of July 17, 2017, but was delayed until August 28, 2017.

Credits

 * Muppets Characters: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry (2008 - present), Robin the Frog (2008 - 2017), Camilla (2008 - present); Sweetums, Dr. Julius Strangepork (2009 - present); Pops, Uncle Deadly (2011 - present); '80s Robot, Constantine, Kermit the Frog (2017 - present)


 * Sesame Street: Big Bird (1997 - present), Count von Count (assistant and puppeteer only, through 2012; 2013-present), Herb, Hansel, Tiger, Anderson Cucumber, Yellow Ball (3714), Professor Gary Gill, Pino, Letter of the Day Announcer, Duck Clark, Maurice Pig (4095), Gardener, Gassy (Dwarf #3), David Letterguy, Rapunzel's Prince (4128), Howie Eatswell, Ant (4147), Megan (Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer?), Wyoming Walt, Mr. Johnson (2014-present), the guinea pig (Pre-School Musical), Mr. Yak, The Super Foods banana, Hubert the Human Cannonball, Baby Bear (assistant), Ernie (assistant, 2000-2003)


 * Elmo's World: CGI Furniture (including Shade), Groucho Marx Muppet, various


 * Elmo the Musical: Darth Chicken, Zowie-Zown the Upside-Down Clown, Wrestler, The Dragon, The Cube, Mr. Pogosticker


 * "Don't Forget to Watch the Movie"
 * Big Bag
 * Big Bird Gets Lost
 * Telling the Truth: Additional Puppeteer
 * Elmo Saves Christmas
 * Elmopalooza
 * Bear in the Big Blue House: Ursa (puppetry only)
 * Sesame Street Goes to the Doctor: Hoarse Horse
 * A Brief History of Motion Pictures
 * The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Big Bird (puppetry only)
 * Play with Me Sesame: Ernie (assistant)
 * Muppet RaceMania: Scooter, Janice (voices)
 * Elmo's Magic Cookbook: Glass of Water
 * Music Works Wonders
 * Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic: Big Bird (puppetry and singing voice only)
 * A Celebration of Me, Grover
 * Sesame Beginnings: Baby Big Bird
 * The Producers: Pigeons
 * Kids' Favorite Country Songs: Elmer
 * Elmo's Christmas Countdown: Stiller the Elf (puppetry only)
 * Studio DC: Almost Live!
 * Muppet viral videos
 * Abby in Wonderland
 * CinderElmo
 * A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Floyd Pepper, Pigeons (son), Crazy Harry, Camilla the Chicken, Lew Zealand, Robin the Frog
 * Here for You: Chester's Dad
 * Coming Home
 * Families Stand Together
 * The Muppets: Floyd Pepper, Camilla, Sweetums, '80s Robot, Lew Zealand, Uncle Deadly, Crazy Harry, Rowlf Moopet, Janice Moopet, Singing Food in "Me Party"
 * Monstruos Supersanos: Dr. Ruster
 * Kinect Sesame Street TV: Forgetful Jones
 * Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration: Alex
 * Muppets Most Wanted: Constantine, Floyd Pepper, Sweetums, Pops, Robin, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, '80s Robot, Camilla, Uncle Deadly, Baby
 * The Cookie Thief: Little Cookie
 * The Muppets 2015 Presentation Pilot: Floyd Pepper, Robin, Uncle Deadly
 * The Muppets: Floyd Pepper, Sweetums, Uncle Deadly, Robin, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Camilla, Snowth
 * The Furchester Hotel: Big Bird, Count Von Count
 * Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas: Big Bird (puppetry only), Count Von Count, Mr. Johnson
 * The Muppets Take the Bowl: Kermit the Frog, Uncle Deadly, Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Camilla, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Snowth, Sweetums
 * The Muppets Take the O2: Kermit the Frog, Uncle Deadly, Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Camilla, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Snowth, Sweetums

Directing credits

 * Sesame Street
 * Episodes: 4176 (partial), 4198, 4224, 4522, 4603, 4905
 * Segments: Forward Backward Dance, Five By, Elmo the Musical: Athlete the Musical, I Remember
 * Making Friends
 * ''Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas
 * Chrysler: "Trash Talk" and "Smart Cookie" advertisements
 * Respect Brings Us Together: "Give it, live it, RESPECT" music video