The Countess



The Countess is the title held by Count von Count's lady friend on Sesame Street. In keeping with his numbers obsession, however, and as one of the only Sesame Street Muppets with an active love life, the Count has been involved with multiple countesses. The fact that each Countess uses the same pattern and resembles a feminized Count, and is generally listed as simply "The Countess" on albums, has generated confusion. However, at least three of them can be individualized -- "the Countess", Countess Dahling von Dahling and Countess von Backwards.

"The Countess"
The earliest known appearance of a Countess was in a 1977 episode. The Count is noted as having fallen in love with a "Countess" who loves to count. She reappears in another 1977 episode as the Count's fiancee, and the couple count the number of times he's asked her to marry him. Here the Count addresses her as Natasha.

An unnamed Countess also appears in the song "Transylvania Love Call." Recorded in 1979, the album Love cites her name simply as "The Countess." Performed by Richard Hunt, she has been designated in subsequent albums as "A Great and Good Friend," suggestive of both their romantic relationship but perhaps also the Count's desire to keep her identity a secret, to avoid arousing jealousy from whichever Countess happens to be the current incumbent.

A Countess appeared in the song "Don't Take Your Ones to Town," lip-synching to Johnny Cash's narration (only speaking briefly in her own voice at the end). She has the lighter hair of Countess von Backwards, but the style of Countess Dahling von Dahling.

Countess Dahling von Dahling
Countess Dahling von Dahling debuted in Season 12, and was performed by Fran Brill. This Countess had a pet dog named Masha and spouted a Marlene Dietrich-esque accent and allure.

Countess von Backwards
The blonde Countess von Backwards first appeared on Sesame Street in the early 1990s performed by Fran Brill, and later by Camille Bonora in Season 28. As indicated by her name, her own obsession lies in counting backwards. When she's finished counting, the howl of a wolf can be heard, in contrast to the Count's thunder and lightning.

She started appearing regularly in "The Number of the Day" sketches with the Count beginning in Season 36.

Her mother appeared on the show, and the two performed "I Could Have Counted All Night" with the Count. When the song was included on The Count's Countdown CD, she was identified simply as "The Countess."

Illustrated Countess
A pink-haired Countess appeared in the 2007 book Friendly, Frosty Monsters, counting snowflakes with the Count.

Book appearances

 * I Have a Friend (1981) (Countess Dahling von Dahling)
 * From Trash to Treasure (1993)
 * Friendly, Frosty Monsters (2007)
 * Storybook ABCs (2008)
 * Love, Elmo (2009)