Beauregard





Beauregard is the dim but lovable janitor at the Muppet Theater who took over the mantle from George the Janitor beginning in episode 310 of The Muppet Show. He also does duty as one of the Stagehands. Although he tries to be helpful, his dimwitted efforts frequently result in disaster. Affectionately known as Beau (or Bo), his slow wit is often exploited by characters who use him to their own purposes. He has a characteristic blink and often turns to the camera and says, "Right." Bo has superhuman strength, which is illustrated by his ability to effortlessly lift and carry around objects that are far too heavy to carry, such as an anvil, couch or piano.

Beaker has occasionally assisted Beauregard with stagehand duties.

Bo appeared onstage in various sketches and skits, including an appearance in the Veterinarian's Hospital sketch in episode 501. Other times, Beauregard appears accidentally on stage during productions, still working on the props until he realizes he is intruding and must either rush out of sight or attempt to blend in with the action.

However, Bo was more comfortable backstage. It was here that a bunch of rats convinced him that he was an honorary rat, so that he would let them eat food out of the refrigerator (episode 503). To his delight, they even elected him president. When Kermit delivered an ultimatum -- either the rats go or Beau does -- Beau heroically took the burden upon himself, offering to leave. However, Miss Piggy helped him realize how the rats were taking advantage of him, so he stayed.

Beauregard originally wore a gray jacket over his plaid shirt, but sometime during the fourth season, he stopped wearing the jacket.

Beauregard's most notable movie appearance was in The Great Muppet Caper, where he played a taxi driver. He brought Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo to the Happiness Hotel -- and right through the front door, into the lobby. Bo makes an oft-quoted joke in the film -- when Kermit says that they'll catch the thieves red-handed, Bo asks, "What color are their hands now?" It was also in this film that Beauregard once again displayed his heroic side by grappling with Nicky Holiday while the rest of the Muppets played "keep away" with the Fabulous Baseball Diamond.

Bo's other major role was in the 1990 special The Muppets at Walt Disney World, where he dragged Miss Piggy onto a series of thrill rides.

He has also made occasional cameo appearances in other Henson projects, including The Muppets Take Manhattan, Muppets Tonight, and The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years. He had a brief, non-speaking cameo in the 2002 TV-movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. Bo returned in a speaking role on Disney Xtreme Digital in 2009, teaming up with Bobo the Bear in a series of videos called "Better Living with Bobo". Beauregard also starred in a book, Bo Saves the Show.

It is revealed in The Muppet Show On Tour that he calls his mop "Belleregard."

In the book Of Muppets and Men, Dave Goelz explains that Beauregard was based on the clumsy Wendell Porcupine from Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. The main reason why Bo never became a star was because the writers thought he was too passive; he didn't desire anything. This made Beauregard difficult to write for.

In The Muppets, Bo was found sweeping up in a closet of the Muppet Theater; he had apparently been there since the place was abandoned.

Trivia

 * Beauregard was also the name of a character from Walt Kelly's Pogo, a comic strip that influenced the development of Jim Henson's Muppet characters.

Filmography

 * The Muppet Show
 * Episode 310: Marisa Berenson ("Do-Re-Mi")
 * Episode 311: Raquel Welch
 * Episode 312: James Coco
 * Episode 313: Helen Reddy
 * Episode 314: Harry Belafonte ("Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)")
 * Episode 316: Danny Kaye
 * Episode 319: Elke Sommer
 * Episode 320: Sylvester Stallone ("William Tell Overture")
 * Episode 322: Roy Rogers & Dale Evans ("Skyball Paint")
 * Episode 324: Cheryl Ladd
 * Episode 401: John Denver
 * Episode 402: Crystal Gayle
 * Episode 403: Shields & Yarnell (Wild West sketch)
 * Episode 408: Arlo Guthrie
 * Episode 409: Beverly Sills
 * Episode 410: Kenny Rogers
 * Episode 411: Lola Falana
 * Episode 414: Liza Minnelli
 * Episode 415: Anne Murray ("Dancing on the Ceiling")
 * Episode 417: Star Wars
 * Episode 418: Christopher Reeve ("Sam's Song")
 * Episode 419: Lynda Carter
 * Episode 420: Alan Arkin
 * Episode 423: Carol Channing ("Wave")
 * Episode 424: Diana Ross ("Reach Out and Touch")
 * Episode 501: Gene Kelly (Veterinarian's Hospital)
 * Episode 502: Loretta Swit
 * Episode 503: Joan Baez
 * Episode 508: Señor Wences (Beauregard's Puppet Show)
 * Episode 511: Paul Simon
 * Episode 512: Melissa Manchester ("Oh! Susanna")
 * Episode 513: Tony Randall
 * Episode 514: Mac Davis ("Another Opening, Another Show," "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring")
 * Episode 515: Carol Burnett
 * Episode 517: Hal Linden
 * Episode 518: Marty Feldman
 * Episode 522: Buddy Rich ("You Mustn't Feel Discouraged")
 * Episode 524: Roger Moore
 * The Muppet Movie
 * The Great Muppet Caper
 * I Love Liberty
 * The Muppets Go to the Movies
 * The Muppets Take Manhattan (Wedding Finale)
 * The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
 * A Muppet Family Christmas
 * The Muppets at Walt Disney World
 * The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
 * Muppets Tonight
 * Episode 106: Tony Bennett
 * Episode 107: Sandra Bullock
 * Muppets from Space
 * It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
 * A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
 * Disney Xtreme Digital
 * Muppet viral videos
 * "Bohemian Rhapsody"
 * The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora
 * World's Biggest Sandwich
 * The Muppet Show Theme Music Video
 * The Muppets
 * The Case of the Stolen Show
 * Just for Laughs
 * Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular

Book appearances

 * It's The Muppet Show!
 * Robin Hood (1980)
 * The Comic Muppet Book
 * Fozzie's Big Book of Sidesplitting Jokes
 * Fozzie's Funnies
 * Two for the Show
 * The Muppets Go Camping (1981)
 * Muppet Picnic Cookbook (1981)
 * Bo Saves the Show (1982)
 * The Muppets Take Manhattan (comic book)
 * The Phantom of the Muppet Theater (1991)
 * The Muppet Show Comic Book (2009)
 * Issue 1: Kermit's Story
 * Issue 4: Miss Piggy's Story
 * Muppet Robin Hood (2009)
 * The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson (2009)
 * The Muppet Show Comic Book: On the Road part 3 (2010)
 * The Muppet Show Comic Book: Family Reunion (2010)
 * Muppet Snow White (2010)

Merchandise

 * Beauregard Action Figure
 * Beauregard Bust
 * Vinylmation figure