Matt Vogel

Matt Vogel (b. October 6, 1970) is an accomplished puppeteer in his own right. However, since joining Sesame Street in 1996, he has become most familiar for his work as Caroll Spinney's understudy for Big Bird on Sesame Street, including the "Journey to Ernie" segments, several street scenes and other appearances whenever Spinney is unavailable. He has also performed various Anything Muppets and CGI characters on "Elmo's World," and plays Big Bird's infant self, Baby Big Bird in the Sesame Beginnings DVD series. Most recently, he's also served as assistant puppet captain on Sesame Street. He has also taken over some of Jerry Nelson's characters, by the recommendation of Nelson himself. He has also taken over the puppetry of Count, as well as Nelson's other Sesame Street characters, while Nelson still provides the voice.

Vogel's other Muppet credits include work, assisting or in supporting roles, on Big Bag, Bear in the Big Blue House, Sesame English, and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, as well as various pigeons in the Creature Shop film The Producers. Works outside the Henson fold include the video series MATHmatazz, Jack's Big Music Show, The Puzzle Place, the HBO drama Oz, Oobi, Blue's Room, and Between the Lions.

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 made evident by his non-Sesame role as front man for the band, The Mighty Weaklings 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 spoof Murder, He Squeaked and various inserts for Sesame Street, "Sesame Street" videos and Nick Jr.'s Curious Buddies. Vogel also served as director for Sesame Street beginning with Season 39 and the recurring segment, "Murray Has a Little Lamb."

Episodes Where Vogel Played Big Bird
In addition to the Journey to Ernie segments and inserted clips, Matt has also played Big Bird in many scenes including:
 * A sketch where Big Bird explains to Elmo that plants can't play catch.
 * A sketch where Big Bird watches Elmo show up and down.
 * Episode 3790: One of the earliest instances of Vogel performing Big Bird, to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney, beginning when Oscar appears part way into the episode.
 * Episode 3831: Whenever Oscar and Big Bird both appear together, Vogel is manipulating the Bird, at one point lipsyncing to a vocal track by Spinney.
 * Episode 3851: For the scene where the Bird and Elmo practice the tango, Vogel is puppeteering Big Bird
 * Episode 3877
 * Episode 3907
 * Episode 3987
 * Episode 3997: In the first street scene and for the parts of the second where Big Bird and Oscar do not share a scene, the Bird is played by Spinney. However, because the second scene is mainly about Oscar, when the two share a scene, Spinney is Oscar, and Vogel is inside the Bird, to a vocal track
 * Episode 4074
 * Episode 4075
 * Episode 4107 and Episode 4108: The Adventures of Little Big Bird (mini Big Bird only)
 * Episode 4109: Vogel puppeteers the Bird during the song Everyone Needs a Friend, to Spinney's vocals.
 * Episode 4155: Vogel performs Big Bird (voice and puppetry) for his cameo at the beginning.
 * Episode 4187: Vogel played the Bird during the green-screen scenes to a vocal track by Spinney
 * Episode 4203: Vogel played the Bird to a vocal track by Spinney
 * Episode 4206: In the brief moment where we see Big Bird's actual crash when he is wedged inside the little wall in front of 123 Sesame Street, Vogel is the bird
 * The Street We Live On: in the intro to "Journey to Ernie"

Credits

 * Sesame Street: Big Bird (understudy), Letter of the Day Announcer, Maurice Pig (4095), Gassy (Dwarf #3) (4114), Baby Bear (assistant), Ernie (assistant) (2000-2003), Count von Count (assistant) (puppetry only), "Elmo's World" CGI Furniture, Herb (4113), David Letterguy (4125), Hansel and Gretel (Healthy Storybook Moment), Rapunzel's Prince (4127), Gardener, Groucho Marx Muppet, Howie Eatswell (4138), Ant (4147), Megan (Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer?), Pino, Professor Gary Gill, Wyoming Walt, Mr. Yak, the guinea pig (Pre-School Musical), The Super Foods banana, etc.
 * "Don't Forget to Watch the Movie"
 * Big Bag
 * Big Bird Gets Lost
 * Telling the Truth
 * Elmo Saves Christmas
 * Telling the Truth: Additional Puppeteer
 * Elmopalooza
 * Bear in the Big Blue House
 * Sesame Street Goes to the Doctor: Hoarse Horse
 * "A Brief History of Motion Pictures"
 * The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
 * Play With Me Sesame: Ernie (assistant)
 * Muppet Race Mania: Scooter, Janice (voices)
 * Elmo's Magic Cookbook: Glass of Water
 * Music Works Wonders
 * Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
 * 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!: Floyd Pepper
 * Virmup
 * Abby in Wonderland
 * A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Lew Zealand, Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken
 * Here For You: Chester's Dad
 * Coming Home
 * Families Stand Together

Non-Henson Credits

 * Oz - Pecky
 * Between the Lions - Rumplestiltskin, Derek Cheetah, Monkey Ad Executive (Jeff Kidding), various characters
 * Jack's Big Music Show - Leonard the Squirrel, MC Turtle, The Squirrels, etc.

Trivia

 * When Matt Vogel was introduced to Spinney at his first audition for the part of Big Bird, the latter remarked, "Vogel is German for Bird. That's a good sign."


 * The word "vogel" is Dutch for bird as well.


 * The protective slippers Vogel wears over Big Bird's feet when he's not on set are labeled, respectively, "Vogel" and "Füsse," meaning "bird" and "feet," or read together "bird's feet."