Bill Irwin and Kermit
Irwin as Mr. Noodle.
Irwin as Professor Television
Bill Irwin (b. April 11, 1950) is a celebrated stage clown who has played Mr. Noodle on "Elmo's World" since 1998. He was briefly replaced by Michael Jeter as Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle before returning to the show, at which point the pair either alternated or appeared jointly, until Jeter's death in 2003.
Irwin had previously appeared in inserts on Sesame Street as early as 1993, and appeared in Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration.
He made his film debut in the 1980 movie Popeye opposite Robin Williams, and his stage and clown work have been spotlighted on several PBS specials, including the Great Performances installment Bill Irwin, Clown Prince. He received the 2005 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Appearances[]
- Select Elmo's World episodes.
- In a 1987 episode of Alive from Off Center, Irwin crosses paths with Bert and Ernie.
- In 1988, he was interviewed by Kermit in Muppet Magazine issue 21.
- "Does Air Move Things?" insert in which Irwin plays a pedestrian struggling to walk down a street against the wind. (First: Episode 2876)
- "Break Dances at Bus Stop": Irwin dances with local dancers Mr. Wiggles and Leon Chesney to a hip hop beat at a New York City bus stop. (First: Episode 2919)
- "A New Way to Walk" (1993) - Irwin and fellow clown David Shiner engage with Savion in the celebrity version of the song. (First: Episode 3233)
- In Episode 3538, he plays a Smell Plant Removal Service representative.
- "Professor Television" segments.
- "Cooperation" - Biff and Roxie Marie narrate Irwin's stage antics. (First: Episode 3624)