Billy Barkhurst (b. May 28, 1983)[1][2] is a puppeteer who began working as an additional performer on Sesame Street projects in 2009 and then voiced Ernie in a stage show that year. After three more stage shows, he took over as Ernie's Muppet performer from 2014 to 2017 (spanning Sesame Street seasons 45-48 and other appearances in that time).
Outside of Sesame, Barkhurst worked with Steven Widerman's The Puppet Company, including on the PBS series Kid Fitness (as Buster).
Muppet credits[]
- Families Stand Together: additional Muppet performer
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2009, 2014-2016)[3]
- A Sesame Street Christmas: Ernie (voice)
- Sesame Street: additional Muppet performer (Season 41); as Ernie in the following:
- Can't Stop Singing: Ernie (voice)
- Make a New Friend: Ernie (voice)
- Let's Dance!: Ernie (voice)
- Sesame Street Vine videos (11/10/14 and 11/27/14)
- The Nite Show with Danny Cashman: right-hand for The Count[3]
- Oprah: Where Are They Now?
- Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- 2015 Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala
- Sesamestreet.org content (2015-2017)
- Muppets section
- "Ernie's Dinosaur Day Care" (YouTube)
- "Super Salad Diner"
- Orion Flight Test social media (YouTube)
- Play All Day with Elmo web videos
- "Happy Birthday Song"
- Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas