 | |
| PERFORMER | Bill Barretta |
| DEBUT | 1996 |
As the KMUP security guard.
As Rentro in Muppets from Space.
Trying out for the role of Yoda.
With Kristen Bell in Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular.
Giving Kermit a bear hug on The Muppets.
Bobo the Bear appeared on Muppets Tonight as the jovial but bumbling security guard at the KMUP TV studio.
Bobo was featured prominently in the episode featuring guest star Cindy Crawford, in which Bobo fell in love with Crawford and made a number of clumsy attempts to woo her.
Ernst Stavros Grouper insisted that Bobo change his name to "Whitley Nibbles the Television Elf." In another episode, Bobo claimed his name was "Bizzo the Bat," in order to scam Rizzo out of food.
In Muppets from Space, Bobo played a character named Rentro, an assistant to K. Edgar Singer at the Top Secret Facility C.O.V.N.E.T. (which Bobo says is "cleverly disguised as a cement factory"). Although he and Singer are portrayed as the "bad guys" in the film, Bobo's kind-hearted nature shows through when his character tries to save Gonzo from being captured and having his brain removed at the command of Singer.
Bobo appeared on From the Balcony at movies.com, where he was seen auditioning for Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Bobo performed parodies of Star Wars characters such as Yoda: "'Careful you must be when sensing the future!' Geez, what is this guy, dyslexic or something?"
He also appeared in "The Muppets on Muppets," a bonus feature on The Muppet Show: Season Two, where he says his favorite place to visit is New Zealand.
Other appearances include potraying an airport security guard in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, working alongside Nathan Lane, and starring in a series of videos on Disney Xtreme Digital called "Better Living with Bobo," where he is paired with Beauregard.
In The Muppets, Bobo serves a similar function to his appearances in Muppets from Space and Letters to Santa, as the well-meaning, suit clad assistant to the antagonist. In this case, Bobo is the "less-helpful-than-you-might-wish assistant" to Tex Richman.[1] He and Uncle Deadly also cameo together during the wedding scene in Muppets Most Wanted.
On The Muppets, Bobo works as a stage manager for Up Late with Miss Piggy. In "Hostile Makeover", it's revealed for the first time that he has a daughter, for whom he is selling girl scout cookies. In "Swine Song", he laments to the audience that he hopes the new show format will go over well because his wife just had him install a new pool.
Behind the scenes[]
The Bobo puppet originally debuted as one of the bears that hibernated with Fozzie Bear in The Muppets Take Manhattan (where he was performed by Jerry Nelson). The puppet was slightly altered when it was used as Bobo.
Prior to becoming Bobo, the bear puppet would also be used on a promotional photo for the unproduced series W.I.L.D., in Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, and in a Muppet Time recurring sketch, "Frog Scouts," as a customer who buys all the cookies from them.
The puppet was rebuilt for The Muppets in 2011, with an added ability to move his ears and eyebrow.
Filmography[]
- Muppets Tonight
- Episode 101: Michelle Pfeiffer
- Episode 102: Garth Brooks
- Episode 103: Billy Crystal
- Episode 104: John Goodman
- Episode 105: Cindy Crawford
- Episode 106: Tony Bennett
- Episode 107: Sandra Bullock
- Episode 110: Martin Short
- Episode 201: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince
- Episode 203: Heather Locklear
- Episode 204: Pierce Brosnan
- Episode 205: Coolio & Don Rickles
- Episode 206: Paula Abdul
- Episode 207: Dennis Quaid
- Episode 208: The Cameo Show
- Episode 210: The Gary Cahuenga Episode
- Episode 211: Andie MacDowell
- Episode 212: Johnny Fiama Leaves Home
- Muppets from Space
- Muppetisms
- Movie Mania
- Muppet RaceMania
- I Love Muppets
- It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
- Muppets Party Cruise
- From the Balcony
- The Muppets on Muppets
- The Muppets Take Over Today
- A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
- Disney Xtreme Digital
- Muppet viral videos
- Lost Slapdown
- The Muppet Show Theme Music Video
- The Muppets
- The Case of the Stolen Show
- Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular
- Muppets Most Wanted
- Disney Drive-On with The Muppets
- The View
- Muppet Moments (shorts)
- Jokes! with Fozzie #6
- The Muppets 2015 Presentation Pilot
- The Muppets
- The Muppets Take the Bowl
- The Muppets Take the O2
- Muppets Now
- Muppets Haunted Mansion
- Holey Moley
Book appearances[]
- Muppet Robin Hood - issue #3
- Muppet Snow White
- The Muppets Character Encyclopedia
- Muppets Meet the Classics: Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm
Sources[]
- ↑ WDSFilmPr.com. Photo caption.