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Changes: Caroly Wilcox

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[[File:Caroly Wilcox Mahna Mahna.jpg|thumb|300px|Wilcox with [[Mahna Mahna]].]]
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*''[[Sesame Street]]''
  
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[[FIle:Wilcox2.jpg|thumb|300px|Wilcox working on Featherstone.]]
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[[FIle:Wilcox1.jpg|thumb|300px|Wilcox performing a couple for [[At the Dance]].]]
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[[File:Wilcox4.jpg|thumb|300px|Wilcox with Kermit at [[The Jim Henson Legacy|the Jim Henson Legacy's]] Amphibian Alumni reunion event in December 2011.]]
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[[FIle:Wilcox3.jpg|thumb|300px|]]
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'''Caroly Wilcox''' (May 16, 1931 – January 9, 2021) began working in the [[The Muppet Workshop|New York Muppet Workshop]] in [[1969]], as work on ''[[Sesame Street]]'' began. Wilcox originally worked as an occasional puppeteer (assisting on [[Ernie]] and performing in such skits as "[[First and Last (sketch)|First and Last]]") as well as building and designing. According to ''[[Quilting with the Muppets]]'', she also made [[Caroly Wilcox cameos|occasional cameos]] as a bus driver.
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Wilcox became the workshop supervisor for the ''Sesame'' Muppets, and remained in that post until her retirement in [[1990]]. Her [[1979]] design sketch for a red [[AM Monsters|monster]] would eventually become a star character as [[Elmo]].<ref>Falk, Karen. ''[[Imagination Illustrated]]''. p. 180</ref> As with the other designers, not all of her ideas reached fruition: she conceived and drew "[[Snuffy's brother|Snuffy's Baby Brother]]," to be operated by one smaller person and "having only two legs when young (tadpole like). Mature is 4."<ref>Falk, Karen. ''[[Imagination Illustrated]]''. p. 115</ref>
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She was also a key designer/builder for ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' and movies, notably directing the creation of a special [[Miss Piggy]] puppet for use in the underwater scenes in ''[[The Great Muppet Caper]]''.<ref>Jones, Brian Jay. ''[[Jim Henson: The Biography]]''. p. 321</ref> In many cases, her task involved the practical side, adding annotations to help translate character sketches by [[Jim Henson]] into physical puppets, noting how a performer should operate a character, and even coordinating the options for shooting the parachute drop in ''Great Muppet Caper''. Wilcox was viewed as the expert Muppet maker; she trained many of the Muppet builders.
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She was interviewed in ''[[Behind the Scenes in Frogtown Hollow]]'' and a [[COVID-19 pandemic#Live_Streams|2020 live-stream]] event for the [[Museum of the Moving Image]]. {{youtube|QcgBvc8DPl4}} [[Jane Gootnick]] shared her memories of Wilcox the day after her passing on ''[[The Barretta Brothers]]'' vodcast. {{youtube|POINqoavwnk|5587}}
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==Muppet/Henson credits==
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;Designer/Builder
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*''[[Sesame Street]]'': Workshop Supervisor; designed [[Elmo]], built [[Two-Headed Monster]], [[The Martians]], various monsters (including [[Kermit the Forg]]), many animals
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*Variety show appearances
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**built [[The Snowths]] (with [[Don Sahlin]]) for ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''
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**sketch ideas for "[[A Change of Face]]" skit version on ''[[The Dick Cavett Show]]''<ref>Falk, Karen. ''[[Imagination Illustrated]]''. p. 88</ref>
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*''[[The Great Santa Claus Switch]]'': Puppet construction
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*''[[The Frog Prince]]'': Puppet costumes
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*''[[The Muppet Musicians of Bremen]]'': Built [[Chickens]], flocked hands for farmers,<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2014/11/118-111971/ 11/8-11/1971 – ‘Go to Chicago to Silvestri. See flocking’]. [[Jim Henson's Red Book]]. Nov. 8, 2012</ref> designed and built others
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*''[[The Muppets Valentine Show]]'': built [[Mildred Huxtetter]], [[Big Mouse]]
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*''[[Out to Lunch]]'': Puppet designs/costumes
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*''[[Saturday Night Live]]'': built [[Scred]]
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*''[[The Muppet Show]]'': built Mildred Huxtetter, The Snowths, [[Sopwith the Camel]], [[Doglion]], [[Deer]], [[Betsy Bird]] (with [[Cheryl Blaylock]]), technical design of shadow puppets ([[Episode 205: Judy Collins|episode 205]]),<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2012/06/6211977/ 6/21/1977 – ‘Judy Collins (MS)’]. [[Jim Henson's Red Book]]. June 21, 2012.</ref> and many others
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*''[[Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas]]'': built [[Harvey Beaver|Harvey]], [[Will Possum]], muskrats, others
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*''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]''
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*''[[The Muppet Movie]]'': Muppet designer
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*''[[John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together]]'': Lead designer/builder for [[Jesus Christ|Nativity Muppets]]
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*''[[The Great Muppet Caper]]'': Muppet designer/builder; supervising aquatic Miss Piggy, other tasks
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*''[[The Muppets Go to the Movies]]'': Muppet designer
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*''[[Fraggle Rock]]'': Muppet designer, built [[Gobo Fraggle]] with [[Tim Miller]]
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*''[[Follow That Bird]]'': built [[Miss Finch]]
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*''[[The Muppet Show: On Tour!]]'': Underwater puppet design; adapting [[:Category:Muppet Stage Show Characters|walk-around]] versions of Muppet characters<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2013/09/9111984/ 9/11/1984 – ‘In Chicago for opening of The Muppet Show on Tour- LIVE.’] [[Jim Henson's Red Book]]. Sep. 11, 2013.</ref>
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*''[[Puppetman]]'': built [[Earl]] (with [[Jitka Exler]])
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;Puppeteer
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*''[[Sesame Street]]'' (credited seasons [[Season 7 (1975-1976)|7]] and [[Season 8 (1976-1977)|8]])
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*''[[The Great Santa Claus Switch]]'': Blue Bird Frackle<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2012/06/61-31970/ Jim Henson's Red Book]. [http://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/GSCS_8361_BlueBirdFrackleSketch.jpg Puppeteer assignments]</ref>
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*''[[The Muppet Musicians of Bremen]]'': Full-bodied [[Mean Floyd]]<ref>[https://youtu.be/QcgBvc8DPl4?t=607 Crafting the Creatures and Characters of Jim Henson’s World]</ref>
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*''[[Julie on Sesame Street]]''
 
*''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''
  
*''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''
 
*''[[The Muppet Movie]]''
  
*''[[The Muppet Movie]]''
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*''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]'' (uncredited){{cite}}
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*''[[Sing Yourself Silly!]]''
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==Gallery==
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<gallery spacing=small widths=200 orientation=portrait>
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Caroly Wilcox Kermit.jpg|Wilcox with [[Kermit the Frog]].
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Carolywilcoxpuppet.jpg|Wilcox performing on ''Sesame Street'' with [[Caroll Spinney]] and [[Frank Oz]].
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Carolywilcox.jpg|Wilcox working on [[Betsy Bird]].
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</gallery><gallery spacing=small widths=200 orientation=landscape>
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CarolyWilcoxErnie.jpg|Wilcox with [[Ernie]] and [[Barkley]].
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Dexter-Workshop.jpg|Wilcox in [[the Muppet Workshop]] with [[Bob Flanagan]] and [[Jim Henson]] as they work on [[Dexter]].
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Carolywilcox-busdriver.jpg|Wilcox in one of her ''Sesame Street'' cameos.
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</gallery>
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==See also==
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* [[Caroly Wilcox cameos]]
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==Sources==
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<References/>
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==External links==
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210113152247/https://toughpigs.com/a-conversation-with-caroly-wilcox/ A Conversation with Caroly Wilcox], ''Puppetimes'', October 2019
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcgBvc8DPl4 Crafting the Creatures and Characters of Jim Henson’s World], Museum of the Moving Image, May 2020
   
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__NOWYSIWYG__
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[[Category:Muppet Puppeteers|Wilcox, Caroly]]
  
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilcox, Caroly}}
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[[Category:Designers|Wilcox]]
  
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[[Category:Muppet Puppeteers]]
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[[Category:Designers]]

Latest revision as of 07:23, 4 April 2024

Caroly Wilcox Mahna Mahna

Wilcox with Mahna Mahna.

Wilcox2

Wilcox working on Featherstone.

Wilcox1

Wilcox performing a couple for At the Dance.

Wilcox4

Wilcox with Kermit at the Jim Henson Legacy's Amphibian Alumni reunion event in December 2011.

Wilcox3

Caroly Wilcox (May 16, 1931 – January 9, 2021) began working in the New York Muppet Workshop in 1969, as work on Sesame Street began. Wilcox originally worked as an occasional puppeteer (assisting on Ernie and performing in such skits as "First and Last") as well as building and designing. According to Quilting with the Muppets, she also made occasional cameos as a bus driver.

Wilcox became the workshop supervisor for the Sesame Muppets, and remained in that post until her retirement in 1990. Her 1979 design sketch for a red monster would eventually become a star character as Elmo.[1] As with the other designers, not all of her ideas reached fruition: she conceived and drew "Snuffy's Baby Brother," to be operated by one smaller person and "having only two legs when young (tadpole like). Mature is 4."[2]

She was also a key designer/builder for The Muppet Show and movies, notably directing the creation of a special Miss Piggy puppet for use in the underwater scenes in The Great Muppet Caper.[3] In many cases, her task involved the practical side, adding annotations to help translate character sketches by Jim Henson into physical puppets, noting how a performer should operate a character, and even coordinating the options for shooting the parachute drop in Great Muppet Caper. Wilcox was viewed as the expert Muppet maker; she trained many of the Muppet builders.

She was interviewed in Behind the Scenes in Frogtown Hollow and a 2020 live-stream event for the Museum of the Moving Image. (YouTube) Jane Gootnick shared her memories of Wilcox the day after her passing on The Barretta Brothers vodcast. (YouTube)

Muppet/Henson credits

Designer/Builder
Puppeteer

Gallery

See also

Sources

  1. ↑ Falk, Karen. Imagination Illustrated. p. 180
  2. ↑ Falk, Karen. Imagination Illustrated. p. 115
  3. ↑ Jones, Brian Jay. Jim Henson: The Biography. p. 321
  4. ↑ Falk, Karen. Imagination Illustrated. p. 88
  5. ↑ 11/8-11/1971 – ‘Go to Chicago to Silvestri. See flocking’. Jim Henson's Red Book. Nov. 8, 2012
  6. ↑ 6/21/1977 – ‘Judy Collins (MS)’. Jim Henson's Red Book. June 21, 2012.
  7. ↑ 9/11/1984 – ‘In Chicago for opening of The Muppet Show on Tour- LIVE.’ Jim Henson's Red Book. Sep. 11, 2013.
  8. ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book. Puppeteer assignments
  9. ↑ Crafting the Creatures and Characters of Jim Henson’s World

External links

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