Dr. Nobel Price

PERFORMER	Brian Muehl 1980-1984
	Kevin Clash 1984-1987
DEBUT	1980
PATTERN	Large Lavender Live Hand

Dr. Nobel Price's island laboratory as depicted in the opening to the News Flash segments featuring him.

Dr. Price keeps a photo of his wife and kids atop a "tinkly table."

Dr. Nobel Price showing his invention, a flying cupcake, to Maria.

Brian Muehl, assisted by Ed Christie, performing Dr. Price taking a spill in Episode 1554.

Dr. Price as seen in a 1989 issue of Sesame Street Magazine, as illustrated by Mary Grace Eubank.

Dr. Price with his "fallen-leaf-picker-upper," another of his "inventions" from Sesame Street Magazine (Oct. '87).

Dr. Nobel Price is an inventor whose only inventions are either of no use or have already been invented. He first appeared on Sesame Street in 1980 and remained on the show until 1987.

He often appeared in Sesame Street News Flash segments, showing off his latest inventions to Kermit the Frog. These were always remotes from Dr. Price's "far-off island laboratory," which may explain why he kept inventing items that already existed, or discovering known creatures such as rabbits. His ineptitude was further emphasized by his constant tripping, due to a very long labcoat (as in a 1983 episode where he "discovers" Snuffleupaguses). Regardless, Kermit (or somebody else) always has the awkward task of breaking it to Dr. Price the truth about his inventions, which he never takes very well.

Dr. Price was also a regular in street scenes, where he often created complicated machines or conducted ridiculous experiments. One experiment in Episode 1851 involved removing legs from a table in the yard, while another in Episode 2134 saw Dr. Price swindling David out of some free ice cream. The only known time that Dr. Price invented something original that actually works came in Episode 2255, where he combined various items to create an invention that can dry towels, scratch a dog's ears, holds flowers, plays music, and gives one a place to sit down.

His name is a pun on the Nobel Prize. The tie he wore was an actual tie that Brian Muehl had collected. He can be seen in some background scenes in Follow That Bird.

"Inventions"

Street scenes

• String-winder (tricycle) in Episode 1455
• Carry-Keeper (lunchbox) in Episode 1472
• Groovy Table (record player) in Episode 1484
• Woodies (wooden blocks) in Episode 1499
• Talking Toaster in Episode 1550
• Catchy-Catcher in Episode 1554
• Ringy-Dingy Thingy (telephone) in Episode 1588
• Snufflex (Snuffleupagus-sized tissues) in Episode 1718
• Rain-making machine in Episode 1740
• Story-Carry (book) in Episode 1788
• Dirt-pusher (broom) in Episode 1813
• Pocket saver (mitten) in Episode 1817
• Elegibunnymonkeybutterduck in Episode 1832
• A machine that makes things that look different look the same in Episode 1844
• Gravity in Episode 1845
• Hear-o-scope in Episode 1860
• Woofer-rattattater-boomer (bell) in Episode 1871
• Page Rememberer (three versions) in Episode 1941
• Eleven-Worder (eleven-word sign) in Episode 2008
• Water-Whoosher (windshield wiper) in Episode 2078
• Basketball in Episode 2085
• A flying cupcake in Episode 2195
• A flower-holding, towel-drying, ear-scratching, sit upon, owl perchaphone in Episode 2255
• Wake-up machine (an over-complicated alarm clock) in Episode 2282

Sesame Street News

• The Great Poonga-Poonga (live rabbit)
• Tinkle Table (piano)
• Foot Snuggies (socks)
• Sherman the Hoppity-Hop (a replica of Kermit)
• Talky Stick (microphone)
• Sloshabouts (galoshes)

Episodic appearances

• Season 12: 1455, 1472, 1484, 1499, 1550, 1554
• Season 13: 1588, 1598, 1600
• Season 14: 1718, 1725, 1740, 1786, 1788, 1795, 1800, 1813, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1832
• Season 15: 1844, 1845, 1848, 1851, 1860, 1867, 1871, 1905, 1906, 1915, 1924, 1941, 1946
• Season 16: 1969, 2008, 2021, 2025, 2037, 2078, 2085, 2088
• Season 17: 2128, 2130, 2134, 2139, 2142, 2156, 2158, 2189, 2193, 2195, 2213, 2219
• Season 18: 2253, 2255, 2282, 2302, 2312, 2345, 2349

Book appearances

• More Who's Who on Sesame Street (1982)
• Prairie Dawn's Purple Book (1986)