Jane Henson speaking with Eric Engelhardt at the 1996 National Puppetry Conference.
The original Pepe puppet, created by Engelhardt.
Eric Engelhardt (1966-2007) was a puppeteer and puppet builder. He started at the Jim Henson Company in the mid-1990s as a puppet builder, most notably building the first Pepe the King Prawn for Muppets Tonight.
Engelhardt's other puppetry credits include The Book of Pooh (puppeteering Pooh and designing shadow characters), It's a Big Big World, Crank Yankers, and Sheira & Loli's Dittydoodle Works.
After his death, the O'Neill Puppetry Conference set up the Eric Engelhardt Memorial Scholarship in his honor.
Muppet credits[]
- Muppet Classic Theater: Muppet builder/designer
- The Animal Show: Muppet builder/designer
- Muppet Treasure Island: Muppet builder/designer
- Muppets Tonight: Muppet builder/designer; created the original Pepe the King Prawn puppet, designed and built Gary Cahuenga
- The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: Muppet builder/designer
- Bear in the Big Blue House: Built Doc Hogg
- Muppets from Space: Muppet builder/designer
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Muppet builder/designer, built The Caterpillar