PERFORMER | Jim Kroupa |
DEBUT | 1999 |

The puppet as seen in Kermit's Swamp Years
Jeremiah Tortoise is an elderly character introduced in the third season of Bear in the Big Blue House. The old tortoise works in the Woodland Valley Post Office. Jeremiah is also the sole proprietor of the Woodland Valley General Store. Avuncular but slightly absent-minded, Jeremiah recalls the days when Bear was attending high school. The tortoise is friends with Doc Hogg, and is the great-grandson of Woodland Valley founder Hephaestus Tortoise. He is first mentioned in "Grandparents Just Want to Have Fun" when Bear takes a call from Doc Hogg and leaves the Big Blue House to help Doc move Jeremiah into his office due to Jeremiah's rheumatism.
Jermeiah is the judge for the Annual Woodland Valley Storytelling Festival. Regarding his age, Jeremiah quips that he is old enough to not remember how old he is. In "Grandma Flutter's 100th Birthday," Flutter states that he is 132 years old.
The puppet was recycled from Penelope the Yellow-Footed Tortoise, and was also used as one of the pet shop animals in Kermit's Swamp Years, sans hair and goatee, and was performed by Bill Barretta. It was subsequently used in Puppet Up! shows, and The Happytime Murders.