Michael Rüth (1938-2024) was a German voice actor who dubbed Rowlf in Die Muppet Show and the German versions of The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and A Muppet Family Christmas. He has also dubbed other Muppet characters, such as Howard Tubman (renamed Howard Schinkenschmitz), and various roles (human and Creature) on Jim Hensons beste Geschichten (The StoryTeller).
Rüth returned to voice Rowlf in Die Muppets, along with Christina Hoeltel (Scooter) and Donald Arthur (Beauregard and Uncle Deadly) as the only original Die Muppet Show voice actors to reprise their roles.
Based out of Munich, Rüth began his career on stage in the 1960s, including playing Perchik in the first German production of Fiddler on the Roof in 1968. He entered dubbing in the late 1960s and worked for over forty years, primarily in animation. He was the German voice of Winnie the Pooh from 2000 to 2011, Grampa and Barney Gumble on The Simpsons, Mr. Garrison on South Park, various parts in the Asterix features, Hermes on Futurama, and two of John Ratzenberger's roles in Pixar films: Hamm in the Toy Story franchise and P. T. Flea in A Bug's Life. For Die Muppet Show dubbing director Eberhard Storeck, he was heard in the anime series Pinocchio (the cat) and Maya the Bee (Max) and The Pink Panther Show, while Hanna-Barbera series include the title role on Hong Kong Phooey, Mr. Spacely on The Jetsons, and parts on The Smurfs (Clumsy), The Snorks (Dr. Strangesnork), and various Scooby-Doo series. Other cartoon credits include Transformers (Soundwave and others) and Darkwing Duck (Herb Muddlefoot).
Rüth dubbed mainly character actors, including Ian McNeice in three films, Stuart Pankin on Knot's Landing and elsewhere, Jon Polito in Flags of Our Fathers, Giancarlo Esposito in Trading Places, Richard Griffiths in Guarding Tess, Glenn Shadix in Sleepwalkers, Jaime Sánchez in Carlito's Way, Mike Starr in Blood and Wine, Patrick Newall as Mother on The Avengers, and multiple guest actors on The Incredible Hulk and Doctor Who. On-camera, he appeared on German TV in a version of A Man for All Seasons and episodes of Derrick and SOKO 5113, as well as the English-language Thomas Gottschalk comedy Driving Me Crazy (with Dom DeLuise).
Muppet/Creature Shop dubbing credits[]
- Die Muppet Show: Rowlf, Gogalala Jubilee Jugband Singer ("Mississippi Mud" in Folge 114), other singers
- Muppet Movie: Rowlf
- Ich war frei, ich war glücklich (Julie Andrews: One Step Into Spring): Rowlf
- Der Grosse Muppet Krimi (The Great Muppet Caper): Rowlf
- Die Muppets erobern Manhattan (The Muppets Take Manhattan): Rowlf
- Die große Muppet-Party (The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years): Rowlf (both dubs)
- Das Hasenpicknick (The Tale of the Bunny Picnic): Father Bunny
- Die Muppets feiern Weihnacht (A Muppet Family Christmas): Rowlf
- Jim Hensons beste Geschichten (The StoryTeller)
- King ("Hans My Hedgehog")
- Half Man ("Fearnot")
- King ("The Luck Child")
- Wolf ("The Heartless Giant")
- Troll ("The True Bride")
- Die Muppets feiern Jim Henson (The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson): Rowlf, Harry the Hipster
- Muppets Sing mit Uns: Kermit & Co.: Rowlf
- Jim Hensons Animal Show mit Stinky und Jake (The Animal Show): Guest animals
- Muppets Tonight: Howard Schinkenschmitz
- Die Muppets in Walt Disney World (The Muppets at Walt Disney World): Rowlf
- Das Grösste Muppet-Weihnachtsspektakel aller Zeiten (It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie): Howard Schinkenschmitz
- Muppets Der Zauberer von Oz (The Muppets' Wizard of Oz): Dr. Teeth, Rat
- Die Muppets: Briefe an den Weihnachtsmann (A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa): Rowlf, Zoot
- Die Muppets: Rowlf