Molly and Melville

PERFORMER	Louise Gold Molly
	Steve Whitmire Melville
DEBUT	1980
DESIGN	John Stevenson storyboards
	Jan Rosenthal builder

Molly and Melville are a pair of whales who first appeared in episode 519 of The Muppet Show. They befriend Kermit and Robin, who help them hide from a boat full of pig whalers, as they sing "Friendship."

They later appeared in an expanded version of this event as told in The Whale Tale, where their names were revealed. Molly tells the frogs the story of how her son Melville was born after a trip to the South Pole and introduces them to their dolphin friends. Eventually the mother and son help Kermit and Robin find their friends whom they have become separated from, ultimately tying into the encounter with the pig whalers. Kermit and Robin detour the crew, who never return.

At eight feet long, Molly was the largest hand puppet built for The Muppet Show. After filming on the show had wrapped, the puppet was donated to Greenpeace and became a mascot in their efforts to save the world's real whales.

Melville's name is a reference to Herman Melville's whale-hunting novel, Moby Dick.

See also

• Commander Melville