Paul Haenen

Paul Haenen is a well known Dutch comedian who dubs many character voides on Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street, including Bert, Grover ([media:Haenen-grover.ogg listen here]), Dr. Nobel Price, Don Music, and others. He also translates many of the American Sesame Street songs to Dutch.

Paul Haenen has been playing Bert since Sesamstraat debuted in 1976, with Wim T. Schippers as Ernie. The Dutch Bert and Ernie are extremely popular and funny. Jim Henson was so impressed by the pair's performances, that they're the only Bert and Ernie in the world who are allowed to write their own material. Haenen and Schippers have recorded a whole series of self-written Bert and Ernie record albums, and they also appear as Bert and Ernie in interviews.

Haenen and Schippers don't record the TV sketches together; partly because of their busy schedules, but also because they make each other laugh too much. A running gag on the Dutch Bert and Ernie albums is that Bert sings off key, whereas Ernie knows how to sing harmony, and likes to brag about it. In real life, Schippers has a lot more feeling for music than Paul; Haenen is better at singing in a bass voice.

Haenen's other voice credits include character roles in The Dragon That Wasn't, Or Was He?, the first animated feature produced in the Netherlands, and various Disney and Pixar dubs, including The Gummi Bears (Cavin), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (as Bashful in the 1990 re-dub), The Jungle Book (Dizzy the vulture in the 1990 dub), Robin Hood (Sir Hiss), and The Incredibles (as Edna Mode).

Voice Credits

• Sesamstraat Muppets: Bert, Grover, various horses (including Buster and Fred), Dr. Nobel Price, Don Music, the Three Little Pigs, Japanese Storyteller, Captain Breakfast
• Sesamstraat Animated Voices: Don Carrot, Cyrus the Magpie
• Bert en Ernie: In Een Uur de Wereld Rond: Mr. Van Der Gijp, the AA-man