Peter Linz

Peter Linz and Walter

Linz with Ernie and Herry, characters he's performed in Sesame Street productions.

Jason Segel and Peter Linz with a Frackle and a Whatnot.

Linz with several Muppets from Plaza Sésamo

As a Beach Hippie with Drew Massey in Muppets From Space

A native of Georgia, Peter Linz (b. June 28, 1967) began puppeteering at the age of 3. He entertained his first audience (a group of birthday partygoers) at the age of 8 and was bitten by the Muppet bug at age 10. He went on to graduate with a BA in Psychology from the University of Georgia.

Linz started performing on Sesame Street in 1991, playing numerous Anything Muppets and other characters. Some of his best-known characters, however, emerged on the Disney Channel preschool program Bear in the Big Blue House in the form of a nervous mouse named Tutter and a playful otter named Pip. His newest Muppet character Walter stars in the films The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted. Since 2015, Linz has been the performer of Herry Monster, and was later cast as Ernie, starting with the Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala and a series of Chrysler web videos.

Linz has also created and led workshops in television puppetry under the auspices of the Jim Henson Company in Germany, China, Mexico and the United States.

Linz has had great success outside of the Henson universe as well, performing in popular children's series such as Between the Lions, The Puzzle Place, Blue's Room, The Book of Pooh, Cousin Skeeter, It's a Big, Big World, and Lomax, The Hound of Music, in which he performs the title character.

Linz performed on the stage in the Tony award-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q from 2003-2005 as puppet captain, ensemble member and understudy for Princeton, Rod, Brian, Nicky, Trekkie Monster, and Bad Idea Bear #1.

Muppet credits

• Sesame Street: Herry Monster (2015-present), Ernie (2017-present), Alistair Cookie (assistant), Honkers, Osvaldo, el Gruñón (1990s), Yo-Yo (puppetry only), Bif, Elmo (voice only, Spaghetti Space Chase grand opening ceremony), Additional Muppets
• Sesame Street Stays Up Late
• It's Not Easy Being Green: Goldfish
• A New Baby in My House: Princess Azalea
• Yes, I Can
• Aliens in the Family: Varch, Elder of the Nertron Galactic Federation, Yukkles, others
• Bear in the Big Blue House: Tutter, Pip, Jacques the Beaver, Luna (puppetry only), Shadow (puppetry only), Ray the Sun (puppetry only), Big Old Bullfrog
• Telling the Truth: Additional Puppeteer
• Grover's Travels: A Twiddlebug Girl
• Elmopalooza: Additional Puppeteer
• Muppets from Space: Miss Piggy (puppetry only), Shakes, Additional Muppets
• Count on Sports
• Abby in Wonderland
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
• The Muppets: Walter, Droop (behind-the-scenes), Singing Food in "Me Party", Mutation, hippie (voice only), Human Walter (voice only)
• Muppets Most Wanted: Walter, Manolo Flamingo, Finger-snapping prisoner in The Big House number, Baby
• The Muppets 2015 Presentation Pilot: Walter, Angel Marie, Happy Yellow Creature
• The Muppets: Gloria Estefan, Droop, Snowth
• The Muppets Take the Bowl: Walter, Robin the Frog, Link Hogthrob, Statler, Lips, Snowth, The Swedish Chef's hands

Non-Muppet credits

• 30 Rock
• The Puzzle Place: Skye, Nuzzle
• Between the Lions: Theo Lion (except season 3), Heath the Thesaurus
• It's a Big Big World: Snook, Oko
• Blue's Room: Polka Dots, Doodle Board
• Avenue Q
• Lomax, The Hound of Music: Lomax, Various Humans
• Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map: Phantom Parrot, Gnarlybeard, Stu and Lighthouse Lou

External links

• Official Site
• IMDb
• Interviews: NPR (2002), LoHud (2010), accessAtlanta (2011)
• BroadwayWorld Photos
• Santa Barbara Independent "Muppets in the House for PuppetPalooza: Puppeteer Peter Linz Talks Animating the Beloved Characters" by Michelle Drown, March 1, 2018