Pokey

PERFORMER	various
DEBUT	1997

Pokey is a character primarily seen in the background of several Muppet productions. Pokey's most significant role to date has been that of the studio director in The Muppets Take Over Today. The character (performed by Stephanie D'Abruzzo) was named in this appearance on-screen by Joe Michaels, The Today Show director, whom Pokey replaced during the takeover of the show.

Pokey's earliest appearance with the Muppets was in episode 201 of Muppets Tonight in a Tales from the Vet sketch. Later, Pokey would appear in the post office in A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa during "Delivering Christmas", and in background scenes of The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted, Muppets Haunted Mansion, and as part of crowds in various commercials and promos. In 2017, Pokey appeared with Luncheon Counter Monster and Mo Frackle as Beaker's internet friends in the Muppet Labs sketch from The Muppets Take the Bowl, which was later reprised in The Muppets Take the O2.

The puppet has also been used in Mopatop's Shop for Mr. Easy Peasy and Mr. Holiday, and as an ancillary puppet in early stagings of The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up!

Alice Dinnean, working the character for the end credits of Muppets Haunted Mansion, has stated the puppet's name is Anthony, though this has not been addressed in any of the puppet's onscreen appearances.

Filmography

• Muppets Tonight episode 201
• Mopatop's Shop episode 114 (as Mr. Easy Peasy)
• Mopatop's Shop episode 143 (as Mr. Holiday)
• Today "The Muppets Take Over Today" (as the director)
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (as a postal worker)
• The Muppets
• Bounty "Kermit's Party" commercials
• Muppets Most Wanted
• Warburtons "The Giant Crumpet Show" commercial
• D23 Expo 2015
• "The Muppet Show Theme" a capella version ABC promo
• The Muppets Take the Bowl
• The Muppets Take the O2
• Muppets Haunted Mansion (as a ghost)