PERFORMER | Martin P. Robinson puppetry |
Dick Maitland voice | |
DEBUT | 1971 |
Slimey is Oscar the Grouch's pet worm. Originally, Slimey was a silent character who communicated with squeaks and gestures. In later years, he developed a voice, provided by Dick Maitland (which is digitally manipulated in post-production to achieve a higher pitch). Slimey shows skill at playing the tuba and the clarinet, and has the distinction of being the first worm on the moon.
Slimey was first introduced in Episode 0202, where Oscar tells his Sesame Street neighbors about finding him in the mud and he feeds him several strawberry sodas from Hooper's Store. The story was later retold in Episode 2912 when Oscar reminisces on the event of Slimey's first day of school.
Other early appearances include Episode 0262, where Slimey enters himself in the Sesame Street Pet Show, and Episode 0335, where Oscar accidentally locks himself out of his trash can. Tom suggests that he saw the lock off, but that would ruin the new lock. Luis offers to pry off the lid with his crowbar, but that would dent the lid. Oscar is saved when Slimey slithers the key out through the crack between the can and the lid.
A study done in 1971 by Children's Television Workshop's research department reviewed children's responses to this episode, and specifically noted that the children "were attentive, responsive, and loved Slimy, the worm." [sic][1]
Slimey's family includes his baby sister Sloppy, his parents Dusty and Eartha, and cousins Squirmy and Rachel. Stella, another baby sister of Slimey's, appears in Episode 2123.
Slimey has had a few pets of his own, including a slug named Sluggy (Episode 2177) and a Detroit Dirt Digger named Dirty (Episode 4175).
Slimey enjoys having chapters of "Trash Gordon" read to him before he goes to bed at night. He loves all kinds of books.[2]
Performer history[]
- Jerry Nelson: c. 1978
- Richard Hunt: 1978 (Episode 1204)[3]
- Bob Payne: 1979 (Episode 1223, Episode 1254)[3]
- Michael Earl: 1978 – 1981
- Martin P. Robinson: 1981 – present (puppetry only)
- (also voice in "Earthworm")
- Dick Maitland: voice[4]
Filmography[]
- Follow That Bird
- Sesame Street Stays Up Late
- Stars and Street Forever
- Elmocize
- Elmopalooza
- Elmo's World
- The Street We Live On
- Abby in Wonderland
Episodic appearances[]
- Season 2: 0202, 0228, 0262, 0271
- Season 3: 0335
- Season 4: 0523
- Season 6: 0716
- Season 8: 1034
- Season 9: 1142, 1146
- Season 10: 1204, 1223, 1254, 1280, 1307
- Season 11: 1327, 1328, 1356, 1362, 1373, 1426
- Season 12: 1470, 1489, 1491, 1492, 1503, 1530, 1541, 1543, 1549, 1567
- Season 13: 1588, 1602, 1614, 1618, 1625, 1650, 1669, 1685, 1696, 1697
- Season 14: 1713, 1715, 1722, 1728, 1736, 1740, 1789, 1790, 1822, 1823, 1826, 1832
- Season 15: 1843, 1844, 1847, 1862, 1864, 1874, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1936, 1946, 1960, 1964
- Season 16: 2017, 2018, 2020, 2029, 2044, 2048, 2066, 2068, 2086, 2091
- Season 17: 2123, 2140, 2151, 2153, 2171, 2177, 2185, 2187, 2188, 2192, 2209, 2217
- Season 18: 2226, 2252, 2262, 2287, 2288, 2292, 2299, 2315, 2316, 2320, 2325, 2334
- Season 19: 2399, 2406, 2416, 2422, 2433, 2446, 2454, 2456, 2459
- Season 20: 2534, 2548, 2570, 2581, 2588, 2606
- Season 21: 2623, 2637, 2643, 2647, 2692, 2719, 2738
- Season 22: 2758, 2778, 2780, 2781, 2804, 2821, 2839, 2862, 2869, 2871, 2872
- Season 23: 2889, 2906, 2912, 2931, 2933, 2936, 2942, 2971, 2975, 2977, 2982, 2991, 2995, 3004
- Season 24: 3007, 3008, 3011, 3016, 3042, 3061, 3063, 3067, 3106, 3123
- Season 25: 3136, 3152, 3164, 3181, 3200, 3219
- Season 26: 3300, 3307, 3316, 3363, 3368
- Season 27: 3448, 3470, 3474, 3523
- Season 28: 3579, 3609, 3612, 3625, 3634, 3648
- Season 29: 3696, 3697, 3698, 3713, 3731, 3740, 3758, 3782 (pictured), 3785
- Season 30: 3807, 3835, 3840
- Season 31: 3851, 3856, 3862 3882
- Season 32: 3917, 3918, 3928, 3929, 3968, 3972, 3976
- Season 33: 3984, 3986, 4030
- Season 34: 4041
- Season 36: 4088, 4090, 4100
- Season 37: 4113, 4124
- Season 38: 4140, 4142, 4143, 4151, 4160
- Season 39: 4173, 4175
- Season 40: 4203
- Season 42: 4266
- Season 43: 4306
- Season 46: 4606
- Season 47: 4701, 4722
- Season 49: 4901, 4908
- Season 50: 5012, 5015, 5031
- Season 51: 5118, 5124, 5131
- Season 53: 5321, 5330, 5335
- Season 54: 5418, 5419, 5431, 5434
Book appearances[]
- Oscar-the-Grouch's Alphabet of Trash (1977)
- The Sesame Street Dictionary (1980)
- A Day in the Life of Oscar the Grouch (1981)
- Which One Doesn't Belong? (1981)
- The City Worm and the Country Worm (1983)
- Big Bird Can Share (1985)
- Big Bird's Book About the Earth and Sky (1985)
- I Can Count to Ten and Back Again (1985)
- A Bird's Best Friend (1986)
- Big Bird Goes to the Doctor (1986)
- Through the Year (1986)
- No Cookies 'Til Dinner (1987)
- What's in Oscar's Trash Can? and Other Good-Night Stories (1991)
- Grover's 10 Terrific Ways to Help Our Wonderful World (1992)
- Around the Corner on Sesame Street (1994)
- Oscar's Grouch Jamboree (1994)
- The Sesame Street Games (1995)
- B is for Books! (1996)
- Me, Myself and I (1996)
- Elmo's Lift-and-Peek Around the Corner Book (1996)
- Slimey's Sister, Sloppy (1996)
- Zip! Pop! Hop! (1996)
- It's Not Easy Being Big! (1998)
- Slimey in Space (1998)
- Where Is Elmo's Blanket? (1999)
- Elmo's ABC Book (2000)
- Clap Your Hands! (2002)
- Friends All Day (2002)
- Animal Alphabet (2005)
- Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time (2007)
- Elmo's Piano (2007)
- Guess Who, Elmo! (2007)
- Rosita's Easter on Sesame Street (2007)
- What Makes You Giggle? (2007)
- Boo! Scram! Happy Halloween! (2008)
- Elmo Animal Mix & Match (2008)
- Everybody Dance! (2008)
- Sing & Learn Counting (2008)
- Yucchy! Yucchy! (2008)
- Busy Friends (2010)
- Grouches Are Green (2011)
- Over on Sesame Street (2012)
- All Tucked In on Sesame Street! (2014)
- Elmo's Merry Christmas - Oscar's Grouchy Christmas (2016)
- Elmo's Lift and Slide ABC (2019)
- H is for Home (2020)
- Elmo Asks Why (2023)
- Sesame Street 2024 comic book
See also[]
Sources[]
- ↑ "The Responses of Children in Six Small Viewing Groups to Sesame Street Shows 261–274". Internal CTW research document, Barbara Frengel Reeves. July 20, 1971. Available to the public at the CTW archives, Box 240.
- ↑ B is for Books!, by Annie Cobb. Random House, 1996.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 credited in the script
- ↑ Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street, page 34