 | |
| PERFORMER | Jerry Nelson |
| DEBUT | 1972 |
| DESIGN | Jim Henson, Michael Frith designers |
| Don Sahlin, Bonnie Erickson builders | |
T.R. on display at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
T.R. is a rooster who first appeared in The Muppet Musicians of Bremen. His big solo number is "Cock a Doodle Blues," sung with a bevy of hens. Although his real name is never given, he offers several meanings for what his initials stand for, including "Tuckered Rooster", "Terrified Rooster," "Travellin' Rooster", "Tender-Hearted Rooster" and "Tough Rooster." He escapes from the clutches of his master Lardpork, who vows to make him into a stew for not crowing on time.
T.R.'s appearance in The Muppet Musicians of Bremen is also notable for being the only time where he has expressive eyes. This was done by changing the puppet's eyelid placement in different shots to have T.R. appear tired, scared, or angry. In two early confrontations with Lardpork, T.R. rapidly changes emotions—from neutral to frightened. In these instances, one of T.R.'s eyelids is placed higher than the other, achieving the effect of a sudden shock just by turning his head. In T.R.'s later appearances on The Muppet Show and other specials, the puppet has static, open eyelids.
T.R. has reappeared alongside his Muppet Musicians bandmates in a couple of illustrated cameos, seen in the first issue of Muppet King Arthur and The Muppet Christmas Carol: The Illustrated Holiday Classic. He is also seen as Miss Piggy's assistant Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet.
Since 2015, the T.R. puppet is on display at the Center for Puppetry Arts as part of their permanent Worlds of Puppetry exhibit.
Filmography[]
- The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
- One to One
- The Muppet Show
- The Muppet Show Theme (Seasons 2 - 5)
- Episode 101: Juliet Prowse (pilot version, performed by Frank Oz)
- Episode 110: Harvey Korman (Blackout, closing)
- Episode 121: Twiggy
- Episode 204: Rich Little
- Episode 207: Edgar Bergen ("Baby Face")
- Episode 208: Steve Martin
- Episode 215: Lou Rawls
- Episode 220: Petula Clark (The Western Sketch)
- Episode 303: Roy Clark
- Episode 306: Jean Stapleton
- Episode 318: Leslie Uggams
- Episode 321: Roger Miller
- Episode 504: Shirley Bassey
- Episode 521: Johnny Cash
- Episode 524: Roger Moore
- Little Muppet Monsters
- The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years