The Turtle

PERFORMER	Jerry Nelson
DEBUT	1993

The Turtle is one of the woodland characters who appeared in the Muppet Sing Along video, Billy Bunny's Animal Songs. He resides on a rock on Turtle Bay, the last stop on Billy Bunny's adventure through the forest before he returns home for dinner. The Turtle doesn't know any songs to teach Billy, so they make up a song together.

The Turtle also appeared with Billy Bunny on an unidentified talk show to promote the video, where he is asked how he cleans his shell. He replies, "The manufacturer recommends turtle wax, but I just give it some spit and a promise." (YouTube)

The turtle puppet has since been used on Muppets Tonight, in episode 208 as a patient in E-I-E-I-OR, and on Sesame Street. He appeared as the Tortoise (performed by Martin P. Robinson) alongside the Hare (the Billy Bunny puppet) in the Elmo's World episode "Fast and Slow," and as one of the hungry turtles in Episode 4202 (named Sy and performed by David Rudman).

Official bio

from a 1993 press release

“A slow and steady character, the Turtle has lived in the forest for many years. In his early days, Turtle was a cross country runner and holds several Tortoise-Hare Invitational Tournament championships. Now taking it easy, the Turtle's favorite thing to do is sit on a rock and watch the world go by. Turtle doesn't have a song of his own, but Billy helps him make one up.”

See also

• Turtles