Toby Towson

Toby Towson is a gymnast and dancer, who did a stint as the puppeteer who first performed Barkley, starting in A Special Sesame Street Christmas. (Fred Garbo Garver and others later took over the role.) Towson has had a career in gymnastics, acrobatics, and dance.

Following a personal friendship with the Henson family, Towson was tapped to model for the building of a new Sesame Street character which would debut for the tenth anniversary season of Sesame Street. At first the costume was going to be an ape-like creature which could do acrobatics. As the costume was created however, the writers decided to make it into a large furry dog whose original name was "Woof-woof." It was changed to "Barkley" after the first few appearances on the show. Since Towson was comfortable in the costume, and it fit him, Henson offered him a one year contract to be on call for Children's Television Network, and Towson appeared as "Barkley" for several months until Garver took over.

As of 2003, Towson is living with his wife, Kathryn Talbott, in Boonsboro, Maryland.