Kermit the Frog

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Kermit the Frog

Kermit singing "Bein' Green" in the first season of Sesame Street.
First appearance 1955 on Sam and Friends
November 10, 1969 on Sesame Street
September 27, 1976 on The Muppet Show
Gender male
Created by Jim Henson
Voiced by Jim Henson (1955-1990; deceased)
Steve Whitmire (1990-present)
John Kennedy (Disney Cruise Lines)
Frank Welker (Muppet Babies and in animation)
Also known as Kermit, Kermie (by Miss Piggy), Froggy Baby (by Grover)

Kermit the Frog is a Muppet, one of puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous and beloved creations, first introduced in 1955. Kermit was performed by Henson until his death in 1990. Since then he has been performed by Steve Whitmire. He was voiced by Frank Welker in Muppet Babies and occasionally in animation.

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[edit] Kermit's development

An early version of Kermit appeared in 1955, in a 5-minute puppet show for WRC-TV's Sam and Friends. The prototype Kermit was created from a green ladies' coat that Henson's mother had thrown into a refuse bin, and two ping pong balls for eyes.

Kermit made frequent appearances on Sesame Street, often as a lecturer, a regular character or a news reporter interviewing nursery rhyme characters for Sesame Street News. He memorably sang the song "Bein' Green" from this series, as well as a number of other songs. Closely identified with the show Sesame Street, Kermit appeared frequently enough on the show to be considered a member of the regular cast, often playing a straight man to the humorous antics of another Muppet.

Following the death of Jim Henson, Kermit was used less frequently on Sesame Street, but still made appearances during the 1990s. Unlike the rest of the show's Muppets, he was never any property of Sesame Workshop, and was on the show under contract. Thus, when The Walt Disney Company bought out the character, he had to stop making new appearances on the show; however, Sesame Workshop does have the rights to rerun old sketches featuring Kermit.

Kermit's song "The Rainbow Connection" was also a big hit from The Muppet Movie and, for some time, had become something of a signature song for The Jim Henson Company.

[edit] Appearances

In The Muppet Show television series, Kermit was the central character, the frontman and the long-suffering stage manager of the theatre show, trying to keep order amidst the chaos created by the other muppets. Jim Henson once claimed that Kermit's job on the Muppet Show was much like his own: "trying to get a bunch of crazies to actually get the job done."[1] It was on this show that the running joke developed of Kermit being pursued by leading lady Miss Piggy.

On Muppets Tonight, Kermit was still a main character, although he was the producer rather than frontman. He appeared in many parody sketches such as NYPD Green, City Schtickers, Flippers, and The Muppet Odd Squad, as well as in the Psychiatrist's Office sketch.

On April 2, 1979, Kermit guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. That same year Kermit and creator Henson spoke at ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's funeral. In 1993 Pocket Books published One Frog Can Make A Difference, Kermit's Guide to Life with Kermit as the author. In 1996, he gave a commencement speech at Southampton College in which he emphasized his environmentalist side.

Kermit was a semi-regular during the last two seasons of the Tom Bergeron-hosted Hollywood Squares, continuing a quasi-tradition of Muppets appearing on the game show (Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch made several appearances on the original Squares).

Kermit played a central role in most of the Muppet movies.

Kermit also served as the mascot for The Jim Henson Company, until the sale of the Muppet characters to The Walt Disney Company. Kermit can be seen at the National Museum of American History.[2]

[edit] Guest appearances

Kermit has made a number of guest appearances on other shows. In 1979, Kermit was a guest host for the Tonight Show, substituting for Johnny Carson. He continued to make appearances long after The Muppet Show ended in 1981.

In 1987, Kermit and other Muppet characters co-hosted an ABC News special which attempted to explain the stock market and the potentially disquieting events of the Black Monday stock price decline in a manner that both informed and entertained the audience about the complex subject.

As an April Fool's joke, Kermit hosted CNN's Larry King Live in 1994.[3], and interviewed Hulk Hogan, who was promoting his television series Thunder in Paradise, and after accidentally flubbing the wrestler's name immediately exclaimed "Oh boy, I'm in trouble now." Naturally, as the show ended shortly thereafter, Kermit likely did not wind up in an altercation with Hogan. This would not be the only time Hogan and Kermit shared the same studio. The two co-starred in Muppets from Space, a 1999 production which told Gonzo's origin as an extraterrestrial. The Kermit episode was replayed in 2004 on the same date. The Muppets were also bought by Disney in 2004, but had also shared the Disney/MGM studios with Hulk Hogan and the entire roster of WCW, which produced two shows there regularly; WCW Saturday Night, and WCW Worldwide throughout much of the 90s, as the Muppets filmed three movies in the Disney/MGM studios: The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets from Space.

Kermit served as the grand marshal of Michigan State University's Homecoming Parade on September 29, 2006.[4]

In 2000, he also appeared in the audience on a celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

On The Simpsons, he is Kent Brockman's co-anchor on the Channel Six News. On the show, he wears the same hat and trench coat he wore when the Count (Count von Count) was the elevator operator.

Such was his popularity in the UK that in 2000 he hosted the "1976" episode of the BBC's nostalgia series I Love the 70s (amongst other things, he recalled the phenomenon Mah Nà Mah Nà, punk rock, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and, naturally, The Muppet Movie) and even joined fellow American Ruby Wax for a couple of between-band links at the Queen's Golden Jubilee concert in 2002.

On February 13, 2001, Kermit appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

In 2001, Kermit performed alongside Kylie Minogue on An audience with Kylie Minogue, where he dueted with her in a performance of Especially for You.[5]

Kermit, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and Animal appeared in the Christmas episode of the 30th season of Saturday Night Live (the last episode of 2004), to rescue Horatio Sanz from performing his holiday song by himself. Kermit is seen dancing with unusual vigor while the other muppets appear to play instruments.

In 2005, he was the star of a German BMW commercial.

In January 2006, in a commercial for the Ford Escape Hybrid premiering during the Super Bowl, Kermit was featured singing "Bein' Green"; he is also featured in Ford's print ads for their hybrid vehicle. He also has co-starred alongside Miss Piggy and Jessica Simpson in Pizza Hut commercials in previous Super Bowl commercials. In previous years, he and Miss Piggy were part of the "We want to race the truck" UPS ad campaign involving NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett and his sponsor's "prodding" him to drive a brown UPS truck in a race.

In April 2006, Kermit appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to take over as crew leader for that episode.

He has appeared on several Vh1 programs, such as I Love the '70s.

On May 10, 2006, he was featured in a music video for the American Idols in season 5.[citation needed]

On June 28, 2006, Kermit made a surprise appearance on Good Morning America for Charlie Gibson's last appearance as co-anchor of the program. Referring to a picture of Gibson and his family posing with Kermit from a few years earlier that had been shown on the air, Gibson affectionately referred to Kermit as his "adopted son", to which the famed frog began this exchange with Gibson:

Kermit: Dad, can I borrow the car tonight?
Gibson: OK, but stay out of the back seat.
Kermit: With my luck, I'll probably end up in the trunk.

Kermit reappeared at the end of the show, sitting on Gibson's shoulder.

On August 21, 2007, he appeared as a guest star on the finale show of America's Got Talent (season 2). Kermit the Frog was the surprise duet singer paired with Terry Fator. Together, or they sang "You've Got a Friend".

On November 21, 2007, Kermit appeared on Turner Classic Movies as a guest programmer.

Kermit was on TVland's greatest icons.

  • He made a brief appearance in the movie "Mr Magorium's Wonder Imporeum" where he was seen buying a bunch of toy frogs.

He appeared in an episode of Deal Or No Deal in NBC's Green Week.

[edit] Character biography

Kermit's earliest incarnation on Sam and Friends
Kermit's earliest incarnation on Sam and Friends

On Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Kermit commented to Ty Pennington, "You know, as a tadpole in the swamp, I had 3,265 brothers and sisters!" According to Kermit's Swamp Years, at the age of 12, he was the first of his siblings to leave the swamp, and one of the first frogs to talk to humans. In that he is portrayed as encountering a 12-year-old Jim Henson (played by Christian Kebbel) for the first time. According to The Muppet Movie Kermit returned to the swamp, where a passing agent noted he had talent and, thus inspired, he headed to Hollywood, encountering the rest of the Muppets along the way. Together, they were given a standard "rich and famous" contract by Lew Lord of Wide World Studios and began their showbiz careers.

[edit] Filmography

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

[edit] International

Sesame Street is localized for some different markets, and Kermit is often renamed. In Portugal, he's Cocas, o Sapo (sapo means toad). In Latin America, his name is la rana René (René the Frog). In Spain, Kermit is named Gustavo. In Brazil, his name is Caco, Sapo. In the Arabic Middle Eastern version, he's known as Kamel (not to be confused with the animal, camel - jamal in Arabic. Kamel is a common Arabic male name that means "perfect").

[edit] Awards and commemorations

Kermit has a TV star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Kermit has a TV star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Image:TV video the best of kermit on sesame street
Kermit (here with Grover) appeared often in the early episodes of Sesame Street.

Kermit was awarded an honorary doctorate of Amphibious Letters on May 19, 1996 at Southampton College, where he also gave a commencement speech.[6]

Kermit was given also given the honor of being the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade in 1996.

  • Kermit is the only amphibian to have the honor of addressing the Oxford Union.[7]
  • A statue of Kermit dressed as the Little Tramp sits atop the company's headquarters, the Charlie Chaplin Studios in Los Angeles. Its previous tenant was A&M Records, but it was purchased by the Jim Henson Company following A&M's sale to Interscope Records.

[edit] Parodies

Due to his popularity, easy recognizability and distinctive voice, Kermit has become a popular target for parody:

Kermit has been referenced dozens of times on several television series and movies, as Vomiting Kermit on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, on Family Guy, Meet the Feebles, and in the internet fan video Sad Kermit. For a comprehensive list of Kermit parodies, see the References category on Muppet Wiki.

[edit] References

  1. ^ YouTube - Of Muppets and Men (Part 1)
  2. ^ NMAH | Kermit the Frog Puppet
  3. ^ Tough Pigs Anthology - April Frog's Day: Kermit on Larry King Live
  4. ^ Michigan State University Homecoming
  5. ^ An Audience with Kylie Minogue (2001) (TV)
  6. ^ Southampton College News: Kermit's Commencement Address at Southampton College
  7. ^ The New York Times

[edit] External links

Muppet Wiki has information related to:
Kermit the Frog