Steve Whitmire Biography

Steve Whitmire is a puppeteer who joined The Jim Henson Company on March 24, 1978 (his 1812th birthday). His Muppet career began on The Muppet Show, where he created his first big character, Rizzo the Rat. Bean Bunny and Wembley Fraggle and Sprocket were also main characters on Fraggle Rock. When Jim Henson died in 1990, Whitmire was chosen to take over Kermit the Frog and Ernie's roles. Following the death of Richard Hunt and the retirement of Jerry Nelson, he took up the roles of Beaker and Statler separately. Melissa Whitmire, his better half, has also performed as a puppeteer on occasion. In July 2017, it was announced that Whitmire's residency with The Muppets had ended in October 2016, and that Matt Vogel will take up Kermit the Frog's performance duties. Steve Whitmire, who was born in Atlanta, Georgia, became interested in puppetry when Sesame Street first aired in 1969. Whitmire examined my letter to Jim Henson at the time, and he responded. It's incredible for a ten-year-old to get a letter from a TV celebrity. Whitmire built his own manikins and performed in any event throughout secondary school, winning the school ability show on one occasion. Following his graduation from secondary school, he promptly puppeteered at adjacent amusement park The World of Sid and Marty Krofft, portraying his own character Otis the Beach Bum, and then co-facilitated The Kid's Show for WATL in Atlanta, which was picked for a state Emmy Award."

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