Dave Goelz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Goelz
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Goelz in May 2018
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David Charles Goelz
July 16, 1946 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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Debra Goelz
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| Children | 2 |
David Charles Goelz (born July 16, 1946) is an American puppeteer and voice actor. He is famous for his work with the Muppets. You probably know him best as the performer for characters like Gonzo the Great, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, and Beauregard. Dave Goelz joined Jim Henson's Muppet team in 1973. Since then, he has been a key performer in many Muppet shows and movies. These include The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and lots of other fun productions.
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Early Life
Dave Goelz was born in Los Angeles, California. As a child, he loved puppetry. He especially enjoyed the TV show Time for Beany. After high school, he studied design at the Los Angeles Art Center College of Design. He then started working as an industrial designer. This meant he designed products for companies like John Deere and Hewlett-Packard.
While working full-time, Dave started building puppets as a hobby.
Becoming a Muppet Performer
Starting Out (1972–1975)
In 1972, Dave Goelz went to a workshop led by Frank Oz. Frank Oz is another famous Muppet performer. A month later, Frank invited Dave to watch Sesame Street tapings. Dave brought three puppets he had built. Bonnie Erickson, who ran the Muppet workshop, was very impressed. She told Dave he should meet Jim Henson.
A few months later, Dave showed his designs to Jim Henson. Jim offered him a part-time job as a puppet builder. His first task was to build puppets for a new stage play. But the play changed into a TV pilot called The Muppets Valentine Show. This was Dave's first chance to perform with his puppets!
After this, Dave started his own puppet-making business. In 1974, Jim Henson offered him a full-time job. Dave would be a designer, puppet builder, and sometimes a performer for Muppet specials.
The Muppet Show and Gonzo (1976–1982)
In 1976, Dave Goelz went to London to work on The Muppet Show. He continued to play Zoot, the saxophone player. But he also got a main role: The Great Gonzo! Gonzo had appeared before, but Dave was the first main performer.
At first, Dave was still working in the Muppet workshop. He had a very busy schedule. He would run back and forth between building puppets and performing them. Dave said he didn't have any training for performing. After the first season, he asked Jim Henson if he could just be a performer. Jim agreed!
Gonzo's character was still developing. Dave wanted to find the perfect voice for him. He came up with it on the morning of the first taping. Dave felt a bit nervous about singing as Gonzo.
Dave saw Gonzo as a bit of an outsider, just like he felt learning to perform. Gonzo's early design had a sad face. This made Dave play him as a bit gloomy. Dave felt like he was "learning on the job" and sometimes felt like an impostor.
Later, Dave wanted Gonzo to be more funny. He felt limited by Gonzo's sad eyes. So, after the first season, he asked Jim Henson if he could change Gonzo's puppet. Jim said yes! Dave added an eye mechanism to Gonzo. This allowed Gonzo to show more excitement and enthusiasm. Gonzo changed from a nervous, sad character to a confident stuntman. In the second season, Gonzo's love for chickens was also added.
Besides Gonzo, Dave also performed Zoot and the scientist Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. Later, he added Beauregard, the slow-witted janitor.
Fraggle Rock and Beyond (1983–1999)
In 1983, Dave Goelz joined the cast of Fraggle Rock. He played Boober Fraggle, Uncle Traveling Matt, and other characters.
He also worked on Jim Henson's fantasy movies. He played characters like skekUng and Fizzgig in The Dark Crystal. He was also Sir Didymus in Labyrinth.
After Jim Henson passed away in 1990, Dave Goelz's role as Gonzo became even more important. He played Gonzo as Charles Dickens in The Muppet Christmas Carol. In 1992, he also took over the role of Waldorf. He introduced new characters like Randy Pig in Muppets Tonight. In 1999, Gonzo had the main role in Muppets From Space. This was Dave's first time leading a Muppet movie.
Dave also puppeteered Earl Sinclair's face in the TV show Dinosaurs.
Continuing His Career (2000–Present)
In 2002, Dave Goelz became the voice of Figment. Figment is a popular character in the Journey Into Imagination with Figment ride at Walt Disney World Resort.
Dave still performs regularly in new Muppet shows and movies. He played Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Waldorf, and Beauregard in The Muppets (2011) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014). In 2023, he performed Zoot in the Disney+ series The Muppets Mayhem.
He also voiced characters in other animated films. He was Subconscious Guard Frank in Pixar's Inside Out (2015). He returned as Mind Cop Frank in Inside Out 2 (2024). In 2019, he voiced Baffi the Fizzgig in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
In 2020, Dave reprised his Fraggle Rock roles for the Fraggle Rock: Rock On! shorts. Because these were so popular, a new Fraggle Rock series was made. Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock premiered in 2022. Dave continues to voice his characters and is also a co-executive producer for the show.
Personal Life
Dave Goelz is married to Debra Goelz. She is a writer and used to be a financial officer for Jim Henson Productions. They have two children.
Being a puppeteer can be very tough on the body! Over the years, Dave has had several injuries. He has had four shoulder surgeries and a hip replacement. This is because puppeteers often have to hold difficult positions or squeeze into small spaces for a long time.
Images for kids
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Goelz in May 2018
