Frank Oz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frank Oz
Oz in 2012
Born	Frank Richard Oznowicz (1944-05-25) May 25, 1944 (age 81) Hereford, Herefordshire, England
Occupation	Puppeteer filmmaker actor
Years active	1961–present
Spouse(s)	Robin Garsen ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 2005)​ Victoria Labalme ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	4

Frank Richard Oznowicz (born May 25, 1944), known as Frank Oz, is a famous American puppeteer, filmmaker, and actor. He is best known for working with Jim Henson on The Muppets and Sesame Street. He also worked with George Lucas to bring the character Yoda to life in the Star Wars movies.

Oz's parents were also puppeteers, and he started learning the craft as a teenager. In 1963, he joined The Jim Henson Company. He performed many beloved characters, including Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Animal on The Muppet Show. On Sesame Street, he was the puppeteer for Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover.

For the Star Wars series, George Lucas hired Oz to perform and voice the wise Jedi Master, Yoda. He first played the character in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). He has continued to play Yoda in movies and other projects for over 40 years.

Oz is also a successful director. He has directed many popular movies, such as The Dark Crystal (1982), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), What About Bob? (1991), and Bowfinger (1999).

Early life

Frank Oz was born in Hereford, England, on May 25, 1944. His parents were both puppeteers. His mother, Frances, was from Belgium, and his father, Isadore, was Dutch-Polish. His father fought in World War II, and the family moved to England for safety.

When Oz was six months old, his family moved to Belgium. They lived there for about five years before moving to the United States. After living in Montana for a short time, they settled in Oakland, California. As a teenager, Oz attended Oakland Technical High School and worked as an apprentice puppeteer at a local park called Children's Fairyland.

Career

The Muppets and Sesame Street

Oz in 1984

Oz's work with puppets as a teen led him to meet Jim Henson. At age 19, he joined Henson's team in New York to work on the Muppets. He quickly became one of the main performers.

His famous characters on The Muppet Show include the fabulous Miss Piggy, the silly comedian Fozzie Bear, the wild drummer Animal, and the very serious Sam Eagle. For Sesame Street, he brought to life the cookie-loving Cookie Monster, the serious Bert, and the furry, friendly Grover.

Oz often worked closely with Jim Henson, creating famous puppet pairs. These duos included Ernie and Bert, Kermit and Miss Piggy, and Kermit and Fozzie Bear. Oz's skill helped make the Muppets feel real and full of personality.

He performed in over 75 Muppet productions. Although he mostly retired from performing his Muppet characters in 2001, he continued to perform on Sesame Street from time to time until 2012. After he retired, puppeteer Eric Jacobson took over most of his roles.

Star Wars: The Voice of Yoda

Frank Oz is also famous for playing the Jedi Master Yoda in the Star Wars movies. Originally, George Lucas asked Jim Henson to play the part. Henson was busy, so he recommended Oz for the job.

Oz not only provided the voice for Yoda but also operated the puppet in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). He later voiced a computer-generated (CGI) Yoda in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

For the movie Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), director Rian Johnson decided to use a puppet for Yoda again, just like in the original trilogy. Oz returned to control the puppet and provide the voice, bringing the classic character back to the screen.

Directing Movies

Oz was inspired to become a director after seeing the film Touch of Evil by Orson Welles. He felt it showed him that movies could be made in new and exciting ways.

He started his directing career by co-directing The Dark Crystal (1982) with Jim Henson. The film used some of the most advanced puppets ever seen at the time. After that, he directed The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984).

In 1986, he directed Little Shop of Horrors, a musical comedy about a giant, talking plant. This was his first movie without Henson and it proved he could work well with live actors. This led him to direct many other comedies, including:

• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
• What About Bob? (1991)
• Housesitter (1992)
• In & Out (1997)
• Bowfinger (1999)

He also directed more serious films like The Score (2001), a crime thriller.

Acting Roles

Besides his puppetry, Oz has appeared as an actor in several movies. He often has small roles, called cameos, in films directed by his friend John Landis. He appeared in The Blues Brothers (1980), An American Werewolf in London (1981), and Trading Places (1983).

He also voiced the character Fungus in the Pixar movie Monsters, Inc. (2001) and the robot in Zathura (2005). More recently, he played a lawyer in the mystery film Knives Out (2019).

Personal life

Oz was married to Robin Garsen from 1979 to 2005. In 2011, he married Victoria Labalme. He has four children. He has lived in both England and the United States and currently lives in Manhattan, New York.

Filmography

Here are some of the most well-known movies and shows Frank Oz has been a part of.

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Oz receiving a Saturn Award

Frank Oz has won many awards for his work in television and film.

• He has won four Emmy Awards for his work on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.
• He won two Grammy Awards for Best Album for Children for The Muppet Show Album and The Muppet Movie soundtrack.
• In 1998, he received the American Comedy Award for Creative Achievement.
• In 2012, he was given a Life Career Award for his amazing work in film.
• In 2024, he was named a Disney Legends for his contributions to The Walt Disney Company.

See also

In Spanish: Frank Oz para niños