Frank Oz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Oz
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![]() Oz at the 38th Annual Saturn Awards 2012
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Born |
Frank Richard Oznowicz
May 25, 1944 Hereford, Herefordshire, England, UK
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Citizenship | United States |
Alma mater | Oakland City College |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1961–present |
Spouse(s) |
Robin Garsen
(m. 1979; div. 2005)Victoria Labalme
(m. 2011) |
Children | 4 |
Frank Oz (born Frank Richard Oznowicz; May 25, 1944) is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and actor. He is famous for working with Jim Henson on The Muppets and Sesame Street. He also worked with George Lucas on Star Wars.
Frank Oz brought many beloved characters to life. He also directed many popular movies and worked as an actor.
Contents
Early life and first steps
Frank Oz was born in Hereford, England, on May 25, 1944. His parents were both puppeteers. They moved to the United States when he was young. The family settled in Oakland, California.
As a teenager, Oz worked as an apprentice puppeteer. He learned a lot about making puppets move and seem alive. He worked at Children's Fairyland in Oakland. This experience helped him meet Jim Henson later.
Amazing career as a performer
Frank Oz joined Jim Henson's team in New York in 1963. He was 19 years old. He became a key part of The Muppet Show and Sesame Street.
Bringing Muppets to life
Oz performed many famous Muppet characters. These include Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle from The Muppet Show. On Sesame Street, he was Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover.
He worked closely with Jim Henson. They often performed characters together. For example, Henson did the voice and head of The Swedish Chef, while Oz operated the hands. Oz performed in over 75 productions. This includes movies like Labyrinth. He continued performing his Muppet characters until 2001. After that, other puppeteers took over most of his roles.
Oz decided to focus on directing films. He wanted to create his own stories. He enjoyed making characters and scenes come alive.
Becoming Yoda
Frank Oz is also well-known as the performer of Jedi Master Yoda from Star Wars. Jim Henson suggested Oz for the role. Oz performed the puppet and provided Yoda's voice. He did this in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).
He also voiced the computer-generated (CGI) Yoda in later films. These include Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). In Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), they used a puppet again. Oz returned to perform Yoda for this film. He also voiced Yoda in theme park rides and the Star Wars Rebels TV show.
In 2017, Oz directed a documentary. It was called Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched. It featured Muppet performers sharing their experiences.
Directing fantastic films
Frank Oz started directing films with Jim Henson. Their first movie together was the fantasy film The Dark Crystal (1982). This movie used very advanced puppets. Oz also co-directed The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). He also helped write the script for that film.
First films without puppets
In 1986, Oz directed his first film without Henson. It was Little Shop of Horrors. This musical movie starred Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene. It also featured a giant talking plant. This plant needed up to 60 puppeteers to operate! This film showed Oz could work with live actors.
He then directed many popular comedies. These include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) with Steve Martin and Michael Caine. He also directed What About Bob? (1991) starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. Other films he directed are The Indian in the Cupboard (1995), In & Out (1997), and Bowfinger (1999). He also directed the original Death at a Funeral (2007).
In 2016, Oz directed a stage show called In & Of Itself. It was a one-man show starring Derek DelGaudio. It was very successful and later became a streaming special.
Acting roles
Besides puppeteering and directing, Frank Oz has acted in films. He had small roles in several John Landis movies. These include The Blues Brothers (1980) and Trading Places (1983).
He also did voice acting in animated films. He was Fungus in Monsters, Inc. (2001). He voiced the Robot in Zathura (2005). More recently, he played a lawyer in the movie Knives Out (2019). He also had small appearances in Muppet movies where he wasn't puppeteering.
Personal life
Frank Oz has four children. He lives in Manhattan, New York.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1979 | The Muppet Movie | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Sam Eagle Animal Marvin Suggs Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice, Also creative consultant |
1980 | The Blues Brothers | Corrections officer | Also voice of Elwood's building manager |
The Empire Strikes Back | Yoda | Puppeteer/Voice | |
1981 | The Great Muppet Caper | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Sam Eagle Animal Additional characters |
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An American Werewolf in London | Mr. Collins | ||
1982 | The Dark Crystal | Aughra Chamberlain |
Puppeteer |
1983 | Superman III | Surgeon | Deleted scene |
Return of the Jedi | Yoda | Puppeteer/Voice | |
Trading Places | Booking cop | ||
1984 | The Muppets Take Manhattan | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Sam Eagle Animal Bert Cookie Monster Ocean Breeze Board member Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice |
1985 | Spies Like Us | Test proctor | |
Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird | Cookie Monster Bert Grover |
Puppeteer/Voice | |
1986 | Labyrinth | The Wiseman | |
1991 | Muppet*Vision 3D | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Sam Eagle Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice, Theme park attraction |
1992 | Innocent Blood | Pathologist | |
The Muppet Christmas Carol | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Sam Eagle Animal Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice | |
1996 | Muppet Treasure Island | Voice | |
1998 | Blues Brothers 2000 | Warden | |
1999 | Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | Yoda | Puppeteer/Voice |
Muppets from Space | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Sam Eagle Animal Additional characters |
Voice | |
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland | Bert Grover Cookie Monster |
Puppeteer/Voice | |
2001 | Monsters, Inc. | Jeff Fungus | Voice |
2002 | Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones | Yoda | |
2005 | Zathura | Robot | |
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | Yoda | ||
2011 | Star Tours–The Adventures Continue | Voice, Theme park attraction |
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Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey | Himself | Documentary | |
2014 | I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story | ||
2015 | Inside Out | Subconscious Guard Dave | Voice |
Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Yoda | Voice (archive recording) | |
2017 | Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched |
Himself | Documentary |
Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Yoda | Puppeteer/Voice | |
2019 | Knives Out | Alan Stevens | |
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Yoda | Voice only | |
2021 | Echoes of Violence | Dante | |
2024 | Inside Out 2 | Mind Cop Dave | Voice |
Filmmaking credits
Director
Year | Title | Notes |
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1982 | The Dark Crystal | Co-directed with Jim Henson |
1984 | The Muppets Take Manhattan | Also writer |
1986 | Little Shop of Horrors | ADR Voice |
1988 | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | |
1991 | What About Bob? | |
1992 | Housesitter | |
1995 | The Indian in the Cupboard | |
1997 | In & Out | |
1999 | Bowfinger | |
2001 | The Score | |
2004 | The Stepford Wives | |
2007 | Death at a Funeral | |
2017 | Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched |
Documentary |
2020 | Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself |
Producer
- The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched (2017)
Executive producer
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
- Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1969–2013 | Sesame Street | Bert Grover Cookie Monster Lefty the Salesman Harvey Kneeslapper Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice, Regularly until 2001, however, he continued to perform his characters a few times a year until 2013. |
1975–1976 | Saturday Night Live | The Mighty Favog | Puppeteer/Voice The Land of Gorch segments |
1976–1981 | The Muppet Show | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Sam Eagle Animal Marvin Suggs George the Janitor Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice |
1977 | Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas | Alice Otter (puppetry) Chuck Stoat (puppetry and voice) |
Puppeteer/Voice, Television film |
1989 | The Jim Henson Hour | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear |
Puppeteer/Voice |
1990 | The Muppets at Walt Disney World | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Animal |
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1994 | Jim Henson's Animal Show | Sam Eagle | Voice, Episode: "Bald Eagle" |
1996–1998 | Muppets Tonight | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Sam Eagle Animal Additional characters |
Puppeteer/Voice |
1999 | CinderElmo | Bert Grover Cookie Monster |
Voice, Television film |
2015–2016 | Star Wars Rebels | Yoda | Voice, 2 episodes |
2022–2023 | StoryBots: Answer Time | Dink | Voice, 5 episodes |
As director
Year | Title | Notes |
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2002 | The Funkhousers | Television film |
2011 | Leverage | Episode: "The Carnival Job" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1996 | Muppet Treasure Island | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Sam Eagle |
Voice |
The Muppet CDROM: Muppets Inside | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Animal Sam Eagle Marvin Suggs |
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2000 | Muppet Monster Adventure | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear |
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Muppet RaceMania | Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Sam Eagle Animal |
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2020 | Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge | Yoda | |
2021 | Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge – Last Call |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
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1974 | News & Documentary Emmy Award | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming | Sesame Street | Won |
1976 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Children's Programming | Won | |
Grammy Award | Best Recording for Children | Merry Christmas from Sesame Street | Nominated | |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series | The Muppet Show | Nominated |
1978 | Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series | Won | ||
1979 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming | Sesame Street | Won |
Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program | The Muppet Show | Nominated | |
1979 | Grammy Award | Best Recording for Children | The Muppet Show Album | Won |
1980 | The Muppet Movie: Original Soundtrack Recording | Won | ||
1980 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program | The Muppet Show | Nominated |
1981 | Nominated | |||
1983 | Hugo Award | Best Dramatic Presentation | The Dark Crystal | Nominated |
1987 | Little Shop of Horrors | Nominated | ||
1998 | American Comedy Awards | Creative Achievement Award | Won | |
2002 | ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards | Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award | Won | |
2003 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Digital Acting Performance | Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones | Nominated |
2012 | Saturn Awards | Life Career Award | Won | |
2024 | Disney Legends | Outstanding Film and Television Contributions to The Walt Disney Company | Won |
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Frank Oz para niños