Mr. Snuffleupagus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mr. Snuffleupagus
Sesame Street character
First appearance	Episode 0276 (November 15, 1971)
Performed by	Jerry Nelson (1971–1978) Michael Earl Davis (1978–1981) Martin P. Robinson (1981–2020)
Information
Aliases	Snuffy, Snuffleupagus, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Aloysius (by his mother), Snuffs
Species	Snuffleupagus
Gender	Male
Nationality	American

Aloysius Snuffleupagus, usually called Mr. Snuffleupagus or just Snuffy, is a beloved character from Sesame Street. This show teaches young children many important lessons. Snuffy looks a bit like a giant mammoth or an anteater. He has no tusks or visible ears.

Snuffy has a long, thick, pointed tail, much like a dinosaur such as a Brontosaurus. He is covered in long, brown, feathery hair. His special trunk, called a "snuffle," often drags along the ground. Snuffy is Big Bird's very best friend. He also has a younger sister named Alice. Snuffy even goes to "Snufflegarden," which is like a preschool for Snuffleupaguses!

Snuffy's Story: From Imaginary to Real

For many years, only Big Bird could see Snuffy. Whenever Big Bird tried to show Snuffy to the adults on Sesame Street, Snuffy would leave. This made everyone think Snuffy was just Big Bird's imaginary friend. The adults would often tease Big Bird. They didn't believe such an animal could exist.

Early Appearances and Design Changes

Sometimes, there was proof Snuffy had been there. For example, he once left behind a huge teddy bear. In some parts of the show, Snuffy even played with other kids. But the adults still didn't believe Big Bird. This storyline was meant to show how some young children have imaginary friends.

Snuffy's first puppet looked thin and sad. His head was almond-shaped, and his eyes were green and yellow. He also sounded sad and echoey. This look was a bit scary for younger kids. So, his eyes were changed to be round and white. His personality also became much friendlier.

Adults Start to Believe

By the late 1970s, the adults on Sesame Street grew tired of Big Bird blaming Snuffy for things. They thought Big Bird was using Snuffy as an excuse. In one episode, a newspaper headline even read, "Snuffy's Got To Go!"

Slowly, some adults began to believe Big Bird. The first was folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie. She sang a song to Big Bird, telling him she believed in Snuffy. After Buffy left the show, Linda, Maria, and Gordon also started to believe Snuffy was real.

The Big Reveal: Meeting the Adults

The long-running joke about Snuffy being imaginary finally ended in 1985. This happened in Season 17, episode 2096 of Sesame Street. It was also after the movie Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird came out.

Big Bird's Plan to Introduce Snuffy

Big Bird was tired of the grown-ups not believing him. He decided to arrange a meeting. He planned for the adults to come to his nest and meet Snuffy. Big Bird chose the word "Food!" as a signal. He knew the adults would come quickly for food, but not if he told them his real reason.

When Big Bird called "Food!", Snuffy ran off to tell his mom about the meeting. So, once again, the grown-ups just missed him. Gordon wanted to help. He suggested Big Bird needed someone to keep Snuffy in the nest. Elmo offered to help.

Snuffy Meets Everyone

Snuffy returned, saying he needed to go home and brush his fur. But Elmo held onto his snuffle, so Snuffy couldn't leave. Big Bird yelled "Food!" again. One by one, the adults came and saw Snuffy for the very first time. They were completely surprised!

The adults slowly walked closer. Big Bird then did an "I told you so" routine. Susan apologized for not believing Big Bird for so long. Bob told Big Bird, "From now on, we'll believe you whenever you tell us something." Snuffy joked that they should get that in writing!

Linda then suggested that Big Bird introduce Snuffy to everyone. Even the famous talk show host Phil Donahue appeared in the episode and met Snuffy. From that day on, everyone on Sesame Street could see Snuffy regularly.

How to Spell "Snuffleupagus"

Sometimes, people get confused about how to spell Snuffy's full name. The official spelling is "Snuffleupagus." You might sometimes see it with a hyphen, like "Snuffle-upagus."

Common Misspellings

Many companies, caption writers, and fans sometimes misspell the name. Even the website for The Jim Henson Company, which created Snuffy, has made mistakes. They have spelled it "Snuffulupagus."

In the 1985 movie Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird, Snuffy's name was spelled correctly on his mailbox. At that time, many still thought he was Big Bird's imaginary friend. Showing him with his own real home and sending a real postcard helped set up his big reveal later that year.

Who Performs Snuffy?

Many talented puppeteers have brought Snuffy to life over the years.

• Snuffy was first performed by Jerry Nelson.
• Then, Michael Earl took over the role.
• Currently, Martin P. Robinson performs Snuffy.

The back end of the Snuffy puppet has also been performed by several people. These include Richard Hunt, Brian Meehl, Frank Kane, and currently Bryant Young.