''Muppets Tonight'' is an American

live-action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...

/ puppet family-oriented television series created by

Jim Henson Productions The Jim Henson Company (formerly known as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., and Jim Henson Productions, Inc.; commonly referred to as Henson) is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is known fo ...

and featuring

The Muppets The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...

. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of ''

The Jim Henson Hour ''The Jim Henson Hour'' is a television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the Muppet characters. Nine of the twelve episodes produced aired on NBC bef ...

'' (1989), the show was a continuation of ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a s ...

'', set in a television studio rather than a theater. Unlike the original ''Muppet Show'', most episodes of ''Muppets Tonight'' featured multiple guest stars. There would usually be one principal guest, but other celebrities would make small walk-on appearances. For example, the Garth Brooks episode features a cameo from

Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the '' Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, th ...

. It first ran on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

from March 8 to July 14, 1996, with reruns on Disney Channel from 1997 to 2000.

Format

The premise of ''Muppets Tonight'' was that Clifford was the host of a variety/talk show on KMUP. The show stuck closely to ''The Muppet Show'' format of various skits (mostly featuring the show's human guest star) interspersed with some sort of crisis occurring backstage.

Characters

Returning Muppets

* Clifford (performed by

Kevin Clash Kevin Jeffrey Clash (born September 17, 1960) is an American puppeteer, director and producer known for puppeteering Elmo on ''Sesame Street'' from 1984 to 2012. He also performed puppets for ''Labyrinth'', ''Dinosaurs'', '' Oobi'', and various ...

) – Host of the show since no one else wanted the job. Although he had visible eyes in this series instead of his sunglasses, he went back to wearing sunglasses for all of his appearances after ''Muppets Tonight''. At the MuppetFest convention in 2001, Kevin Clash revealed that he disliked the visible eyes and he preferred Clifford wearing his sunglasses, refusing to perform the character again unless he was wearing them. *

Kermit the Frog Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Introduced in 1955, Kermit serves as the everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'', as well ...

(performed by

Steve Whitmire Steven Lawrence Whitmire (born September 24, 1959) is an American puppeteer, known primarily for his work on ''The Muppets'' and ''Sesame Street''. Beginning his involvement with the Muppets in 1978, Whitmire inherited the roles of Ernie and Kerm ...

) – Producer of the show * Animal (performed by

Frank Oz Frank Oz (born Frank Richard Oznowicz; May 25, 1944) is an American actor, puppeteer, and filmmaker. He began his career as a puppeteer, performing the Muppet characters of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle in ''The Muppet Show ...

) * Beauregard (performed by

Dave Goelz David Charles Goelz (; born July 16, 1946) is an American puppeteer and puppet builder known for his work with the Muppets. As part of the Muppets' performing cast, Goelz performs Gonzo the Great, as well as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf (after ...

) –

Janitor A janitor (American English, Scottish English), also known as a custodian, porter, cleanser, cleaner or caretaker, is a person who cleans and maintains buildings. In some cases, they will also carry out maintenance and security duties. A simil ...

of KMUP * Bean Bunny (performed by

) * Behemoth (performed by

Bill Barretta William Paul Barretta (born June 19, 1964) is an American puppeteer, actor, producer, writer, and director, who is best known for providing the puppetry and voice of characters such as Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama, Big Mean Carl, and Bobo ...

) – Ernst Stavros Grouper's assistant * Dr.

Bunsen Honeydew Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is a Muppet character from ''The Muppet Show'', performed by Dave Goelz. He is a bald, yellow-skinned, bespectacled, lab-coated scientist who presented periodic science segments from "Muppet Labs, where the future is being mad ...

(performed by Dave Goelz) – The

scientist A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosoph ...

and inventor from Muppet Labs who shows off his inventions on the show * Beaker (performed by Steve Whitmire) – Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's assistant * Dr. Julius Strangepork (performed by

Jerry Nelson Jerry L. Nelson (July 10, 1934 – August 23, 2012) was an American puppeteer, best known for his work with The Muppets. Renowned for his wide range of characters and singing abilities, he performed Muppet characters on ''Sesame Street'', ' ...

) – Appears in a "Bay of Pigswatch" sketch as the lifeguard inspector as seen in the Pierce Brosnan episode * Clueless Morgan (performed by Bill Barretta) – A

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

who previously appeared in ''

Muppet Treasure Island ''Muppet Treasure Island'' is a 1996 American musical swashbuckler comedy film directed by Brian Henson. It is the fifth theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise. Adapted from the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson, ...

'' (1996); appears in the "At the Bar" sketch co-owning a bar with Polly Lobster * The Elvises (performed by Brian Henson, Jerry Nelson, and Bill Barretta) – A group of Muppets resembling

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

that star in "Great Moments in Elvis History" * Eugene (performed by Steve Whitmire) – A mink who serves as Nigel's assistant * George the Janitor (performed by Steve Whitmire) –

of KMUP *

Gonzo the Great Gonzo, also known as The Great Gonzo or Gonzo the Great, is a Muppet. Aside from his trademark enthusiasm for performance art, another defining trait of Gonzo is the ambiguity of his species, which has become a running gag in the franchise. He has ...

(performed by Dave Goelz) – Does his stunt shows on the show *

Fozzie Bear Fozzie Bear is a Muppet character best known as the insecure and comedically fruitless stand-up comic on ''The Muppet Show.'' Fozzie is an orange-brown bear who often wears a brown pork pie hat and a pink and white polka dot necktie. The char ...

(performed by Frank Oz) * J.P. Grosse (performed by Kevin Clash) – The owner of the Muppet Theater who makes cameos as a crew member. In the Sandra Bullock episode, he appears in "The Tubmans of Porksmith" as Howard Tubman's doctor (performed by

Allan Trautman Allan Trautman (born May 25, 1955) is an American puppeteer, best known for his work with The Jim Henson Company. Early life He is originally from Brooklyn, New York. Trautman has a B.A. in Physics and Drama from Washington University in St. Lou ...

) *

Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases i ...

(performed by Frank Oz) * Mulch (performed by Kevin Clash) – Dr. Phil van Neuter's assistant (shown in minor parts in earlier Muppet projects); in one sketch, it is revealed that he has a sister named Composta Heap to whom Dr. Phil van Neuter is engaged * Polly Lobster (performed by Kevin Clash) – A lobster who previously appeared in ''Muppet Treasure Island''; appears in the "At the Bar" sketch co-owning a bar with Clueless Morgan *

Rizzo the Rat Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire. He is a fictional rat who appeared on '' The Muppet Show'' and numerous films, with a starring role in the 1992 film '' The Muppet Christmas Carol''. The ch ...

(performed by Steve Whitmire) –

Production assistant A production assistant, also known as a PA, is a member of the film crew and is a job title used in filmmaking and television for a person responsible for various aspects of a production. The job of a PA can vary greatly depending on the budget ...

of the show *

Rowlf the Dog Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Rowlf is the Muppet Theatre's resident pianist on ''The Muppe ...

(performed by Bill Barretta) – Makes some appearances playing pianos in some acts * Sam the Eagle (performed by Frank Oz) – Hosts "The Eagle's Nest" * Andy and Randy Pig (performed by Steve Whitmire and Dave Goelz) – Two unintelligent

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...

s who are Miss Piggy's nephews * Statler and Waldorf (performed by Jerry Nelson and Dave Goelz) – Usually seen heckling the show from an unnamed retirement home (season 2 has them traveling to different areas while watching the show) * Sweetums (performed by John Henson)

New Muppets

Some of the Muppets introduced in ''Muppets Tonight'' went on to appear in later Muppet productions, particularly Pepe the Prawn, who has become a regular. * A. Ligator (performed by Jerry Nelson) – A pink

vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

who serves as the show's

announcer An announcer is a voice artist who relays information to the audience of a broadcast media programme or live event. Television and other media Some announcers work in television production, radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, ...

* Barbershop

Cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gree ...

Quartet – A group of four cacti who make up their own barbershop quartet * Big Mean Carl (performed by Bill Barretta) – A green shaggy monster. He often uses disguises or variety acts to disguise his intentions of eating other Muppets or objects, and eats the prized pet whenever a contestant loses (or wins) Swift Wits. He also makes some audience appearances * Bill the Bubble Guy (performed by Dave Goelz) – A blue-skinned Muppet who can make bubbles come out of his head; first appears in the Garth Brooks episode where the Head of the Network threatened to replace Clifford with Bill if Brooks did not sing one of his country songs. *

Bobo the Bear The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed ...

(performed by Bill Barretta) – A bear who works as a security guard * Captain Pighead (performed by Steve Whitmire) – A

who serves as the captain of the new Swinetrek in the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" segments. * Craniac (performed by Kevin Clash) – An

alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...

with a

brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a ve ...

for a head; a crew member on the Swinetrek in the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" segments. * Cue Card Monster (performed by Bill Barretta) – A small green monster with long arms who works as the cue card holder. * Darci (performed by

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph Leslie Carrara, sometimes credited as Leslie Carrara-Rudolph or the misspelling Leslie Carrera-Rudolph, is an American actress, performer, puppeteer, speaker, singer and artist. She is probably best known as a Muppet performer on ''Sesame Street' ...

) – She was featured in "The Real World Muppets" segments * David Hoggselhoff (a parody of

David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...

; performed by Bill Barretta) – A

who is the star of "Bay of Pigswatch" * Dr. Pain (performed by Dave Goelz) – A

doctor Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

who appears on "E-I-E-I-O R" * Dr. Phil van Neuter (performed by

Brian Henson Brian Henson (born November 3, 1963) is an American puppeteer, director, producer, voice actor and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson. Early life Henson was born on November 3, 1963, in Ne ...

, assisted by Bill Barretta, operating the hands) – A

mad scientist The mad scientist (also mad doctor or mad professor) is a stock character of a scientist who is perceived as " mad, bad and dangerous to know" or " insane" owing to a combination of unusual or unsettling personality traits and the unabashedly a ...

who hosts "Tales from the Vet"; in one sketch, it is revealed that he is married to Mulch's sister Composta Heap * Ernst Stavros Grouper (a parody of

Ernst Stavro Blofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a character (arts), fictional character and villain from the James Bond series of novels and films, created by Ian Fleming. A criminal mastermind with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the Secret In ...

; performed by Bill Barretta) – An eyepatch-wearing

grouper Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes. Not all serranids are called "groupers"; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name "grouper" is ...

who is the chairman and CEO of The Grouper Group which bought out Carni-Vore Industries (the company that owns KMUP) in the episode that guest stars

Don Rickles Donald Jay Rickles (May 8, 1926 – April 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became known primarily for his insult comedy. His film roles include ''Run Silent, Run Deep'' (1958) with Clark Gable, Carl Reiner's ''Enter La ...

and Coolio. *

Floor Manager A floor manager or floor director is a member of the crew of a television show. The floor manager is responsible for giving information from the director in the control room, to the crew on the studio floor, and then back to the director. Duties * ...

(performed by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) – The unnamed floor manager of K-MUP * Gary Cahuenga (performed by Dave Goelz) – A

ventriloquist's dummy Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is a performance act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) creates the illusion that their voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered prop known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is v ...

with a mind of his own * Head of the Network (performed by Jerry Nelson) – Clifford's unnamed boss at K-MUP who first appears in the " Garth Brooks" episode wanting Clifford to get Garth Brooks to perform a country song or he will give Clifford's time slot to Bill the Bubble Guy; makes background appearances in the control room in later episodes * Howard Tubman (performed by Bill Barretta) – A rich food-loving

who is featured in "The Tubmans of Porksmith" ** Carter (performed by Kevin Clash) – Howard Tubman's elderly doddering butler *

Johnny Fiama The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed ...

(performed by Bill Barretta) – A Rat Pack-style singer (designed by Ed Eyth and built by Jane Gootnick) * Jowls (performed by Jerry Nelson) – A wrinkly faced man who leads a house band called the Muppets Tonight Band * Larry – A crew member at K-MUP *

Mr. Poodlepants The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed ...

(performed by Steve Whitmire) – An eccentric character with a strange fashion style * Muppets Tonight Writers – A group of three monkeys who did the writing for the show as seen in the "

Andie MacDowell Rosalie Anderson MacDowell (born April 21, 1958) is an American actress and former fashion model. MacDowell's known for her starring film roles in romantic comedies and dramas. MacDowell has modeled for Calvin Klein and has been a spokeswoman ...

" episode * Nigel (performed by Brian Henson) – A green monster with a long pointy nose who serves as the show's stressed-out

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

Pepé the King Prawn Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzales, better known as Pepe the King Prawn, is a Muppet character created for ''Muppets Tonight'' and performed by Bill Barretta, originally as part of a vaudeville double act with Seymour the Elephant. Overview Pepe i ...

(performed by Bill Barretta) – A king prawn who serves as the

elevator operator An elevator operator (North American English), liftman (in Commonwealth English, usually lift attendant), or lift girl (in British English), is a person specifically employed to operate a manually operated elevator. Description Being an effec ...

and commissary

cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

; often paired up with Seymour; speaks with a heavy Spanish accent * Pokey – A monster who appears in unnamed appearances in this show. * Rozzie Koala - Fozzie's 3-years-old little sister. * Sal Minella (performed by Brian Henson) – A chimpanzee who serves as Johnny Fiama's flunky, bodyguard, and assistant (designed and built by Jane Gootnick) * Seymour (performed by Brian Henson) – An

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...

who serves as the

and commissary

; often paired with Pepe * Snookie Blyer (performed by Bill Barretta) – The host of the game show "Swift Wits" * Snorty (a parody of Lt. Commander Montgomery "Scotty" Scott; performed by Dave Goelz) – A

who appears in the "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine" segments * Spamela Hamderson (performed by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph) – A

who is a spoof of

Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...

. She stars in "Bay Of Pigswatch" and appears whenever a ''femme fatale'' is needed. (designed by Ed Eyth) *

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...

(performed by Brian Henson) – The God of Thunder who is seen doing everyday mundane tasks; whenever someone angered him, Thor would strike the person with lightning * Zippity Zap (performed by Bill Barretta) – A

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...

who is one of the crew members on the show * Female Rock Lobster (episode 14) – (performed by John Kennedy) * Fairyland Police Chief (episodes 8, 9, 13, and 17) – performed by

)

Recurring sketches

Among the regular sketches are: * Bay of Pigswatch – A parody of ''

Baywatch ''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bo ...

'' starring David Hoggselhoff as Champ Schwimmer, Spamela Hamderson as Spamela, and Andy and Randy Pig as Donnie and Art C. Shell where they work as lifeguards at a beach. with Guest Stars

And Dr Julius Strangepork. * Carl the Big Mean... – Sketches which involve Carl doing an act, which usually ends up incorporating him eating someone or something, e.g., biting the head off a ventriloquist's puppet, predicting someone would be eaten, and eating him, as a psychic. * E-I-E-I-O R – In a parody of '' ER'', it features Fozzie Bear working at a hospital where the doctors and patients pass around humor; Fozzie is assisted by Dr. Pain, Ernst Stavro Grouper, and an Afghan Hound. * Great Moments in Elvis History – In a parody of '' Great Moments in History'', the moments in history are reenacted by a bunch of Muppet versions of

. * Pigs In Space: Deep Dish Nine – In a sequel to "Pigs in Space", Miss Piggy is featured on the new Swinetrek with a different crew. The title is a spoof of '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. * Screen Tests – A bunch of screen tests that featured the Muppets auditioning in a movie that featured the guest stars of the episodes it was featured in. * Tales from the Vet – In a parody of ''

Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...

'', Dr. Phil van Neuter tells scary stories revolving around animals. * The Eagle's Nest – Sam the Eagle talks about politics and other issues with Andy and Randy Pig as his recurring guests. * The Johnny Fiama Show – A talk show hosted by Johnny Fiama. * NYPD Green - A parody of ''NYPD Blue'', where crimes are investigated by Kermit as Detective Amphibowicz, at least when the network censor's not interrupting. * The Real World Muppets – A spoof of ''

The Real World Real World or The Real World may also refer to: * Real life, a phrase to distinguish between the real world and fictional, virtual or idealized worlds Television * ''The Real World'' (TV series), 1992–2017 * "The Real World" (''Stargate Atla ...

'' that follows Clifford, Rizzo the Rat, Bobo the Bear, Bill the Bubble Guy, and Darci living together in one house. * Thor: God of Thunder – Deals with Thor doing every day mundane tasks. * UK Spots – There were some UK Spots that were in this show due to the United Kingdom version not having any commercials. ** Fairyland PD – Clifford and Bobo the Bear work as detectives at the Fairyland Police Department under the supervision of their

police chief The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...

; Clifford and Bobo are charged with the duties of solving mysteries revolving around