Remembering Jerry Nelson (July 10, 1934-August 23, 2012)

[Vincent L]

Rest in Peace Jerry Nelson, you can count all the stars you want to now.

I can't describe how beautiful that is.

 

[FrackleFan2012]

You know what, Jerry Nelson worked for The Muppets for more than 41 years while Jim Henson worked with the Muppets for about 36 years.

How incredible is that for an outstanding puppeteer.

 

[Hubert]

10 Things Jerry Nelson taught me:
1. Counting is a good way to pass time
2. If you want to get out of a wedding, hire a boomerang fish thrower
3. Everything has a fun side, even explosions
4. Being small isn't the difference, it's what you do with that fact that makes the difference
5. No matter how busy our day is, there's always time to stop and sit in the midst of a staircase
6. Catch the tail by the tiger
7. When in need of advice, contact your local trash heap
8. Music can do anything
9. When doing a magic trick, say "Ala peanut butter sandwiches!"
10. Beware of furry blue monsters in restaurants

 

[Cindy]

Such a sad day. We lost a great man and a great talent. We love you, Jerry. You will be missed.

 

[charlietheowl]

Very sad. He was integral to the cast of the Muppets and did a great job playing all sorts of different roles (going from Floyd to Robin to Crazy Harry to Camilla is impressive range).

But my favorite is Gobo.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

Talented vocalist, brilliant puppeteer, creator of hundreds of memorable characters. All around nice guy.

What a life you had, Mr. Nelson! We will miss you.

 

[Hubert]

For some reason, I'm feeling a special connection to "Has Anybody Seen My Dog," listening to it again on MCR.

I just feel like the boy's mourning due to his dog relates to our morning, Jerry Nelson relating to the dog.

 

[Vincent L]

10 things Jerry Nelson taught me:
1. "Take off your hat!"
2. If just one person believes in you…
3. Everything might blow up
4. Thunderclouds appear when you count things
5. Fish are toys, not food
6. Music can come from anywhere
7. Christmas is fun!
8. Cluck cluck cluck!
9. Don't burn the trash heap
10. Magic tricks can be fun

Don't forget Jerry voiced The Ghost of Christmas Present!

 

[LouisTheOtter]

I have rarely had an emotional state veering so wildly between happy memories of music and laughter and deep sadness at the loss of a respected gentleman as I do right now, thinking about Jerry Nelson and his life, death and legacy.

The songs bouncing around in my head right now...Robin singing "Halfway Down The Stairs," "Octopus' Garden" (with Kermit and Piggy) and "Friendship" (with Kermit)...Floyd singing "New York State of Mind" (I always preferred Floyd's version to Billy Joel's, believe it or not), "Mr. Bassman" (with Scooter), "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover" and "Act Naturally" (with Janice), and "Gone Fishing" (with John Denver)...Gobo and Robin and the gang singing "Pass It On" in MFC...Robin and Emmett Otter singing "When The River Meets The Sea" (and thanks to YouTube I just found the version Jerry and Louise Gold did at Jim Henson's memorial and nearly bawled my eyes out right here in my cramped little newspaper office...)

The announcer voices..."The continuing sto-o-o-o-ry of a quack who's gone to the dogs..." "And now, PIIIIGS...INNNN...SPAAAACE!!!" "This is Lewis Kazagger with the WILD WORLD of Muppet Sports!" "Tune in again next week to see Thor apply for his driver's license on THOR, GOD OF THUNDER!" Even something as simple as "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host, Kermit the Frog" sounded amazing coming out of Jerry's mouth. (SO GLAD he made that cameo in The Muppets.) Jim must have seen this special ability in Jerry right from the "Sex and Violence" TMS pilot, where his frenetic wrestling-announcer voice breathlessly declared that "there's something for all the sadists here tonight" or some such thing.

All those amazing Sesame Street characters - the Count (I can't believe he was still doing fresh Count material in his final years, months, weeks, days of life)...Herry Monster (I still giggle thinking of Herry singing "Wreck The Halls" and "Crashing Through The Snow" on a SS Christmas album in the late '70s)...Sherlock Hemlock...Mr. Johnson...even minor characters like "Lord Nelson" singing "It's Funny" on one of the SS albums (I believe it was Let Your Feelings Show)...wow.

Jerry had that amazing ability to make a single line a winner. Floyd (TMS): "If I didn't know I was such a genius, I wouldn't listen to the trash I write." Pops (GMC): "Yup! Steerin'-wheel soup for dinner again!" Crazy Harry (TMM): "Ha-ha-ha-ha! Crazy Harry plays with ELECTRICITY!!!" (I'm tickled by the Jerry quote where he recalled that a counsellor told him he should explore more of his Crazy Harry side.)

How big an impact has Jerry had on the Muppets? Ironically, it might be measured in the man who assumed the bulk of his most visible roles, Matt Vogel. I was rarely as convinced that Muppets would be in decent shape for a new generation as I was when I finally got a good sampling of Matt's work with Floyd (on A Green and Red Christmas, in LTS and especially in The Muppets), Lew Zealand (in The Muppets) and Robin (in LTS). We missed those characters and the balance of affection and edge Jerry infused in them. It's so good to have them back and know that Jerry's legacy will live on because of Matt and others like him.

Thank you for making us laugh, smile and occasionally weep over the past four decades, Jerry. Please say hi to Jim, Richard and Christine for all of us Muppet fans who miss you already.

 

[Hubert]

Don't forget Jerry voiced The Ghost of Christmas Present!

In the same way the Ghost of Christmas Present showed Scrooge the joys of Christmas, the spirit of Jerry inside us all shows the joys of the world.