did betsy baytos actually perform?

[minor muppetz]

Does anybody know whether Betsy Baytos was an actual performer, or if she only danced and did voice-overs?

I know that she performed Betsy Bird in the James Coburn episode of The Muppet Show, but I heard that she only did the dancing and voice, and in close-up shots Jim Henson performed the character, indicating that a puppet version must have been made. if Betsy Baytos was a performer, then why didn't she perform the puppet version?

I know that she was more of a dancer, but I have seen some episodes where she was credited that didn't include full-body characters, like the Roger Moore episode and i think the Carol Burnett episode. I think I might have heard an unfamilar female voice during the closing number of the Roger Moore episode, but it would have probably been better (and cheaper for henson) to just use somebody who was actually performing, like kathy Mullen, Louise Gold or karen prell.

I know that Betsy Baytos also performed in the Lorretta Switt episode, which featured Thog, but I have read that Steve Whitmire performed Thog in that episode, and it would be weird if betsy baytos was just doing background voices.

Does anybody have any answers?

 

[lowercasegods]

According to the book "Of Muppets and Men", Betsy Baytos was exclusively a dancer. However, her resume may have a lot more in it these days, since it's been 25 years since that book came out.

 

[minor muppetz]

According to the book "Of Muppets and Men", Betsy Baytos was exclusively a dancer. However, her resume may have a lot more in it these days, since it's been 25 years since that book came out.

I figured she was a dancer, but that still doesn't explain why she was credited as a muppet performer (as opposed to "dancer") in so many episodes that didn't feature full-body dancing muppets.

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I knew Betsy. I worked with her pre- and -post Muppets. When I worked with her after the Muppets, she was a puppeteer on a show I wrote. While I don't know for certain, I would guess that she was also a puppeteer on The Muppet Show and not just a dancer in costume characters... especially since she was credited in shows that had no full body puppets.



P.S. The Betsy Bird was specifically designed and built for her. It's not just a coincidence that it's named after her.

 

[minor muppetz]

The Betsy Bird was specifically designed and built for her. It's not just a coincidence that it's named after her.

I already knew that. I don't think anybody in this thread said anything about it being a coincidence. there was also another full-body bird, Fletcherbird, who was named after his performer, Graham Fletcher, who was a dancer.

 

[Skekayuk]

Quite a few Muppet characters were named after their puppeteers.

On TMS alone (as well as Betsy Bird and Fletcher) these included:
Cowboy Jerry (after Jerry Nelson),
Lou-The-Jugband-Lady (after Louise Gold)

While Sesame Street included:
Little Jerry & Herry Monster - after Jerry Nelson
Louisey - after Louise Gold
Zoe - kinda after Fran Brill, because she didn't want a Muppet named after her, so they named it after a book 'Franny And Zoe' instead

I'm sure there have been many others, I just can't think of them....

 

[rumtar_10165]

I saw her in The Right Stuff she danced.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

DO you mean the NKOTB video?

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Can somebody please get rid of this.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

And this one too.