The guy who lived in Fozzie's finger

[WiGgY]

I thought animal was pretty good, and Sam sounded good to me also. It was a little more raspy, but still pretty good. It seems like every one who does franks characters makes them more raspy than the original. I don't mind it much because Frank made them that way in TMS and in later years his voice changed. I don't know why people don't like the new Sam. Maybe we need to hear him talk more. Kevin should put out a 5 minute dialog as Sam on www.henson.com I think all the new performers who took over classic characters should do that. Give us a chance to really hear those back ground characters. Of course Eric wouldn't have to do this because we all got to hear plenty of his characters, but Bill should do this for Rowlf and Kevin for Sam and so on. Just a thought

 

[Fozzie Bear]

The WiGgy sez: "It seems like every one who does franks characters makes them more raspy than the original. I don't mind it much because Frank made them that way in TMS and in later years his voice changed."


I agree. I think folks are trying to give us the original sounds as opposed to what we have become accustomed to. I prefer for Fozzie to sound like he did on TMS rather than in later years, and I think that was successful in IAVMMCM!!

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Reply

The WiGgy sez: "It seems like every one who does franks characters makes them more raspy than the original. I don't mind it much because Frank made them that way in TMS and in later years his voice changed."

I hadn't really thought of that much. I'll have to listen more carefully for that. I think in the case of Fozzie it might have been the other way around. I've noticed in the Vincent Price episode from Season 1, Fozzie sounded a little more gruff than usual in quite a few of his lines.

 

[ScottMonster]

Originally posted by Super Scooter
I know Frank has some problem with his hands. I wish he would come back though.

Oh, well. He's real busy with directing and everything. Maybe if he directed the next Muppet movie like he wants to he'll do the puppeteering for that. Really miss him, but you have to understand, he isn't thirty years old anymore! Puppeteering is such a strain on the back, the arms... everything! It's gotta be hard for him! And then having to hear complaints about him not being there (I'm not saying anyone on here is complaining, but I have heard some people who do complain), it's gotta be rough!

All of this is very true of course. But consider:

Jerry Nelson -- in his late 60s and still an involved performer. I thought he couldn't still be performing the Count on last season for the 'number of the day' segments on Sesame Street, but I've since (happily) been proven wrong.

Caroll Spinney -- will be 70 this year. Though Matt Vogel plays Big Bird in the 'Journey To Ernie' segments, Spinney still continues to perform Big Bird on the street scenes, which he say's he'll do untill he's no longer able to. And even then, he'll still plans to continue doing Oscar.

I think the truth is that Frank Oz is just focusing on being a director, which is something he always did want to do. And actually I wouldn't mind seeing him act NOT through the muppets like he used to do in a lot of John Landis's movies. And Landis himself I seem to recall had a cameo in Muppets take Manhattan...as a shady producer who tossed Kermit's script in the garbage. And remember when Richard Hunt (may he rest in peace, along with Jim Henson) played a stock broker in "Trading Places"

Why did Landis have such a strong connection with the muppets/muppeteers?

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Reply

That's good that Carroll is dedicated. It's hard to imagine what will happen when he's no longer able to play Big Bird. Again, I heard Matt's Big Bird and he didn't sound too bad. I'm just glad Carroll is around for the time being.

 

[GonzoLeaper]

So anyway, in answer to the original question

I have no idea why the Jim Henson Company decided to let Mr. Bimbo live in Squire Trelawney's finger. Probably because it was Fozzie playing the role of Squire Trelawney and he seemed fit for a funny role like that. That was one of the funnier parts of Muppet Treasure Island. If anyone has not read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, please do so. It is a very good book, but it doesn't quite happen exactly the way the Muppets portray it. Anyway, Mr. Bimbo is an actual character in Treasure Island who helps Squire Trelawney get the ship and crew ready. He doesn't have a very big role, but he is in the story. Maybe the Henson Company just wanted to include the character, and with a funny enough name like Mr. Bimbo, maybe they just wanted to have some fun with him and let him live in a bear's finger. Maybe they couldn't find a suitable character to play his role. Though for some reason, Lew Zealand keeps coming to mind. (But I think he was one of the pirates anyway)

 

[WiGgY]

Wow I didn't know there was really a Mr. Bimbo in the book. Now it all makes sense. It wasn't just some stupid gimick!