Frank Richard Oznowicz, popularly known as Frank Oz, is an American puppeteer, director, actor, and voice artist. Oz is better known as the creator and performer of the Muppet characters such as ‘Miss Piggy' and ‘Fozzie Bear' along with Jim Henson in ‘The Muppet Show.' He also created the puppet characters loved by children and adults alike—‘Cookie Monster', ‘Bert,' and ‘Grover' for the popular children's television show ‘Sesame Street.' Oz was born in England into a family of amateur puppeteers, which naturally gave way to Oz's interest in puppets and the art of puppeteering. By the time he was a teenager, he had found Jim Henson who took him along for ‘Muppets, Inc.' and later when he created his own show ‘The Muppet Show,' several other small projects and movies like ‘The Dark Crystal,' etc., he always collaborated with Oz and made him his primary creative consultant. Oz has himself directed many films over the years, like ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,' ‘What About Bob?,' ‘Death at a Funeral,' etc. Oz is also known for giving the world its beloved Star Wars puppet character, ‘Yoda,' with its trademark reverse grammar style.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
Storybots: Answer Time (2022)
Starring as Various Characters
(5 episodes)
- Episode 2x12: Time and Distance (Jul 10, 2023)
- Episode 2x06: Tornados (Jul 10, 2023)
- Episode 2x01: Fractions (Jul 10, 2023)
- Episode 1x05: Budgets (Nov 21, 2022)
- Episode 1x03: Glue (Nov 21, 2022)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
Guest starring as Frank Oz
- Episode 2021-01-21: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Derek DelGaudio, Frank Oz (Jan 21, 2021)
StarTalk (2015)
Guest starring as Frank Oz
- Episode 4x17: Frank Oz and the Science of Puppeteering (Feb 4, 2018)
Star Wars: Rebels (2014)
Guest starring as Yoda
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2x17: Shroud of Darkness (Mar 2, 2016)
- Episode 1x08: Path of the Jedi (Jan 5, 2015)
Loose Women (1999)
Guest starring as Miss Piggy
(2 episodes)
- Episode 12x80: 21/12/07 - Johnny Ball, Michael Ball, Michael Brandon, Westlife, Ayden Callaghan, Backstreet Boys, Stephanie Cole, Jackie Collins, Brian Conley, Gino D'Acampo, Warwick Davis, Alesha Dixon, Jennifer Ellison, Jason Flemyng, Gabrielle, Beverley Knight (Dec 21, 2007)
- Episode 12x41: 29/10/07 - Westlife, Miss Piggy (Oct 29, 2007)
The Muppet Show (1976)
Starring as Miss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle
(10 episodes)
- Episode 5x04: James Coburn (Apr 1, 1980)
- Episode 3x01: Helen Reddy (Sep 21, 1978)
- Episode 1x20: Phyllis Diller (Feb 14, 1977)
- Episode 1x10: Valerie Harper (Nov 22, 1976)
- Episode 1x06: Paul Williams (Oct 25, 1976)
- Episode 1x05: Joel Grey (Oct 18, 1976)
- Episode 1x04: Ruth Buzzi (Oct 11, 1976)
- Episode 1x03: Sandy Duncan (Oct 4, 1976)
- Episode 1x02: Jim Nabors (Sep 27, 1976)
- Episode 1x01: Rita Moreno (Sep 20, 1976)
Starring as Miss Piggy
(3 episodes)
- Episode 2x03: Edgar Bergen (Oct 10, 1977)
- Episode 1x04: Ruth Buzzi (Oct 11, 1976)
- Episode 1x02: Jim Nabors (Sep 27, 1976)
Saturday Night Live (1975)
Guest starring as The Mighty Favog
(3 episodes)
- Episode 1x03: Rob Reiner / John Belushi as Joe Cocker (Oct 25, 1975) [Co-Star]
- Episode 1x02: Paul Simon / Art Garfunkel, Randy Newman, Phoebe Snow (Oct 18, 1975) [Co-Star]
- Episode 1x01: George Carlin / Billy Preston, Janis Ian (Oct 11, 1975) [Co-Star]
Sesame Street (1969)
Starring as Alistair Cookie
Starring as Beautiful Day Monster
Starring as Bert
Starring as Cookie Monster
Starring as Grover
Starring as Harvey Kneeslapper
Starring as Lefty the Salesman
Starring as Prince Charming
Starring as Professor Hastings
Starring as Super Grover
Starring as Tessie Twiddlebug
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
Guest starring as Fozzie Bear
- Episode 1979-04-02: Apr 2, 1979 (Apr 2, 1979)
The Mike Douglas Show (1961)
Guest starring as Frank Oz
- Episode 5x222: Jim Henson (co host), The Mills Brothers, Carmel Quinn, A.E. Hotchner, Marie Walther (Jul 19, 1966)
The Wonderful World of Disney (1954)
Guest starring as Miss Piggy
- Episode 34x23: The Muppets at Walt Disney World (May 6, 1990)