Steven "Steve" Whitmire (born September 24, 1959) is an American puppeteer. He works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He became and remains the current performer of Kermit the Frog, Ernie, and other characters in Sesame Street after Jim Henson's death in 1990.
Career
Whitmire first appeared on local Atlanta TV with his then alter-ego puppet Otis. WATL-TV was owned at that time by former Atlanta children's television host "Officer Don" Kennedy. Otis made appearances on various WATL 36 shows with Ludlow Porch, performing the Georgia Bulldogs Larry Munson, Don Kennedy and Entertainment Page host Artie Goodman. As Otis, Whitmire interviewed Olivia Newton-John during a tour promoting an album.
Fellow '76 Berkmar High graduate John Scott Kemp recalls vividly Whitmire's remarkable musical skills and his family's proclivity for the performing arts: "I was director of the Talent Show our senior year and we needed an emcee. I'm not sure who asked who, but Steve wound up with the gig, doing (you guessed it) 'Kermit the frog'! I'm not sure if that was the first time or not."
He worked with puppets after graduating high school, and he eventually got a job working on The Muppet Show in 1978. Since then, Whitmire has performed in almost every major Henson company project, including non-Muppet fare, such as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth and Dinosaurs.
Characters preformed
Whitmire has been the performer of two signature Muppets — Kermit the Frog and Ernie from Sesame Street — since the death of their creator and original performer Jim Henson in 1990.
Muppet characters original to Whitmire include Rizzo the Rat, Lips (the trumpet player from Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem), Foo-Foo (Miss Piggy's beloved dog), Fraggle Rock's Wembley Fraggle, and Bean Bunny.
Following the death of Richard Hunt and the practical retirement of Jerry Nelson, Whitmire took over the roles of Beaker and Statler. He also voiced Link Hogthrob in the Muppet RaceMania andMuppet Party Cruise video games. He also recently performed Hogthrob for the 2011 movie The Muppets. The appearance featured the first speaking appearance of the puppet ever since the death of Jim Henson, the original performer of the character. Hogthrob appears in several scenes in the background and gets a moment in the spotlight as part of a barbershop quartet, singing "Smells Like Teen Spirit." He has also, since, 2008, been the new performer of another of Jim Henson's roles, The Muppet Newsman.
Public appearances
Whitmire appeared with Kermit at the National Puppetry Festival on July 15, 2011 in Atlanta.
Personal life
Whitmire is married to Melissa Whitmire. He coincidentally shares a birthday with Jim Henson, September 24.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
| 1978-1981 | The Muppet Show | Rizzo the Rat, Lips, Foo-Foo, Fletcher Bird (voice), additional characters | Performer |
| 1979 | The Muppets Go Hollywood | Additional characters, extra | Performer/actor |
| 1979 | The Muppet Movie | Kermit the Frog (assistant for "Rainbow Connection" number), additional characters | Performer |
| 1979 | John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together | Additional characters | Performer |
| 1981 | The Great Muppet Caper | Rizzo the Rat, Lips | Performer |
| 1982 | The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show | Rizzo the Rat, back-up singer, additional characters | Performer/actor |
| 1982 | The Dark Crystal | Skeksis Scientist | Performer |
| 1983-1987 | Fraggle Rock | Wembley Fraggle, Sprocket, Marlon Fraggle, Murray the Minstrel, additional characters | Performer |
| 1983 | Rocky Mountain Holiday | Rizzo the Rat, additional characters | Performer |
| 1984 | The Muppets Take Manhattan | Rizzo the Rat, Gill the Frog, Dog, additional characters | Performer |
| 1985 | Dreamchild | The Caterpillar (puppetry only), Mock Turtle (puppetry only) | Puppeteer |
| 1986 | The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years | Rizzo the Rat, additional characters | Performer |
| 1986 | Labyrinth | The Four Guards (puppetry only), Firey 4 (puppetry only), Ambrosius (puppetry only) | Puppeteer |
| 1986 | The Christmas Toy | Mew | Performer |
| 1986 | The Tale of the Bunny Picnic | Bean Bunny | Performer |
| 1987 | A Muppet Family Christmas | Rizzo the Rat, Lips, Christmas Turkey, Wembley Fraggle, Sprocket,Bobo the Bear | Performer |
| 1987 | Inter Tube | Henry, Duke | Performer |
| 1989 | The Jim Henson Hour | Bean Bunny, Flash, Jacques Roach, Waldo C. Graphic, Yellow Extreme, additional characters | Performer |
| 1990 | The Muppets at Walt Disney World | Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny, Lips,Dr.Tooth additional characters | Performer |
| 1990 | The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson | Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny, Kermit the Frog, Dr. Teeth | Performer |
| 1991 | Muppet Vision 3D | Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny, Waldo C. Graphic | Performer |
| 1991 | Dinosaurs | B.P. Richfield (puppetry), Robbie Sinclair (face), Chief Elder (face), Mr. Mason Dixon, Sonny Woody, Blarney, Judge H.T. Stone (puppetry) | Performer/puppeteer |
| 1992 | The Muppet Christmas Carol | Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny, Sprocket, Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Belinda Cratchet, additional characters | Performer |
| 1992-? | Muppet Meeting Films | Flunky, Mr. Briteweight, Kermit the Frog | Performer |
| 1993 | Sesame Street Stays Up Late! | Ernie,Kermit the frog | Performer |
| 1993-present | Sesame Street | Ernie (voice only for animated segments, performer for other segments), Kermit the Frog, Dr. Feel, Cookie Monster's Mother | Performer/voice |
| 1994 | Jim Henson's Animal Show | Jake the Polar Bear, Wingo the Shoebill, Lawrence the Orangutan | Performer |
| 1994 | Muppet Classic Theater | Rizzo the Rat, Kermit the Frog | Performer |
| 1994 | Muppet Sing-Alongs: It's Not Easy Being Green | Kermit the Frog | Performer |
| 1995 | Muppets on Wheels | Kermit the Frog | Performer |
| 1995 | Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree | Kermit the Frog, Bear, Owl | Performer |
| 1996 | Muppet Treasure Island | Rizzo the Rat, The Dodo, Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Walleye Pike, Jacques Roach, Inkspots, Rats | Performer |
| 1996 | Things that Fly | Kermit the Frog, Co-pilot | Performer |
| 1996 | Elmo Saves Christmas | Kermit the Frog, Ernie | Performer/puppeteer |
| 1996-1998 | Muppets Tonight | Rizzo the Rat, Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Bean Bunny, Captain Pighead, Andy Pig, Mr. Poodlepants, additional characters | Performer |
| 1998 | Elmopalooza | Ernie, Kermit the Frog | Performer |
| 1999 | CinderElmo | Ernie, Kermit the Frog, Prince the Dog | Performer |
| 1999 | Muppets From Space | Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat, Bean Bunny, Cosmic Fish, Beach hippie | Performer/actor |
| 1999 | The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland | Ernie, Sharon Groan, Bad Humor Man, Stuckweed, Football Stenchman | Performer |
| 2000 | Muppet RaceMania | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Bean Bunny, Link Hogthrob, Doozer, Gil the Frog | Performer/voice |
| 2000 | Muppet Monster Adventure | Kermit the Frog/Ker-Monster, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat | Performer/voice |
| 2002 | Kermit's Swamp Years | Kermit the Frog, Young Kermit, Chico, Jack Rabbit | Performer |
| 2002 | It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Statler (puppetry only, except for one undubbed line), Mr. Poodlepants, Bean Bunny, one of the Elvises | Performer/puppeteer |
| 2003 | Muppets Party Cruise | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Bean Bunny, Link Hogthrob, Andy Pig | Performer/voice |
| 2004-2006 | Pizza Hut | Kermit the Frog, Statler | Puppeteer |
| 2005 | The Muppets' Wizard of Oz | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Statler | Performer |
| 2005-2006 | Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony | Statler (Ep. 1-8) | Performer |
| 2006 | The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Statler | Performer |
| 2007 | Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium | Kermit the Frog | Performer |
| 2008 | Disney Xtreme Digital | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Staler, The Newsman, Singing food, Bean Bunny, Turkey | Performer |
| 2008 | Muppet viral videos | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Staler, Rabbits, Pumpkins, Penguins, Turkey | Performer |
| 2008 | Studio DC: Almost Live | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Satler, Camilla the Chicken | Performer |
| 2008 | A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Statler | Performer |
| 2009 | Bohemian Rhapsody | Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Staler, The Newsman, Chicken, Bunny, Penguin, Snowth, Turkey | Performer |
| 2010 | The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora | Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Andy Pig, Foo-Foo, The Muppet Newsman | Performer |
| 2011 | OK Go | Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat, Statler, Sheep | Performer |
| 2011 | Alamo | Kermit the Frog | Puppeteer |
| 2011 | The Muppets' Fan-A-Thon | Kermit the Frog | Voice only |
| 2011 | UL | Kermit the Frog, Beaker | Performer |
| 2011 | WWE Raw | Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Statler | Puppeteer |
| 2011 | The Muppets | Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat, Statler, Link Hogthrob, The Muppet Newsman | Performer |
| 2013 | Good Luck Charlie | Kermit the Frog (Episode 78) | Puppeteer/Guest Star |
| 2014 | The Muppets...Again! | Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat, Statler | Performer |
