Fran Brill

Biography

Fran Brill is an American actress and puppeteer who began in theater, making her Broadway debut in Red, White and Maddox in 1969 and earning two Drama Desk Award nominations, for What Every Woman Knows and Knuckle. Born in Chester, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Boston University College of Fine Arts, she first acted at 15 in summer stock. She played Sally Hayes in Being There (1979), Dana Mardukas in Midnight Run and Lily Marvin in What About Bob? (1991). Joining Sesame Street without puppeteering experience, she won an Emmy and created Prairie Dawn, Zoe, Little Bird and Betty Lou, and appeared in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999). She retired from puppeteering on Sesame Street in 2014, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children's and Family Emmy Awards in 2025.

80years old

Turns 81 on September 30in 324 days

Born September 30, 1946Chester
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Also credited as Frances Joan Brill and Franc Brill

Movie Career

Films: 11
Career span: 45 years1979 to 2024

Genres

Comedy45%, 5 films
Documentary36%, 4 films
Family36%, 4 films
Drama27%, 3 films
Adventure18%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
Brill had no puppeteering experience when she joined Sesame Street, where she created Prairie Dawn and won an Emmy Award.
First role
Brill started out in theater. Her Broadway debut came in Red, White and Maddox in 1969, where she played a student leader.

Fran Brill movies on Netflix

Jim Henson Idea Man2024IMDb rating 7.7as Himself
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street2021IMDb rating 8.0as Himself
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story2014IMDb rating 7.5as Himself
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey2011IMDb rating 7.6as Herself - Puppeteer
Doug's 1st Movie1999IMDb rating 4.9as Mrs. Perigrew
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999IMDb rating 5.9as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie Dawn (voice)
Sesame Street: Elmopalooza!1998IMDb rating 6.5as Zoe / Prairie Dawn / Roxie Marie (voice)
Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas1996IMDb rating 6.6as Zoe (voice)
What About Bob?1991IMDb rating 7.0as Lily Marvin
Old Enough1984IMDb rating 6.3as Mrs. Sloan
Being There1979IMDb rating 7.9as Sally Hayes

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Being There1979 Comedy, Dramaas Sally Hayes
IMDb rating 7.983K votes
What About Bob?1991 Comedyas Lily Marvin
IMDb rating 7.080K votes
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey2011as Herself - Puppeteer
IMDb rating 7.67.3K votes
Old Enough1984as Mrs. Sloan
IMDb rating 6.31.1K votes
Jim Henson Idea Man2024as Himself
IMDb rating 7.74.5K votes
Sesame Street: Elmopalooza!1998as Zoe / Prairie Dawn / Roxie Marievoice
IMDb rating 6.5201 votes
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie Dawnvoice
IMDb rating 5.94.0K votes
Doug's 1st Movie1999as Mrs. Perigrew
IMDb rating 4.93.8K votes

Most often with

Frank Oz appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Frank Oz

Jim Henson

Kevin Clash

Caroll Spinney

Emilio Delgado

Roscoe Orman

Films together

Frank Oz6 films together, 1996 to 2024
Frank Oz's page
- Jim Henson Idea Man2024IMDb rating 7.7Brill as HimselfOz as Himself
- Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street2021IMDb rating 8.0Brill as HimselfOz as Himself
- I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story2014IMDb rating 7.5Brill as HimselfOz as Himself
- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey2011IMDb rating 7.6Brill as Herself - PuppeteerOz as Himself
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999IMDb rating 5.9Brill as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie DawnvoiceOz as Bert / Grover / Cookie Monstervoice
- Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas1996IMDb rating 6.6Brill as ZoevoiceOz as Cookie Monstervoice
Jim Henson4 films together, 2011 to 2024
Jim Henson's page
- Jim Henson Idea Man2024IMDb rating 7.7Brill as HimselfHenson as Himself
- Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street2021IMDb rating 8.0Brill as HimselfHenson as Himself
- I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story2014IMDb rating 7.5Brill as HimselfHenson as Himself
- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey2011IMDb rating 7.6Brill as Herself - PuppeteerHenson as Himself
Kevin Clash4 films together, 1996 to 2011
Kevin Clash's page
- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey2011IMDb rating 7.6Brill as Herself - PuppeteerClash as Himself
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999IMDb rating 5.9Brill as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie DawnvoiceClash as Elmo / Pestie / Grouch Jailer / Grouch Cab Drivervoice
- Sesame Street: Elmopalooza!1998IMDb rating 6.5Brill as Zoe / Prairie Dawn / Roxie MarievoiceClash as Elmovoice
- Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas1996IMDb rating 6.6Brill as ZoevoiceClash as Elmovoice
Caroll Spinney4 films together, 1996 to 2014
Caroll Spinney's page
- I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story2014IMDb rating 7.5Brill as HimselfSpinney as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch / Self
- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey2011IMDb rating 7.6Brill as Herself - PuppeteerSpinney as Himself
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999IMDb rating 5.9Brill as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie DawnvoiceSpinney as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouchvoice
- Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas1996IMDb rating 6.6Brill as ZoevoiceSpinney as Big Birdvoice
Emilio Delgado4 films together, 1996 to 2021
Emilio Delgado's page
- Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street2021IMDb rating 8.0Brill as HimselfDelgado as Himself
- I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story2014IMDb rating 7.5Brill as HimselfDelgado as Himself
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999IMDb rating 5.9Brill as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie DawnvoiceDelgado as Luis
- Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas1996IMDb rating 6.6Brill as ZoevoiceDelgado as Luis
Roscoe Orman3 films together, 1996 to 2014
Roscoe Orman's page
- I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story2014IMDb rating 7.5Brill as HimselfOrman as Himself
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999IMDb rating 5.9Brill as Zoe / Pestie / Prairie DawnvoiceOrman as Gordon
- Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas1996IMDb rating 6.6Brill as ZoevoiceOrman as Gordon
Also three films together4 more actors
- Sonia ManzanoI Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014), The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999) and Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
- Carmen OsbahrThe Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999), Sesame Street: Elmopalooza! (1998) and Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
- Martin P. RobinsonBeing Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011), The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999) and Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
- Joan Ganz CooneyStreet Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021), I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014) and Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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