Jerry Nelson
Biography
Jerry Nelson was an American puppeteer whose Muppet characters were often singers or musicians. Born in Oklahoma and raised in Tulsa, he was inspired toward puppetry at eleven by a marionette he saw in a department store. His longest-running Sesame Street role was Count von Count, whom he voiced and operated from 1972 until his death in 2012, and from 1971 to 1978 he was the original performer of Mr. Snuffleupagus. On The Muppet Show he handled Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Lew Zealand and several others, while on Fraggle Rock he was asked to take the central part of Gobo Fraggle. He performed Emmet in Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas and reprised Fozzie Bear's mother in The Muppet Christmas Carol. Later credits include a voice on Sheep in the Big City in 2001 and an album of original songs, Truro Daydreams, in 2009. He died in 2012.
78years old at death
- Born Tulsa
- Died Cape Cod
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Movie Career
- Films
- 13
- Career span
- 25 years1977 to 2002
Genres
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Big break
Nelson performed Gobo Fraggle, Pa Gorg and Marjory the Trash Heap on Fraggle Rock. Since Frank Oz did not appear on the show and Jim Henson and Hunt spent limited time there, Nelson was asked to take the central role of Gobo.
Beyond film
Nelson voiced and puppeteered Emmet in Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, a one-hour CBC special. As Robin, he later sang that show's signature song, "When the River Meets the Sea," with John Denver on a Muppet Christmas special.
Jerry Nelson movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Muppet Movie1979 Adventure, Comedy, Familyas Floyd Pepper / Crazy Harry / Robin the Frog / Lew Zealand / Camilla / Blue Fracklevoice
IMDb rating 7.643K votes
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999as Count / Pestie / Grouch Mayor / Grouch Copvoice
IMDb rating 5.94.0K votes
- Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art1983as The Countvoice
IMDb rating 7.9307 votes
Most often with
Brian Henson directed two of these films, Jim Henson two and Jon Stone two. Frank Oz appears in twelve 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.
Films together
Frank Oz's page
Dave Goelz's page
Steve Whitmire's page
Jim Henson's page
Richard Hunt's page
Caroll Spinney's page
All films by Brian Henson
All films by Jon Stone
Box office
What Jerry Nelson's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$254 million
8 of the 13 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 13 films: 8 worldwide figure; 4 never in cinemas; 1 figure not found.
- 8Worldwide figure
- 4Never in cinemas
- 1Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1The Muppet Movie1979as Floyd Pepper / Crazy Harry / Robin the Frog / Lew Zealand / Camilla / Blue Frackle (voice)$76M30.1% of the total
- 2Muppet Treasure Island1996as Statler / Blind Pew / Mad Monty / Floyd Pepper / Lew Zealand / Tomato / Pirate / Skulls / Trelawney's Butler / Screaming Cat (voice)$39M15.1% of the total
- 3$35M13.6% of the total
- 4The Great Muppet Caper1981as Floyd Pepper / Pops / Lew Zealand / Crazy Harry / Louis Kazager / Slim Wilson / CB Voice / Man in Park (voice)$31M12.3% of the total
- 5The Muppets Take Manhattan1984as Camilla / Lew Zealand / Floyd / Bear / Chicken / Crazy Harry / Dog / Dr. Julius Strangepork / Granny / Penguin / Pops (voice)$26M10.0% of the total
- 6$22M8.8% of the total
- 7$14M5.5% of the total
- 8$12M4.6% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.