Steve Whitmire

Steven Lawrence Whitmire (born September 24, 1959) is an American puppeteer, known primarily for his work on <a href="/facts/The_Muppets/yBIEx2oF">The Muppets</a> and <a href="/facts/Sesame_Street/kejrLUeG">Sesame Street</a>. Beginning his involvement with the Muppets in 1978, Whitmire originated the roles of <a href="/facts/Rizzo_the_Rat/hdkpj9l0">Rizzo the Rat</a>, <a href="/facts/Dr._Teeth_and_the_Electric_Mayhem/4t5769l1">Lips</a>, <a href="/facts/Wembley_Fraggle/agEpcBBd">Wembley Fraggle</a>, and <a href="/facts/List_of_Muppets/cDLdEGQA">Bean Bunny</a>. He also inherited the roles of <a href="/facts/Kermit_the_Frog/r7thM9sK">Kermit the Frog</a> and <a href="/facts/Ernie_(Sesame_Street)/7brkYtkc">Ernie</a> after <a href="/facts/Jim_Henson/srqup3Fg">Jim Henson</a>'s death in 1990; he performed the characters until 2014 and 2016, respectively. In later years, he also performed <a href="/facts/Statler_and_Waldorf/1HaDTIXP">Statler</a> and <a href="/facts/Beaker_(Muppet)/Q9Uub7LB">Beaker</a>. As part of the Muppet cast, he has appeared in multiple feature films and television series, performing a variety of characters on <a href="/facts/The_Muppet_Show/mlUVIB4A">The Muppet Show</a>, Sesame Street, and <a href="/facts/Fraggle_Rock/vAWDweHd">Fraggle Rock</a> and during such occupations has been employed by <a href="/facts/The_Jim_Henson_Company/Cq7eyS3U">The Jim Henson Company</a>, <a href="/facts/Sesame_Workshop/0YwheTHS">Sesame Workshop</a>, and <a href="/facts/The_Muppets_Studio/aygwJ63r">The Muppets Studio</a>.

Steve Whitmire open-in-new

Steve Whitmire