Matt Vogel

Matt Vogel

Matthew J. "Matt" Vogel (b. October 6th, 1970) is an accomplished puppeteer who joined the Sesame Street troupe in 1996. He is currently the show's Muppet Captain and has also assumed most of Jerry Nelson's roles, by the recommendation of Nelson himself. In addition to performing classic Muppet characters such as Floyd Pepper and Lew Zealand in recent productions, Vogel has puppeteered Count von Count and other Sesame characters to Nelson's voice for several years. Vogel fully inherited the Count, providing both voice and puppetry, shortly after Nelson's death.

Vogel is also known for his work as Caroll Spinney's understudy for Big Bird, including the "Journey to Ernie" segments, several street scenes and other appearances whenever Spinney is unavailable. He also played Big Bird's infant self, Baby Big Bird in the Sesame Beginnings DVD series. Overtime, Vogel has also accumulated his own recurring characters on Sesame Street, including Herb the dinosaur and Hansel.

Vogel's other Muppet credits include work, assisting or in supporting roles, on Big Bag, Bear in the Big Blue House, Sesame English, and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, as well as various pigeons in the Creature Shop film The Producers. Works outside the Henson fold include the video series MATHmatazz, Jack's Big Music Show, The Puzzle Place, the HBO drama Oz, Oobi, Blue's Room, and Between the Lions.

In theater, Vogel has acted in regional productions of various plays, including The Foreigner and Six Degrees of Sparation, and was involved in the 2003 - 2004 Broadway run of Little Shop of Horrors, manipulating Audrey II and playing various bums and Skid Row residents (alongside fellow veteran Muppet performer Martin P. Robinson and Anthony Asbury).

In addition to puppeteering, Vogel's interest in music is made evident by his non-Sesame role as front man for the band, The Mighty Weaklings released a CD of songs "for kids--and grown-ups" called You Can't Rock Sittin' Down in June of 2008 after appearing in the video for their song "Rocket Ship" on Jack's Big Music Show. With Joey Mazzarino, Vogel co-owns Pratfall Productions, which produced the film-noir puppet spoof Murder, He Squeaked and various inserts for Sesame Street, "Sesame Street" videos and Nick Jr.'s Curious Buddies. Vogel also serves as director for Sesame Street beginning with Season 39 and the recurring segment, "Murray Has a Little Lamb."

Episodes Where Vogel Played Big Bird

In addition to the "Journey to Ernie segments" & inserted clips, Matt has also played Big Bird in many scenes including:

• A sketch where Big Bird explains to Elmo that plants can't play catch.
• A sketch where Big Bird watches Elmo show up & down.
• Episode 3790: One of the earliest instances of Big Bird performing Big Bird, to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney, beginning when Oscar the Grouch appears partway into the episode.
• Episode 3831: Whenever Oscar and Big Bird both appear together, Vogel is manipulating the Bird, at one point lip-syncing to a vocal track by Spinney.
• Episode 3851: For the scene where Big Bird & Elmo practice the tango, Vogel is puppeteering Big Bird.
• Episode 3877
• Episode 3907
• Episode 3987
• Episode 3997: For the parts of the episode where Big Bird and Oscar do not share a scene, Big Bird is played by Spinney, however, since the episode is mainly about Oscar, when they share a scene, Spinney is Oscar, & Vogel is inside Big Bird, to a vocal track.
• Episode 4028: Big Bird and Bob sing Rub Your Tummy with a group of kids.
• Episode 4074: The Letter of the Month Club
• Episode 4075
• Episode 4107 & Episode 4108: The Adventures of Little Big Bird (mini Big Bird only)
• Episode 4109: Vogel puppeteers Big Bird during the song "Everyone Needs a Friend," to Spinney's vocals.
• Episode 4155: Vogel performs Big Bird (voice & puppetry) for his cameo at the beginning.
• Episode 4187: Vogel played Big Bird during the green-screen scenes to a vocal track by Spinney
• Episode 4203: Vogel played Big Bird to a vocal track by Caroll Spinney
• Episode 4206: In the brief moment where we see Big Bird's actual crash when he is wedged inside the little wall in front of 123 Sesame Street, Vogel is Big Bird
• The Street We Live On: in the intro to "Journey to Ernie"
• In "What I Am," and "Elmo's Got the Moves," Vogel puppeteers Big Bird to Spinney's voice.
• The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Vogel puppeteered Big Bird in several scenes, to a vocal track by Spinney, letting the latter perform Oscar the Grouch

Muppeteer Credits

• Muppet Characters: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken (all 2008 - present)
• Sesame Street: Big Bird (understudy; ca. 1998 - present), Granny Bird (Episode 3979 and Episode 3980; puppeteer only) Count von Count (assistant and puppeteer only, through 2012; 2013 - present), Letter of the Day Announcer, Maurice Pig (4095), Gassy (Dwarf #3) (4114), Baby Bear (assistant), Ernie (assistant) (2000 - 2003), "Elmo's World" CGI Furniture, Herb (4113), David Letterguy (4125), Hansel & Gretel (Healthy Storybook Moment), Rapunzel's Prince (4127), Gardener, Groucho Marx Muppet, Howie Eatswell (4138), Ant (4147), Megan (Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer?), Pino, Professor Gary Gill, Wyoming Walt, Mr. Yak, the guinea pig (Pre-School Musical), The Super Foods banana, etc.
• Don't Forget to Watch the Movie
• Big Bag
• Big Bird Gets Lost
• Telling the Truth
• Elmo Saves Christmas
• Telling the Truth: Additional Puppeteer
• Elmopalooza
• Bear in the Big Blue House
• Sesame Street Goes to the Doctor: Hoarse Horse
• A Brief History of Motion Pictures
• The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
• Play With Me Sesame: Ernie (assistant)
• Muppet Race Mania: Scooter, Janice (voices)
• Elmo's Magic Cookbook: Glass of Water
• Music Works Wonders
• Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic
• A Celebration of Me, Grover
• Sesame Beginnings: Baby Big Bird
• The Producers: Pigeons
• Kids' Favorite Country Songs: Elmer
• Elmo's Christmas Countdown: Stiller the Elf (puppetry only)
• Studio DC: Almost Live!: Floyd Pepper
• Studio DC: Almost Live!: Camilla the Chicken and Floyd Pepper
• Virmup
• Abby in Wonderland
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken
• Here For You: Chester's Dad
• Coming Home
• Families Stand Together
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken
• The Muppets: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken, Crazy Harry, Sweetums Rowlf the Dog Moopet, Janice Moopet, Wanda (Muppetry) Singing Food in "Me Party".
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Robin the Frog ("When the River Meets the Sea")
• Monstruos Supersanos: Dr. Ruster
• Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration: Alex
• Muppets Most Wanted: Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Camilla the Chicken, Sweetums, Constantine

Trivia

• When Matt Vogel was introduced to Spinney at his first audition for the part of Big Bird, the latter remarked, "Vogel is German for Bird. That's a good sign."
• The word "vogel" is Dutch for bird as well.
• The protective slippers Vogel wears over Big Bird's feet when he's not on set are labeled, respectively, "Vogel" and "Füsse," meaning "bird" and "feet," or read together "bird's feet."
• Vogel is left-handed.
• Characters of Muppeteer veteran Jerry Nelson's Matt Vogel has performed once or consistently are:
  • Count von Count: 2000s - 2012 (assistant; Muppetry only); Muppetry and voice together: 'Counting the "You"s in YouTube (2013) - present
  • Floyd Pepper: Studio DC: Almost Live hosted by Dylan and Cole Sprouse (2008) - present
  • Lew Zealand: A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008) - present
  • Crazy Harry: Stars and Stripes Forever (2008) - present
  • Robin the Frog: A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008) - present
  • Camilla the Chicken: Classical Chicken (2008) - present
  • Dr. Julius Strangepork: Bohemian Rhapsody (2009), The Muppets (2011)
  • Uncle Deadly: The Muppets (2011)
  • Pops: behind-the-scenes video), "Food Fight" Muppisode (2013)
  • The Big Bad Wolf: Sesame Street Episode 4319 (2013)

External links

• Official Site
• Mighty Weaklings Official Site
• Toughpigs.com- Interview
• The Muppet Mindset - Interview Part 1, Part 2
• Dramatics Magazine interview

See also

• Matt Vogel on the Muppet Wiki
• Matt Vogel on the Puppet Wiki
• Matt Vogel on the Grouches Wiki
• Matt Vogel on the Oscar the Grouch Wiki