David Rudman (b. ca. 1963)^[1] is a core Sesame Street puppeteer who performs Baby Bear, Davey Monkey, Chicago the Lion, and Humphrey. Since 2001, Rudman has also become the new performer of Cookie Monster.

Rudman first started working with the Muppets in a summer internship with the Muppet Workshop in 1981, when he was 18 years old. His friend Richard Hunt helped him get a job as a Muppet performer.^[2] The following year, he graduated from Highland Park High School in Chicago. After Hunt's passing in 1992, Rudman assumed the roles of Sully, Sonny Friendly and the right (horns up) half of the Two-Headed Monster. Outside of Sesame Street, Rudman has also taken over performing Scooter and Janice in recent Muppet productions.

With his brother Adam Rudman, he has produced Jack's Big Music Show for their Chicago-based company Spiffy Pictures. He has also written and directed live-action films and cartoons for Sesame Street, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. Rudman's work in television commercials include ads for Coke, McDonald's, Cheerios, Disney World, the National Wildlife Federation and most notably as Fingerman for a series of Ziploc bag commercials.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2004 for "Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series" for his work on Sesame Street as Baby Bear and Cookie Monster.

Credits

• The Muppets Take Manhattan
• Little Muppet Monsters: Boo Monster

  

• Labyrinth: Goblins (puppetry only)
• The Tale of the Bunny Picnic: Snort, The Snail
• A Muppet Family Christmas: Miss Piggy's Photographer
• Sing-Along, Dance-Along, Do-Along: Farmer Lear
• Neat Stuff To Know & To Do: Danny, Dino Doc, Skipping Stones, Snake Charmer
• Wow, You're a Cartoonist!: Mookie
• Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting
• The Jim Henson Hour: "The Song of the Cloud Forest"
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Donatello (face)
• The Cosby Show: Sweetums, Boo Monster
• The Muppets at Walt Disney World
• Muppet*Vision 3D: Roy and Max
• The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
• Dinosaurs
• Muppets Tonight
• Sesame Street: Airplane, Alarm Clock Bird, Andre, Athena, Baby Bear, Beachball, Betty Bowl of Plastic Fruit, Mr. Bricklayer, Bud, Chicago the Lion, Cookie Monster (2001-present), Cranky, D-tective Dave, Det. John Munch, Dr. Edwynn, Dr. Johnson, Lavender Ed, One of the Four Grouches Named Moe, Davey Monkey, Dip the Cat (1992), Fearful, Flo Bear, Frankie, Hammy Swinette, Humphrey, Lieutenant Tao, Log, The Man in Brown, Next Generation Science Officer, Norman, Patrick, Pipe Organ, Rudder Rabbit, School, Sully (1992-1999), Sonny Friendly (1992-2000), one of the String Beans, Two-Headed Monster (right head, 1992-present), Tyrone, Umeko's Friends, Velma Blank, the Martians
• Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Firehouse: Mr. Monster
• The Muppet Christmas Carol: Old Joe (puppetry only), Peter Cratchit, The Swedish Chef, Wander McMooch, Beggar
• City Kids: Frankie Frank and Muppet Coordinator
• Dog City: Bowser, Bram, Colonel Claghound
• Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree: Ned Mouse
• Muppet Sing-A-Long: It's Not Easy Being Green
• Billy Bunny's Animal Songs: Percival Bear, Gopher, Termite, Waiter Penguin, Frog
• Muppet Meeting Films: Big Head, Gimley, Jones, others
• A New Baby in My House: Courtier
• Sesame Street Stays Up Late!
• Elmocize: one of the Twister Sisters
• Muppet Time: Milton
• Aliens in the Family: Bobut
• Elmopalooza: Sparky
• The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Alarm Clock Bird, Caterpillar, Pestie, Collander Stenchman, Grouch Ice Cream Customer, Various Grouches
• Play With Me Sesame
• Elmo's World: Happy Holidays: Orange Gold Caroler
• The Street We Live On
• A Magical Halloween Adventure: Pumpkin, The Surprise Monsters
• Happy Healthy Monsters
• A Green and Red Christmas
• Elmo's Christmas Countdown
• Studio DC: Almost Live: Janice and Scooter
• Abby in Wonderland
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: Scooter, Janice, Luncheon Counter Monster
• The Muppets: Scooter, Janice, Miss Poogy, Wayne, Bobby Benson, Food in the "We Built This City" montage

Director credits

• Cookie Monster Auditions for Saturday Night Live
• Conversations With Bert

Sources

1. ↑ In a Chicago Public Radio interview from May 21, 2004, Rudman says he was 5 when Sesame Street started.
2. ↑ Rudman, David The MuppetCast episode 41

External links

• Official Site
• Puppet Wikia: David Rudman - for non-Henson projects