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Louise Gold

Louise Gold (b. 1956), trained at the Arts Educational School, is an actress and puppeteer who has done extensive stage work in Britain (especially in musical theater), as well as being a recurring puppeteer in various Muppet productions. She was the only British member of The Muppet Show performing team. She joined the Muppet Team in 1977, during the second season of The Muppet Show. Her most well known character on the show was young and aspiring pig Annie Sue.

While on The Muppet Show, she frequently worked as assistant to Jim Henson when performing characters that would require more than one person. She has also been teamed with Jerry Nelson often times over the years in various productions, especially for musical numbers. She commented on this, saying: "I guess people think we sound good together!"^[1]

In the Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter (Volume 3, No 1, 1981), the 5'9" tall performer described the hiring process: "They were looking for a girl strong enough and tall enough to manipulate the puppets. I think I was chosen for my size, not my talent!"

As a puppeteer, she went on to become a founding member of the team behind the satirical TV show Spitting Image.

Her most recent stage credits (as a singer actress in musical theater) include Tanya in Mamma Mia, Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby in The Waterbabies, Baroness Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins, and Mrs. Sowerberry/Mrs. Bedwin in Oliver!.

As a cabaret performer she has attempted to bring together both strands of her career, particularly in her own cabaret act LOUISE GOLD...By Appointment.

Gold has not puppeteered in a major Muppet production in recent years, although in August of 2010, she led the Jim Henson's Camden walk.