Muppet Wiki

Kermiteye.png Welcome to Muppet Wiki!


Please visit Special:Community to learn how you can collaborate with the editing community.

READ MORE

Muppet Wiki
Register
(Adding categories)
Tag: categoryselect
(39 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
{{character|image=Character.mahna.jpg|performer=[[Jim Henson]]|debut=1969|design=Jim Henson|designnote=designer|design2=[[Don Sahlin]]|designnote2=builder}}
{{performer|Jim Henson}}
 
[[Image:Character.mahna.jpg|frame]]
 
{{designer1|[[Don Sahlin]]|builder}}
 
 
[[Image:SketchMahnaMahna_.jpg|thumb|300px|Mahna Mahna sketch, from late 1960s.]]
 
[[Image:SketchMahnaMahna_.jpg|thumb|300px|Mahna Mahna sketch, from late 1960s.]]
 
[[File:Mahnamahna.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 
[[File:Mahnamahna.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 
[[Image:Mahnamahna-live.jpg|thumb|300px|Mahna Mahna drives through Hollywood in a video insert for ''The Muppet Show Live''.]]
 
[[Image:Mahnamahna-live.jpg|thumb|300px|Mahna Mahna drives through Hollywood in a video insert for ''The Muppet Show Live''.]]
[[Image:Mansow.jpg|thumb|300px|Promotional photo for the ''Jim Henson's Fantastic World'' touring exhibit.]]
+
[[Image:Mansow.jpg|thumb|300px|Promotional photo for the ''[[Jim Henson's Fantastic World]]'' touring exhibit.]]
[[Image:Manahsnowthslge.jpg|thumb|300px|The rebuilt Mahna Mahna for the 2005 CanTeen Bandanana ad.]]
+
[[Image:Mahnamuppetbr.jpg|thumb|300px|Mahna Mahna in 2009]]
[[Image:Picture_1.png|thumb|300px|Mahna Mahna in 2010]]
 
 
'''Mahna Mahna''' is a purple [[The Muppets|Muppet]] with wild, orange hair and a furry, green tunic who is most famous for performing the [[Sketches That Use Abstract Dialect|nonsense song]] "[[Mahna Mahna (song)|Mahna Mahna]]" with [[The Snowths|the Snowths]]. His vocabulary is essentially limited to saying his own name and scatting.
 
'''Mahna Mahna''' is a purple [[The Muppets|Muppet]] with wild, orange hair and a furry, green tunic who is most famous for performing the [[Sketches That Use Abstract Dialect|nonsense song]] "[[Mahna Mahna (song)|Mahna Mahna]]" with [[The Snowths|the Snowths]]. His vocabulary is essentially limited to saying his own name and scatting.
   
Line 13: Line 10:
   
 
After reprising "Mahna Mahna" on several other variety shows, Mahna Mahna was featured in the [[Episode 101: Juliet Prowse|very first episode]] of ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', performing his signature song as opening number, dancing with [[Wanda]] in [[At the Dance]], and popping up between [[Statler and Waldorf]] in their [[Statler and Waldorf's Box|box]]. Also, in the [[Episode 101: Juliet Prowse#The Pilot|pilot version]] of the episode, he made an additional appearance, surprising guest star [[Juliet Prowse]] after her conversation with [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] [[Backstage|backstage]]. Although he was also featured prominently in [[Episode 102: Connie Stevens|episode 102]], appearing again in At the Dance and "[[Sax and Violence]]", most of Mahna Mahna's future appearances on the show would be in the background or in the audience of the [[Muppet Theater]].
 
After reprising "Mahna Mahna" on several other variety shows, Mahna Mahna was featured in the [[Episode 101: Juliet Prowse|very first episode]] of ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', performing his signature song as opening number, dancing with [[Wanda]] in [[At the Dance]], and popping up between [[Statler and Waldorf]] in their [[Statler and Waldorf's Box|box]]. Also, in the [[Episode 101: Juliet Prowse#The Pilot|pilot version]] of the episode, he made an additional appearance, surprising guest star [[Juliet Prowse]] after her conversation with [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] [[Backstage|backstage]]. Although he was also featured prominently in [[Episode 102: Connie Stevens|episode 102]], appearing again in At the Dance and "[[Sax and Violence]]", most of Mahna Mahna's future appearances on the show would be in the background or in the audience of the [[Muppet Theater]].
Mahna Mahna was puppeteered by [[Bill Barretta]] to a vocal track by [[Jim Henson]] at ''[[The Muppet Show Live]]'' at [[MuppetFest]]; at one point, the character left the theater to go to a fast food restaurant. Barretta reprised the role, providing both puppetry and voice for Mahna Mahna in his first original speaking role since Henson's death, in the 2005 "Bandanana" commercial for the [[Australia]]n charity [[CanTeen]]. In this most recent appearance, the puppet has brighter colors and softer features than previous incarnations. Recently, Mahna Mahna, alongside the Snowths, made cameo appearances in the [[virmup]] video of [[Bohemian Rhapsody]].
 
   
 
After a long absence, Mahna Mahna appeared at ''[[The Muppet Show Live]]'' at [[MuppetFest]]. Here, he was puppeteered by [[Bill Barretta]] lip-syncing to [[Jim Henson|Jim Henson's]] vocals; at one point, the character left the theater to go to a fast food restaurant. Barretta assumed the role, providing both puppetry and voice for Mahna Mahna in his first original speaking role since Henson's death, in the 2005 "Bandanana" commercial for the [[Australia]]n charity [[CanTeen]]. In this appearance, the puppet had brighter colors and softer features than previous incarnations. Mahna Mahna, alongside the Snowths, made cameos in the [[Muppet viral videos|Muppet viral video]] for "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]," and have reprised "Mahna Mahna" in their appearances on ''[[Good Morning America]]'', ''[[The Muppets (2011)|The Muppets]]'', and the concert [[Jim Henson's Musical World]].
[[Palisades Toys]] released a [[Mini Muppets|mini figure]] of Mahna Mahna, and also had plans for an [[Unmade Palisades Toys|action figure]].
 
  +
 
[[Palisades Toys]] released a [[Mini Muppets|mini figure]] of Mahna Mahna, and also had plans for an [[Unmade Palisades Toys|action figure]]. In 2012, [[Funko]] released a vinyl figure of Mahna Mahna.
   
 
==[[Bip Bippadotta]]==
 
==[[Bip Bippadotta]]==
Line 21: Line 19:
   
 
==Casting history==
 
==Casting history==
* Jim Henson: 1969-1976
+
* Jim Henson: ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' (1969) - ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' (1976)
* Bill Barretta: ''[[The Muppet Show Live]]'', [[CanTeen]], [[Bohemian Rhapsody]]
+
* Bill Barretta: ''[[The Muppet Show Live]]'' (2001) to present
   
 
==Filmography==
 
==Filmography==
 
<div class="appear">
 
 
*''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' ("[[Mahna Mahna (song)|Mahna Mahna]]," "[[Minuet in G Major]]")
 
*''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' ("[[Mahna Mahna (song)|Mahna Mahna]]," "[[Minuet in G Major]]")
 
*''[[The Dick Cavett Show]]''
 
*''[[The Dick Cavett Show]]''
Line 45: Line 41:
 
**[[Episode 312: James Coco]]
 
**[[Episode 312: James Coco]]
 
**[[Episode 317: Spike Milligan]] ("[[America (West Side Story)|America]], "[[It's a Small World]]")
 
**[[Episode 317: Spike Milligan]] ("[[America (West Side Story)|America]], "[[It's a Small World]]")
*''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' ([[The Muppet Movie#Rainbow Connection Finale|&quot;The Rainbow Connection&quot; Finale]])
+
*''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' ([[The Muppet Movie#Rainbow Connection Finale|"The Rainbow Connection" Finale]])
 
*''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]'' ([[The Muppets Take Manhattan#Wedding Finale|Wedding Finale]])
 
*''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]'' ([[The Muppets Take Manhattan#Wedding Finale|Wedding Finale]])
 
*''[[The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years]]''
 
*''[[The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years]]''
 
*''[[The Muppet Show Live]]''
 
*''[[The Muppet Show Live]]''
 
*[[CanTeen]] "Bandanana" commercial
 
*[[CanTeen]] "Bandanana" commercial
  +
* [[Muppet viral videos]]
*[[Virmup]]
 
 
**"[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]"
 
**"[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]"
*''[[The Muppets (2011)|The Muppets]]''
+
*[[The Muppet Show Theme]] Music Video
  +
*''[[The Muppets (2011)|The Muppets]]'' (film)
</div>
 
  +
*[[Orange]] commercial
  +
*''[[Good Morning America]]''
  +
*''[[Bounty|Kermit's Party]]''
  +
*''[[Muppets Most Wanted]]''
  +
*''[[The Muppets (2015)|The Muppets]]'' (series)
  +
**"[[Episode 116: Because... Love|Because... Love]]"
   
 
==Book appearances==
 
==Book appearances==
Line 63: Line 65:
 
*''[[The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson]] Issue #2: You May Meet a Stranger''
 
*''[[The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson]] Issue #2: You May Meet a Stranger''
 
*''[[Muppet King Arthur]]'' Issue #2
 
*''[[Muppet King Arthur]]'' Issue #2
  +
*''[[Muppet Snow White]]''
   
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
Line 71: Line 74:
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
 
<references />
 
<references />
  +
  +
__NOTOC__
 
[[Category:Muppet Characters|Mahna Mahna]]
 
[[Category:Muppet Characters|Mahna Mahna]]
 
[[Category:Muppet Show Characters|Mahna Mahna]]
 
[[Category:Muppet Show Characters|Mahna Mahna]]
 
[[Category:The Muppets Characters]]
 
[[Category:The Muppets Characters]]
  +
[[Category:The Muppets (2015) Characters]]

Revision as of 17:34, 1 March 2016

Character.mahna
PERFORMER Jim Henson
DEBUT 1969
DESIGN Jim Henson designer
  Don Sahlin builder
SketchMahnaMahna

Mahna Mahna sketch, from late 1960s.

Mahnamahna
Mahnamahna-live

Mahna Mahna drives through Hollywood in a video insert for The Muppet Show Live.

Mansow

Promotional photo for the Jim Henson's Fantastic World touring exhibit.

Mahnamuppetbr

Mahna Mahna in 2009

Mahna Mahna is a purple Muppet with wild, orange hair and a furry, green tunic who is most famous for performing the nonsense song "Mahna Mahna" with the Snowths. His vocabulary is essentially limited to saying his own name and scatting.

Mahna Mahna made his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969, where he sang "Mahna Mahna" for the first time. In a later appearance on the variety show, he played a drummer filling in for a violinist in a string quartet performing Beethoven's "Minuet in G Major." The scripts for that appearance refer to him as "Harry".[1]

After reprising "Mahna Mahna" on several other variety shows, Mahna Mahna was featured in the very first episode of The Muppet Show, performing his signature song as opening number, dancing with Wanda in At the Dance, and popping up between Statler and Waldorf in their box. Also, in the pilot version of the episode, he made an additional appearance, surprising guest star Juliet Prowse after her conversation with Kermit backstage. Although he was also featured prominently in episode 102, appearing again in At the Dance and "Sax and Violence", most of Mahna Mahna's future appearances on the show would be in the background or in the audience of the Muppet Theater.

After a long absence, Mahna Mahna appeared at The Muppet Show Live at MuppetFest. Here, he was puppeteered by Bill Barretta lip-syncing to Jim Henson's vocals; at one point, the character left the theater to go to a fast food restaurant. Barretta assumed the role, providing both puppetry and voice for Mahna Mahna in his first original speaking role since Henson's death, in the 2005 "Bandanana" commercial for the Australian charity CanTeen. In this appearance, the puppet had brighter colors and softer features than previous incarnations. Mahna Mahna, alongside the Snowths, made cameos in the Muppet viral video for "Bohemian Rhapsody," and have reprised "Mahna Mahna" in their appearances on Good Morning America, The Muppets, and the concert Jim Henson's Musical World.

Palisades Toys released a mini figure of Mahna Mahna, and also had plans for an action figure. In 2012, Funko released a vinyl figure of Mahna Mahna.

Bip Bippadotta

"Mahna Mahna" was also performed on the first season of Sesame Street by an Anything Muppet, originally identified on albums as "Mahna-Mahna." He would later come to be called Bip Bippadotta. Although the character would evolve to look more like Mahna Mahna over the years, the characters have generally been considered completely separate entities.

Casting history

Filmography

Book appearances

See also

Sources