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==Bio==
 
==Bio==
Martin Robinson has been on staff at [[The Jim Henson Company]] since 1980. Early roles have included [[Mr. Snuffleupagus]], [[Telly Monster]], [[Slimey]], and [[Buster the Horse]], though all were previously performed by other people. He also performed [[Oscar the Grouch|Oscar]]'s niece, [[Irvine the Grouch|Irvine]], and his mother, [[Mrs. Grouch]], and has voiced many announcers. In addition to performing, he has played an active role in hiring and training puppeteers for local Sesame Street productions in Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Russia, and Bangladesh.
+
Martin Robinson has been on staff at [[The Jim Henson Company]] since 1981. Early roles have included [[Mr. Snuffleupagus]], [[Telly Monster]], [[Slimey]], and [[Buster the Horse]], though all were previously performed by other people. He also performed [[Oscar the Grouch|Oscar]]'s niece, [[Irvine the Grouch|Irvine]], and his mother, [[Mrs. Grouch]], and has voiced many announcers. In addition to performing, he has played an active role in hiring and training puppeteers for local Sesame Street productions in Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Russia, and Bangladesh.
   
Other Henson productions that Robinson has performed in, outside of ''Sesame Street'', have included the [[Farmer]] in ''[[Tale of the Bunny Picnic]]'', the animatronics for Leonardo in ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'', and [[The Cat in the Hat]] on ''[[The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss]]''.
+
Other Henson productions that Robinson has performed in, outside of ''Sesame Street'', have included [[the Farmer]] in ''[[Tale of the Bunny Picnic]]'', the animatronics for Leonardo in ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'', and [[The Cat in the Hat]] on ''[[The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss]]''.
   
 
Robinson's stage credits include designing, building and performing Audrey II in the original 1982 off-Broadway and 2003 [[Broadway]] productions of ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'', and set designing and building for the Broadway production of [[Stephen Sondheim|Stephen Sondheim's]] ''Frogs''.
 
Robinson's stage credits include designing, building and performing Audrey II in the original 1982 off-Broadway and 2003 [[Broadway]] productions of ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'', and set designing and building for the Broadway production of [[Stephen Sondheim|Stephen Sondheim's]] ''Frogs''.
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==Marriage on ''Sesame Street''==
 
==Marriage on ''Sesame Street''==
[[Image:Martin'swedding.jpg|thumb|300px|Martin and Annie's wedding.]]
 
 
 
Robinson and [[Annie Evans]] married on the set of [[Sesame Street (location)|Sesame Street]]. The pair met in 1993 at the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in [[Connecticut]], where Martin was creating a puppet show to premiere during the conference. Martin proposed to Evans on [[New Year's Eve]] 2007, and the two were married on the steps of [[123 Sesame Street]] in Studio J at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in [[New York City|Queens]].
 
Robinson and [[Annie Evans]] married on the set of [[Sesame Street (location)|Sesame Street]]. The pair met in 1993 at the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in [[Connecticut]], where Martin was creating a puppet show to premiere during the conference. Martin proposed to Evans on [[New Year's Eve]] 2007, and the two were married on the steps of [[123 Sesame Street]] in Studio J at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in [[New York City|Queens]].
   
 
The ceremony was scripted by Evans, with [[Caroll Spinney]] as [[Oscar the Grouch]] appearing from his [[Oscar's trash can|trash can]] to heckle the couple. <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/fashion/weddings/17VOWS.html?ex=1376712000&en=d7dd422c60344636&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Wedding Notice in the ''New York Times''] </ref>
 
The ceremony was scripted by Evans, with [[Caroll Spinney]] as [[Oscar the Grouch]] appearing from his [[Oscar's trash can|trash can]] to heckle the couple. <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/fashion/weddings/17VOWS.html?ex=1376712000&en=d7dd422c60344636&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Wedding Notice in the ''New York Times''] </ref>
   
<gallery>
+
<gallery orientation=landscape>
 
Image:Martinsreception.jpg|The reception on the set of ''Sesame Street''
 
Image:Martinsreception.jpg|The reception on the set of ''Sesame Street''
  +
Image:Martin'swedding.jpg|
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
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[[File:Marty&Telly.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 
[[File:Marty&Telly.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 
[[Image:MartyRobinsonWorkshop.jpg|thumb|300px|Marty Robinson performing Telly at a puppeteering workshop. Marty is a puppeteer scout for co-productions of Sesame Street.]]
 
[[Image:MartyRobinsonWorkshop.jpg|thumb|300px|Marty Robinson performing Telly at a puppeteering workshop. Marty is a puppeteer scout for co-productions of Sesame Street.]]
* ''[[Sesame Street]]'': [[Abigail Snuffleupagus]], [[Alligator (Sesame Street)|Alligator]] ([[Episode 4201]]), [[The Big Bad Wolf]] (1990s - 2006), [[Buster the Horse]], [[Law & Order: Special Letters Unit|Captain Donald Cragen Muppet]], [[Carl Mericana]], [[Clancy]] ("[[Hill Street Blues|Hill Street Twos]]"), [[Dicky Tick]], [[Dinger]], "[[Dinner Theatre]]" father, Dirk, [[Donald Grump]], [[Dr. No]], [[Enzo]], [[Farmer McGregory]], [[Firefighter Jackson]], [[Forgetful Jones' parents|Forgetful Jones' father]], [[Fluffy]], [[Frank Lloyd Left]], [[Frazzle]] ([[Episode 3156]]), [[Gyro Spiniapolis]], [[H-Man]], [[Henny Drummschtick]], [[Harriet and Herbert Hare|Herbert Hare]], [[Herry's Father]], [[Honkers]], [[Irvine]], [[Jack and Jill|Jack]], [[Joe Hundred Guy's Butler]], [[Kermit the Forg]] ("[[Monsterpiece Theater|Monsters of Venice]]"), [[King Oliver]], "[[Let's Go Driving]]" father, [[The Log Bird]], [[Luke Warm]], [[the Martians]], [[Monty]], [[Mr. Browning]], [[Mr. Bull]], [[Mr. Policeman Fishy]], [[Mr. Snuffleupagus]] (1980 - present), [[Mrs. Grouch]], [[Murray Matisse]], [[The All Monster and a Guy Named Murray Chorus|Murray Monster]] ("[[Sound of the Letter L]]"), [[Newt the Nightwatchman]], [[Next Generation Captain]], [[Old MacDonald]], Penguin ("[[Antarctica!]]"),  [[Peter Piper]], [[Phil (Anything Muppet)|Phil]], [[Pizzeria Dos|Pizzeria Chef]], [[Prince Charming]] (1996), [[The Seven Dwarves|Proud]], "[[Readers of the Open Range]]" [[Pumpkin]] cowboy, [[The Singing Dentists|Pumpkin singing dentist]], Robin ([[Theater in the Park]]), [[Romeo Scuggs]], [[The Royal Apple Tree]], [[Scram-I-Am]], [[Shelley the Turtle]], [[Sir Rodney]], [[Slimey]], [[Slowest-Drawing Ed]], [[The Seven Dwarves|Smelly]], [[Snail]], [[Gilbert and Sullivan|Sullivan]], [[The Sun]] (from "[[I Feel So Happy]]"), [[Telly Monster]] (1984 - present), [[Tito]], [[Tony (turtle)|Tony]], [[The Tortoise]] (1987), [[Vincent Twice]], [[Walter Cranky]], [[The American Revolution|William]], various [[Anything Muppets]], fish and others
+
* ''[[Sesame Street]]'': [[Abigail Snuffleupagus]], [[Alligator (Sesame Street)|Alligator]] ([[Episode 4201]]), [[The Big Bad Wolf]] (1984 - 2006), [[Buster the Horse]], [[Law & Order: Special Letters Unit|Captain Donald Cragen Muppet]], [[Carl Mericana]], [[Clancy]] ("[[Hill Street Blues|Hill Street Twos]]"), [[Dicky Tick]], [[Dinger]], "[[Dinner Theatre]]" father, [[Dirk]], [[Donald Grump]], [[Dr. No]], [[Enzo]], [[Farmer McGregory]], [[Firefighter Jackson]], [[Fluffy]], [[Forgetful Jones' parents|Forgetful Jones' father]], [[Frank Lloyd Left]], [[Frazzle]] ([[Episode 3156]]), [[Gyro Spiniapolis]], [[H-Man]], Hans the Duckling, [[Henny Drummschtick]], [[Harriet and Herbert Hare|Herbert Hare]], [[Herry's Father]], [[Honkers]], [[Irvine]], [[Jack and Jill|Jack]], [[Jane Snuffleupagus]], [[Joe Hundred Guy's Butler]], [[Kermit the Forg]] ("[[Monsterpiece Theater|Monsters of Venice]]"), [[King Oliver]], "[[Let's Go Driving]]" father, [[The Log Bird]], [[Luke Warm]], [[the Martians]], [[Mommy Snuffleupagus]], [[Monty]], [[Mr. Browning]], [[Mr. Bull]], [[Mr. Policeman Fishy]], [[Mr. Snuffleupagus]] (1981 - present), [[Mrs. Grouch]], [[Murray Matisse]], [[The All Monster and a Guy Named Murray Chorus|Murray Monster]] ("[[Sound of the Letter L]]"), [[Newt the Nightwatchman]], [[Next Generation Captain]], Old Lady from "[[Katie and the King]]", [[Old MacDonald]], Penguin ("[[Antarctica!]]"),  [[Peter Piper]], [[Phil (Anything Muppet)|Phil]], [[Pizzeria Dos|Pizzeria Chef]], [[Prince Charming]] (1996), [[The Seven Dwarves|Proud]], "[[Readers of the Open Range]]" [[Pumpkin]] cowboy, [[The Singing Dentists|Pumpkin singing dentist]], "[[Once Is Not Enough]]" father, Robin ([[Theater in the Park]]), [[Romeo Scuggs]], [[Ronald Grump (Grouch)|Ronald Grump]] ([[Episode 2399]]), [[The Royal Apple Tree]], The Royal Paper Maker, [[Scram-I-Am]], [[Shelley the Turtle]], [[Sir Rodney]], [[Slimey]], [[The Seven Dwarves|Smelly]], [[Snail]], [[Snuffertiti]], [[Gilbert and Sullivan|Sullivan]], [[The Sun]] (from "[[I Feel So Happy]]"), [[Telly Monster]] (1984 - present), [[Tito]], [[Tony (turtle)|Tony]], [[The Tortoise]] (1987), [[Vincent Twice]], [[Walter Cranky]], Warren Blechstein ([[Episode 4127]]), [[The American Revolution|William]], various [[Anything Muppets]], fish and others
 
**''[[Elmo's World]]'': [[Kingfish]], [[Book]], [[Bulldozer]], [[Caesar Penguin]]
 
**''[[Elmo's World]]'': [[Kingfish]], [[Book]], [[Bulldozer]], [[Caesar Penguin]]
 
**''[[Elmo the Musical]]'': [[Slowest-Drawing Ed]]
 
**''[[Elmo the Musical]]'': [[Slowest-Drawing Ed]]
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* According to ''[[Street Gang]]'', Robinson uses a converted greenhouse as his home workshop.
 
* According to ''[[Street Gang]]'', Robinson uses a converted greenhouse as his home workshop.
 
* He has a black belt in karate.
 
* He has a black belt in karate.
  +
* According to Caroll Spinney, Robinson had divorced parents when he was young. This was the basis for the unaired episode "[[Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce]]."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhpxTb0QsQE Caroll Spinney interview] [2:12:30], video interview for [[the Archive of American Television]], conducted on May 12, 2001.</ref>
   
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
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* [http://www.martinprobinson.com/ Official site]
 
* [http://www.martinprobinson.com/ Official site]
 
* [http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/blog ''Sesame Family Robinson'' blog]
 
* [http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/blog ''Sesame Family Robinson'' blog]
* [http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2012/05/interview-with-muppeteer-martin-p.html The Muppet Mindset interview with Martin Robinson, part 1] [http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2012/05/were-back-again-with-sesame-street.html Part 2] [http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2012/05/interview-with-muppeteer-martin-p_18.html Part 3]
+
* [https://muppetmindset.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/interview-with-muppeteer-martin-p-robinson-part-1/ The Muppet Mindset interview with Martin Robinson, part 1] [https://muppetmindset.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/interview-with-muppet-performer-martin-p-robinson-part-2/ Part 2] [https://muppetmindset.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/interview-with-muppet-performer-martin-p-robinson-part-3/ Part 3]
 
[[Category:Muppet Performers|Robinson, Marty]]
 
[[Category:Muppet Performers|Robinson, Marty]]
 
[[Category:Creature Shop Puppeteers|Robinson, Marty]]
 
[[Category:Creature Shop Puppeteers|Robinson, Marty]]

Revision as of 03:24, 3 July 2015

Marty.and
File:SnuffynMarty.jpg
Martytelly80s
Robinson and Telly

Martin P. Robinson (b. March 9, 1954) is a puppeteer who has performed on Sesame Street since 1981. His characters include Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus and Slimey. He is married to Sesame Street writer Annie Evans. Together they run the official Sesame Workshop parenting blog Sesame Family Robinson.

Bio

Martin Robinson has been on staff at The Jim Henson Company since 1981. Early roles have included Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, Slimey, and Buster the Horse, though all were previously performed by other people. He also performed Oscar's niece, Irvine, and his mother, Mrs. Grouch, and has voiced many announcers. In addition to performing, he has played an active role in hiring and training puppeteers for local Sesame Street productions in Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Russia, and Bangladesh.

Other Henson productions that Robinson has performed in, outside of Sesame Street, have included the Farmer in Tale of the Bunny Picnic, the animatronics for Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Cat in the Hat on The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss.

Robinson's stage credits include designing, building and performing Audrey II in the original 1982 off-Broadway and 2003 Broadway productions of Little Shop of Horrors, and set designing and building for the Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Frogs.

Robinson got into the business as a member of the Bil Baird Puppet Company. According to Sesame Street Unpaved, "Martin Robinson became a performer so that he could play a wider variety of characters than his "nice guy" looks would have allowed him to play."[1]

Often, his Muppets are paired with Caroll Spinney's on Sesame Street, such as Telly and Oscar and Big Bird and Snuffy. Martin's most frequent partner, however, is probably Kevin Clash. In addition to Telly and Elmo, the two of them have paired up many times, including as the Miami Mice, the captain and the mate of the next generation of Spaceship Surprise and the two chefs who serve Mr. Johnson at Pizzeria Dos.

He has twice been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award: in 1995, beaten by Shari Lewis, and in 2009 by Kevin Clash.

Marriage on Sesame Street

Robinson and Annie Evans married on the set of Sesame Street. The pair met in 1993 at the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut, where Martin was creating a puppet show to premiere during the conference. Martin proposed to Evans on New Year's Eve 2007, and the two were married on the steps of 123 Sesame Street in Studio J at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens.

The ceremony was scripted by Evans, with Caroll Spinney as Oscar the Grouch appearing from his trash can to heckle the couple. [2]

Henson Puppeteer Credits

Marty&Telly
MartyRobinsonWorkshop

Marty Robinson performing Telly at a puppeteering workshop. Marty is a puppeteer scout for co-productions of Sesame Street.

Non-Henson Credits

Spittingimage martinprobinson

Marty Robinson's cameo (also puppeteer) on the British satirical puppet show Spitting Image

MartyRobinsonPortrait
  • Little Shop of Horrors: Performed Audrey II for both the Broadway and Off-Broadway productions
  • Spitting Image
  • Allegra's Window: coordinated the construction of many characters, and performed Riff the Cat and other characters.

Puppet Design Credits

Trivia

  • Robinson was born in Michigan and grew up in Brookfield, Wisconsin where he attended Brookfield East High school. A talented actor and musician, he played the lead in several musicals, including Bernardo in West Side Story and Fagin in Oliver!.
  • According to Street Gang, Robinson uses a converted greenhouse as his home workshop.
  • He has a black belt in karate.
  • According to Caroll Spinney, Robinson had divorced parents when he was young. This was the basis for the unaired episode "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce."[3]

Sources

  1. Borgenicht, David Sesame Street Unpaved page 189.
  2. Wedding Notice in the New York Times
  3. Caroll Spinney interview [2:12:30], video interview for the Archive of American Television, conducted on May 12, 2001.

External links