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Pino Through the Years
The Evolution of Pino (1976-present)
| Image | As seen in | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Sesamstraat Season 1 | 1976-1977 | The original Pino started out as a big, clumsy, dopey bird with a Belgian accent. The puppet was designed and built by Ton Hasebos. Until 1999, it was the only Pino puppet that had Big Bird-like rings around his legs. This version lasted only the first season. The character was performed by Dirk Grijspeirt. |
 | Sesamstraat Season 2 | 1977-1978 | This version was created and built by Leo N. Cahn and was not as heavy as the first version. His feathers are a paler blue than the first Pino costume and his eyes become bigger. His head also gets a slight trim. The character was performed by Theo Joling during this season. |
 | Sesamstraat Season 3 | 1979-1980 | Pino's eyes change from blue pupils to black cartoonlike eyes. He is performed Bert Plagman. |
  | Sesamstraat Season 4 | 1980 -1982 | Pino gets a new, larger head and his pupils return to being blue, altough they are still cartoonlike. He is performed by Erik J. Meijer, who gave the character a heavy higher-pitched tone in his voice at the time. |
  | Sesamstraat Season 6 | 1982-1991 | Pino is redesigned for the first time by CTW and the Muppet Workshop. He loses some weight, his childlike appearance, and his white, fluffy belly. The pupils return to being black, cartoonlike eyes and his beak is longer and pointier. Starting in 1984, the tone in his voice becomes lighter and younger, as performed by Leo Dijkgraaf. |
 | Sesamstraat Season 15 | 1991-1999 | A slightly updated version of Pino is made by Chuck Fawcett in 1989 for puppeteer Renée Menschaar. Pino's head has a slightly different facial expression, without white feathers around the beak. His feathers are a richer blue and cover less of his legs. His appearance is also slightly more childlike. His voice is also more high-pitched, since Renée Menschaar started performing Pino. The actress has been his regular performer ever since and is the first woman to play Pino, who has always remained a boy character. |
 | Sesamstraat Season 23 | 1999-present | In order to look younger and childlike again, Pino has now a shorter beak, yellow feathers around his eyes, and colorful feathers on top of his head. His black eys revert to blue; these do not last, as they are reverted to black several years later. This is also the first Pino puppet, since 1976, to have Big Bird-like rings around his legs. This is the second Pino puppet to be built by Chuck Fawcett in 1992. |
| Alternate Pino Puppets and Characters | |||
 | Sesamstraat Live | 2006-2007 | A different looking, walkaround Pino with a tie. His beak is a bit longer, his eyes are further apart, and the body shape looks shorter than on the show. His voice is also considerably higher and sounds more girlish. |
