Talk:Astoria

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Performer

An anonymous contributor changed the performer from Steve Whitmire to Jerry Nelson. Can anybody confirm or deny? -- Danny (talk) 03:26, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

I think it was the fan-made Kermitage.com who cited Steve as Astoria, and I always accepted it. Now that it's been challenged, and I've taken another listen, I'm questioning whether it could have been Jerry. Here's an audio sample. Unless someone can make a resounding case for either performer, we may need a source on this one. — Scott (talk) 18:34, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

She's obviously performed by Steve Whitmire. -- Skater 18:34, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

That's a possibillity. Is Bob Payne given a credit for the episode she's in? Her voice sounds a lot like his. -- MuppetDude 18:59, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

I have seen performer listing websites that cited Steve Whitmire as Astoria long before the Kermitage website was created, so even if Kermitage was wrong it was probably from finding the information on an earlier performers list rather than by ear. Oddly enough, when I first saw the epsiode I thought it was Richard Hunt just because he performed Statler (I saw that episode one year before I got the internet, and back then there weren't many characters who I identified the performers with by voice). --Minor muppetz 20:39, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

Bob Payne is not credited on the episode, but neither is Leslie Carrara in Sesame's season 37, so take that as you will. —Scott (talk) 20:45, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

And there are several productions where Jim Henson wasn't credited as a perfoemr (unless you count a "Jim Henson's Muppets" credit before the performers are listed). And Fran Brill wasn't credited for the third, fourth, or fifth seasons of Sesame Street. --Minor muppetz 21:24, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

I don't think Bob Payne ever really did any substantial characters, did he? Astoria only made the one appearance, but it was a bigger part than "Japanese Tumbler #4" in the background of some sketch. Astoria sounds more like Whitmire or Nelson to me. —Scott (talk) 22:46, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

It's been a few years since I lst saw this episode, but I can't think of any other Steve Whitmire characters with Astoria's voice (then again, Steve Whitmire hasn't performed very many female characters), but I also don't think she sounded like a Jerry Nelson character. Can anybody name any other characters who sound like Astoria? --64.12.116.131 23:00, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

Bob Payne's are the only ones that come to mind. There's a brief clip of her on YouTube, and it appears that her performer is left-handed (Astoria moves her right arm). Bob is often a left-handed performer--the only other one that comes to mind is Louise Gold, and she sounds nothing like Astoria. There's a picture of him on the Sesame Street News Flash page performing an Anything Muppet with his right arm.

His characters include Mary Rhymie of The Rhymies (in the camping sketch), and several minor characters. Perhaps one could get audio files of these for comparison sake? Otherwise we may never resolve this, and I can't live with that on my mind. -- MuppetDude 14:49, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

Guille just posted this video of Bob playing Zebediah, so you could use that for the audio sample. -- MuppetDude 14:07, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

I really think it's steve, I can hear a bit of Wembley in her.FraggleFan 02:33, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Update- now that i've heard Bob as Zebediah, I think it sounds more like him.FraggleFan 18:04, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

I once heard a giraffe at the zoo who sounded like Lloyd Bridges. My point being that the above discussion has made it clear that Astoria sounds like someone different to everybody. If we're ever going to find this information it's going to come from official documents. —Scott (talk) 18:31, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Zebediah and Mary Rymie both sound almost identicle to Astoria, in my opinion. And Since she appears to be played by a left-handed performer, that makes me think it's him even more. I have a very good ear for voices.FraggleFan 19:45, 19 May 2007 (UTC)

Is it possible that it might have been Dave Goelz who voiced her? Her voice sort of reminds me of a higher pitched, non-raspy Gonzo. Emeraldsentinel 03:34, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

It could be Richard Hunt to Jerry Nelson.

Steve said on Tough Pigs he can't remember, and does not think it was him. --Rankin Fraggle (talk) 03:59, February 10, 2010 (UTC)

I'll ask Jerry.Max riverbottom