Kevin Clash

Biography

Kevin Clash (born September 17, 1960) is a multiple Daytime Emmy-winning American puppeteer whose characters include Elmo, Clifford, Splinter, and Hoots the Owl. He currently serves as Sesame Street Muppet Captain and co-executive producer. In the fall of 2006, Kevin Clash released an autobiography titled My Life as a Furry Red Monster. Kevin Clash first met puppet builder Kermit Love in the 1970s. Kermit Love was occasionally able to arrange for Kevin Clash to visit the set of Sesame Street. In 1979, the main Muppet performers were performing in a Muppet Movie float in the 1979 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and extra puppeteers were needed for the Sesame Street float, so Kevin Clash got to perform Cookie Monster in the parade.[1] Later, in 1983, he was officially hired to perform in ten episodes of Sesame Street. However, at the time he was performing full-time on two other shows, and the producers of both shows refused to work around Kevin Clash's schedule, so Clash was forced to tear up his contract to appear on Sesame Street.[1] Kevin Clash was also given the opportunity to perform in The Dark Crystal, but Kermit Love talked him out of being involved in the movie, saying that he should concentrate on his work in the series that he was currently involved with. Kevin Clash officially became a puppeteer on Sesame Street in 1984. Some of his earliest characters included Hoots the Owl, Baby Natasha, and Dr. Nobel Price, but it was Elmo who became his main character. Clash has also sung in voice-over in a variety of film and animation songs on Sesame Street, including "In My Animal Book" and "Take Care of That Smile". During the late 1980s, Clash was involved with a variety of Henson productions. He performed P.J. in the Play-Along videos, and Father Bunny and Be-Bop in Tale of the Bunny Picnic. He would also perform Eliott Shag on Dog City, various characters in Muppet Time insertials, and he performed a number of characters, most notably Baby Sinclair, but also Howard Handupme, on Dinosaurs. He also performed the title character in the Muppet Sing-Along video Billy Bunny's Animal Songs.

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Known For

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

Elmo/Pestie/Grouch Jailer/Grouch Cab Driver (voice)

Sesame Street - Elmo Saves Christmas

Elmo (voice)

Sesame Street - Elmo Says Boo!

Elmo

Sesame Street: Bedtime with Elmo

Elmo

Elmo Visits the Fire House

Elmo (voice)

Sesame Street - Elmo's World - Wild Wild West!

Elmo

Count It Higher

Hoots The Owl (voice) (archive footage)

Elmo's Christmas Countdown

Elmo

Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Country Songs

Elmo

Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf

Elmo (voice)

Starring In

Pharmacy Road

Sesame Street Character (voice)

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story

Elmo (archive footage) (uncredited)

Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Himself

Michael Bublé: Home For The Holidays

Elmo

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey

Himself

Sesame Street: The Best of Elmo 2

Elmo (voice)

Sesame Street: Bedtime with Elmo

Elmo

Abby in Wonderland

Elmo (Elmo as the Red Rabbit) (voice)

Elmo's Christmas Countdown

Elmo

Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Country Songs

Elmo

A Sesame Street Christmas Carol

i-SAM / Elmo (voice) (also archive footage)

Sesame Street: Elmo's Potty Time

Elmo / Baby Elmo (voice)

Elmo's World: Reach for the Sky

Elmo

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz

Clifford (voice)

Count It Higher

Hoots The Owl (voice) (archive footage)

Sesame Street: A Magical Halloween Adventure

Elmo

Sesame Street: Zoe's Dance Moves

Elmo

Elmo Visits the Fire House

Elmo (voice)

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

Sam the Eagle / Muppet Performer (voice)

Elmo's World: Babies, Dogs & More

Elmo

Self

Elmo's World: Springtime Fun!

Elmo / ... (8 episodes, 1985-2006)

Sesame Street: Computer Caper

Elmo

Sesame Street - Elmo's World - Wild Wild West!

Elmo

Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf

Elmo (voice)

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

Elmo/Pestie/Grouch Jailer/Grouch Cab Driver (voice)

Muppets from Space

Clifford (voice)

Sesame Street - Elmo Says Boo!

Elmo

Sesame Street - Elmo Saves Christmas

Elmo (voice)

Muppet Treasure Island

Bad Polly/Spa'Am/Black Dog/Chicken/Fozzie Bear (assistant) (uncredited)/Lolleyed Pike (uncredited)/Miss Piggy (assistant) (uncredited)/Monkey (uncredited)/Pirate (uncredited)/Real Old Tom (uncredited)/Sam Eagle (assistant) (uncredited) (voice)