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Richard Hunt

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Biography

Recent Role:
Beaker / Miss Piggy (1976-1977) / Janice (1977-1981) / Wayne / Scooter / Statler / Sweetums on The Muppet Show
Gender:
Male
Born:
8-16-1951
Died:
01-07-1992
Birthplace:
Bronx, New York, USA

Richard Hunt

(SCOOTER, SWEETUMS, STATLER, BEAKER, JANICE AND GLADYS)
is literally a born actor; everyone in his family has at some time worked in show business. His father, now deceased, was an actor. His brother a singer. His mother and three sisters are involved in show business near their home in Closter, New Jersey.

Richard has always known that he'd wind up somewhere in the entertainment field, but the idea of puppeteering never occurred to him, although he adored the Muppets……. "I'd drop anything to watch them", he says. "I thought they were weird."



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Still, he had no thought of adding his own zany personality to theirs when he went job-hunting after his high school graduation. Through a friend, he landed in, but not on, radio, preparing weather reports for disc jockey cousin Brucie Morrow. "My qualifications for it", he admits, "were absolutely zilch. I used to stick my hand out the window, feel what was going on out there, and write the report."

In spite of his sober dedication to science, Richard didn't last long as a mini-meteorologist. He had to do his prognosticating in the studio newsroom, with teletypes ceaselessly clacking out from fresh disaster reports from the then-current Vietnam War. "Four months of it was all I could take", he says. "I decided to make a career of resting. I quit, went home and watched more Muppets. Then one day I thought, 'Hey, why don't I try to get with them?'"

He arranged an introduction to Jim Henson, and a few weeks later was invited to participate in a workshop production. Richard, whose arm had never before hoisted anything more than a basketball, found himself puppeteering.

Jim called him again to work for a Muppet special on "The Ed Sullivan Show". Again the fledgling puppeteer rated high marks. In June, 1972, he was summoned again. He has been with Henson since, working "Sesame Street", various Henson specials and films and now "The Muppet Show."

Good-humoured, optimistic, and equipped with a full-time sense of fun, Richard Hunt radiates health and energy. He credits his vitality to "two things: heredity, which I got free, and orange juice, which I buy by the gallon……. No three things. Being with the Muppets helps too."

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    So few people nowadays know the name Richard Hunt. The man behind so many beloved characters that it's a shame kids of today probably won't know him. Hopefully they can start here. hide show

    Probably the best known Richard Hunt muppet today is everyone's favorite guinea pig Beaker (now Steve Whitmire). It is a shame that it has (and probably will continue) to take so long for his others (like Go-fer Scooter and opera star Placido Flamingo) to rise into popularity, or even get a definite puppeteer. One of his characters to recently get a (hopefully permanent) new puppeteer, is valley girl Janice on Studio DC: Almost Live. With a new fraggle rock movie there's bound to be an appearance of one of his other puppets, Junior Gorg, who'll most likeley have a new voice and somewhat different personality. Junior, Janice, and Beaker might not have the same energy or amount of lines as before, but maybe someday "Children of Tomorrow" will know the name Richard Hunt. After all, he's just a dream away...

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    Soulwoman Added Sep 6, 2008 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    He was so beautiful and created so many wonderful muppet characters. Love you always Richard!! hide show

    Responsible for so many cool muppets - such as Janice, Scooter and Sweetums. So sad that he become another victim of Aids. Also love the way he and Jerry Nelson worked together. I would keep going but I read somewhere he hated sentimental stuff so stop before i offend his spirit

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    amyNZ Added Nov 24, 2005 All my reviews
 

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