Dr. Bunsen and Beaker has been a staple in the Muppets since the first and second seasons, respectively, of The Muppet Show. As most people know, the Muppets are a creation of Jim Henson and are stars of television and movies. The Muppet Show was a weekly television show in which the Muppets ran their own variety show and showcased different celebrities every week.

Dr. Bunsen and Beaker worked in Muppet Labs. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, names after the Bunsen burner and a honeydew melon because of his head shape, was constantly inventing new contraptions. His assistant, Beaker, was always at the unfortunate end of his experiments. When an experiment went wrong, as it almost always did, poor Beaker would be blown up, shrunk, and even cloned.

Dr. Bunsen and Beaker also became integral parts of the Muppet movies. They often had large parts, but none larger than Muppets in Space. It was Dr. Bunsen and Beaker that crafted many of the inventions that the Muppets needed to get through their space adventure. This is possibly one of the few times where we were able to see the inventions actually work!

As stated previously, Dr. Bunsen and Beaker did not start their careers together. Dr. Bunsen began the first Season of The Muppet Show all on his own. Beaker was introduced during the second season. They became like the Muppet Show Laurel and Hardy. Dr. Bunsen was quite funny but never purposely. Beaker was more of a comic relief with a lot of physical comedy. In fact, there are few occasions when Beaker spoke real words. In most cases, his language skills consisted entirely of “Mee Mee Mee.” You could tell by his intonation what his feelings were at the time.

In the final few seasons of The Muppet Show, Dr. Bunsen and Beaker actually ventured out of Muppet Labs and were seen behind the scenes during the variety show. They brought with them their inventions and inevitable mishaps. Their presence was always welcomed by the Muppet audience because they were different and refreshing characters.

Dr. Bunsen and Beaker have made their own names in the Muppet universe. Not only did they appear in The Muppet Show and various Muppet movies, but also made appearances in Muppet comic books and The Muppet Babies cartoon. No, Dr. Bunsen and Beaker will likely never be as popular as Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo, but they have their own devout followers.

I admit it, I’m an Amazon junkie. I get a lot of what I need off the web, and Amazon is one of the best ecommerce sites out there. I was skeptical when I heard about Amazon Prime and their free trial. Two day shipping free- one day shipping for $3.99. Nope, that’s not a typo, for four bucks you can ship millions of eligible items (items Amazon stocks, as opposed to it’s partners) to your house. Free for a whole month. After that they bill you an ANNUAL fee of $79.
Here’s what Amazon has to say:

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Free Trial
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After the Free Trial period, customers will be automatically charged the $79 annual fee unless they choose not to upgrade to regular annual memberships at or before the end of the trial period.

So I signed up for the free month, figured I’d order a few things and then cancel. Well the membership paid for itself when I ordered a big piece of exercise equipment. I paid an additional $4 for next day service, figuring I’d get an email explaining I couldn’t do that. Nope, next day it showed up on my doorstep. Suddenly I was able to expect 2 day delivery for free. I find myself upgrading to next day service quite a bit, it’s just nice to have what I need exactly when I want it. A month goes by, I did some math and my shipping last year was already over what a prime membership costs- so I took the plunge. I’ve been happily ordering for months- if you regularly order from Amazon it’s worth your time to take a close look at Amazon Prime.

Many people would be surprised to learn that the Muppets were created in the early 1950’s. Since this time, every generation of children has been able to enjoy the pure magic that these loveable characters bring into our lives.

The most famous Muppet is Kermit the Frog. He was also Jim Henson’s first real star. His beginnings were quite different than the Kermit we know and love today. Over the decades, Kermit has evolved and worked his way into the hearts of children and adults alike. Just like Kermit the Frog, the Muppets have grown and evolved and remained an integral part of people’s lives.

Most of the adults today fondly recall The Muppet Show which was a variety show that included celebrities as guest stars. Not only did we see the variety show, but we saw the goings on behind the scenes where Kermit and Scooter tried their best to get the show on without a hitch. These shows are now being released on The Muppet Show DVD’s. As adults, we can share our fondest memories with our children, like Miss Piggy singing “Born to be Wild” with Ozzy Osbourne!

The Muppets transcended their puppet stature and were turned into cartoons and babies for the hit Saturday morning television show, The Muppet Babies. This is also a show that adults can reminisce about. Of course Miss Piggy was in love with Kermit back then as well and Rowlf was a piano prodigy. Fozzie cracked bad jokes and Animal was wild! It was a show that children could easily relate to.

In addition to the variety show and the cartoon, the Muppets have starred in several different movies since 1979. They have their own undeniable personalities that transcend the television and movie screens. This can be seen in the video and DVD sales as well as all of the other merchandise made specifically for these unique characters.

The Muppets also spawned the very popular Fraggle Rock. This show differed greatly than all of the other shows and movies that came previously. While this show was mostly about fun, it also taught valuable social life lessons.

It is rarely mentioned, but the beloved cast of Sesame Street are also Muppets. Sesame Street is one of the longest running television shows and airs in over one hundred different countries. It has spawned several infamous characters that have gone on to have their own products and movies. Honestly, who hasn’t heard of Elmo? In addition, Sesame Street has been pivotal in teaching young children social and academic skills.

Sadly, Jim Henson passed away in 1990, his legacy lives on and even continues to grow. The Muppets have given adults and children the opportunity to bond over their favorite characters, favorite shows, and favorite movies. Not only have these characters made themselves an integral part of our lives, and they will only continue to grow! The Muppets are here to stay!

Writing the new Muppets movie is a dream come true for funnyman Jason Segel - he grew up wanting to be Kermit The Frog. The actor/writer begged Disney bosses to let him pen the new film, and when they initially turned him down he wowed them with his knowledge of the lovable puppet stars. That’s pretty cool when a kid who grew up loving the Muppets gets to write their next adventure, it like the ultimate fan film.

Hey, check it out. There’s a place where you can look up all your favorite muppet characters. Here’s Animal:

Performer:
Frank Oz (1975 - 1999)
Eric Jacobson ( 2002 - present)

Design Team:
Michael K. Frith (designer)
Dave Goelz (builder)

You don’t mess with Animal. He eats glass, man. - Frank Oz

Animal first appeared in the 1975 pilot, The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, chained up in a basement cell when he wasn’t onstage performing with The Electric Mayhem. He later became a main character on The Muppet Show, and his unrestrained style has made him popular with young people for decades. Animal is a crazed drummer with three styles of music — loud, louder, and deafening. He speaks in a guttural shout, often repeating a few simple phrases, such as “BEAT DRUMS! BEAT DRUMS!” or “WO-MAN!” In relatively calmer moods, he is capable of more coherent conversation, but these instances are infrequent.

Frank Oz says that he had his character down to five words: Sex, sleep, food, drums and pain. Occasionally, two of those essentials, food and drums, are interchangeable. In The Muppet Movie, Dr. Teeth had to remind Animal to beat, and not eat, his drums. In The Muppet Show episode 110, when asked by Kermit if he preferred drumming to food, Animal replied that drums are food, and started eating his drum kit.

Animal’s family life is generally non-existent, and outside of the band, the Muppet Show troupe, and women in general, he has no other relationships. A significant exception is depicted in the book The Case of the Missing Mother, which reveals the existence of Animal’s mother, LaVerne. LaVerne is also a drummer, and it’s implied that percussion skills are a family trait.
Here’s a link so you can read the rest of the entry about Animal.

Find all your favorites at the Muppet Wiki!

Got this in email, thought you’d enjoy it. Muppets on the cover!

The Muppets still have quite a bit of drawing power, as one Arizona Museum found out. It had to upgrade the lighting and air conditioning to support the influx of visitors to see Jim Henson’s masterpieces. Read the full story from Arizona Republic here.