Frank Oz

Puppeteer / Filmmaker

Name at birth: Frank Oznowicz

Frank Oz is a veteran puppeteer and the performer behind Miss Piggy, the porcine diva of Jim Henson's Muppets. Oz began working with Henson in 1963 and was a key player as the Muppets became regulars on the children's program Sesame Street and then starred in their own comedy program, The Muppet Show (1976-81). It was on the latter show that Miss Piggy's persistent pursuit of Kermit the Frog made her a household name. Oz worked with George Lucas to create and voice the mystical midget Yoda for The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and subsequent Star Wars sequels. Oz also directs live-action films, including the cult favorite Little Shop of Horrors (1986), the comedy Housesitter (1992), the children's classic The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) and the heist film The Score (2001, with Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando).

Extra credit: Oz's Muppet characters include Fozzie Bear, Grover, Bert and the Cookie Monster... As a director, Oz has frequently worked with comedian Steve Martin... As an actor he has had cameo roles in several movies directed by John Landis, including An American Werewolf in London (1981), Trading Places (1983) and Spies Like Us (1985).

Frank Oz appears with James Earl Jones and C-3P0 in our loop on Star Wars.