Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created (and originally performed and voiced) by Jim Henson. Rowlf is the Muppet Theatre's resident pianist (as well as one of many vocalists). Though Kermit the Frog is often credited as the icon of Henson's Muppets, Rowlf was actually the first true Muppet "star" as a recurring character on The Jimmy Dean Show. Rowlf is a calm and quiet fellow. He is very easygoing and a fan of classical music and musicals, particularly Beethoven.
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History
Rowlf was built in 1962 for Purina Dog Chow commercials, in which he appeared with Baskerville the Hound. Jim Henson designed Rowlf, and Don Sahlin built him; it was Sahlin's first muppet construction. Rowlf rose to popularity as Jimmy Dean's sidekick on The Jimmy Dean Show. He was the first Muppet with a regular spot on network television appearing in every episode from 1963 to 1966. Jimmy Dean stated that the segments with Rowlf were one of the most popular parts of the show, and that Rowlf drew two thousand fan letters a week [1]. In 1968, Rowlf appeared with Kermit the Frog on the pitch reel for Sesame Street. At the end of the pitch reel, Rowlf is depicted as being eager to join the Sesame Street cast, while Kermit seems reluctant to do so; ironically, it was Kermit who became a Sesame star, while Rowlf appeared only in one filmed segment and was never a part of the show's regular cast. In 1976, Rowlf joined the recurring cast of The Muppet Show as the show's pianist. Rowlf also played Dr. Bob, the wisecracking doctor in a recurring medical drama parody skit "Veterinarians' Hospital", alongside nurses Janice and Piggy. In 1984, Baby Rowlf debuted playing a toy piano during a musical number in The Muppets Take Manhattan. This fantasy sequence with the Muppets as babies was so popular that it resulted in the successful animated cartoon spinoff, Muppet Babies. He was voiced on that program by Katie Leigh. Jim Henson's last public performance as Rowlf before his death was as guest on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1990. For several years afterward, the character was retired out of deference to Henson's memory. Since 1996, Rowlf has been portrayed by puppeteer Bill Barretta. Barretta has gradually transitioned into the role. Rowlf uttered his first word since Henson's death in the second episode of Muppets Tonight. Rowlf had several lines of dialogue in The Muppet Show Live in 2001 and also spoke two lines of dialogue ("Hey, Kermit!" and "Yeah! Heh, heh. Oh!") in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie in 2002. In 2005, however, Rowlf had a 190-word monologue in the second episode of Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony. Rowlf appeared in the "Keep Fishin" music video for rock band Weezer. Although he's only briefly seen, Rowlf had a more prominent role in the behind the scenes making-of special that accompanied it, Weezer and the Muppets Go Fishin'. Additionally, Bill Barretta recorded the vocals as Rowlf singing "The Christmas Party Sing-Along" for the 2006 A Green and Red Christmas album.
Television & film appearances
- Purina Dog Chow Commercials (1962-1963)
- Esskay Meats Commercials (1960s)
- "The Jimmy Dean Show" (1963-1966)
- IBM Industry Film (1966)
- "The Mike Douglas Show" (1966) ... guest
- "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1967) ... guest
- "Our Place" (1967)
- The Muppets On Puppets (1968)
- Sesame Street (1969)
- The Muppets Valentine Show (1974)
- The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence (1975)
- "The Muppet Show" (1976-1981)
- The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special (1977)
- Julie Andrews: One Step Into Spring (1978)
- "The Julie Andrews Hour" (1973) ... guest
- "The Mike Douglas Show" (1979) ... guest
- The Muppet Movie (1979)
- The Muppets Go Hollywood (1979)
- John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)
- The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- The Muppets Go to the Movies (1981)
- John Denver and the Muppets: Rocky Mountain Holiday (1983)
- "The Merv Griffin Show" (1983) ... guest
- The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
- "Muppet Babies" (1984-1990) ... as Baby Rowlf
- The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1986)
- A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
- "The Jim Henson Hour" (1989)
- The Muppets at Walt Disney World (1990)
- "The Arsenio Hall Show" (1990) ... guest
- The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (1990)
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
- Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
- "Muppets Tonight" (1996)
- Muppets From Space (1999)
- "Keep Fishin'" music video (2002)
- It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
- The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)
- Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony (2005)
Album
A solo album titled Ol' Brown Ears is Back was released by BMG in 1993 and featured 14 songs recorded by Jim Henson as Rowlf. Although released three years after Henson's death, the tracks were recorded in 1984.
References
- ^ Dean, Jimmy. Thirty Years of Sausage, Fifty Years of Ham: Jimmy Dean's Own Story. Berkley Books. 2004
