Michael Earl

Michael Earl has been secretly entertaining millions of people for 30 years. A four-time Emmy Award-winner and Jim Henson Protege, Michael performed the original "Shrek" character in a motion-capture development test film for DreamWorks, and puppeteered lead characters in Paramount Pictures' "Team America" - the all-marionette feature written and directed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park. He is the co-creator, writer, lyricist and puppet star of PBS' "Ticktock Minutes" - winner of 12 Emmys, two Parents' Choice Awards and numerous other honors. Earl began his professional career at age five acting in a Curad Bandaid TV commercial. Two years later he was tapped to be the original "Is It Soup Yet?" kid for Lipton. The spot ran for three years, the first in a series of wildly popular commercials that over the next decade became one of the most successful ad campaigns in history. Michael's other childhood interests included music and magic, but his passion for puppetry is what propelled him toward his emerging goals. At 18, Michael moved from his hometown of Livermore, California to New York City where he quickly landed a job working for world-renowned puppetry pioneer Bil Baird, creator of the marionettes for the movie "The Sound of Music." At 19, Michael won the role of Mr. Snuffle-upagus on "Sesame Street" (replacing Jerry Nelson, the originator, 1978-81, Seasons 10, 11 & 12) also creating the roles of Forgetful Jones and many others. Oscar the Grouch's pet worm Slimey, Poco Loco, Polly Darton and the Honkers are among his dozens of Muppet characters still seen and enjoyed by millions of children daily. His other Muppet credits include "The Muppet Movie," "The Muppets Take Manhattan," "John Denver & The Muppets," "Little Muppet Monsters," "The Jim Henson Hour," "The 30th Anniversary Muppet Special," "Sesame Street's 20th Anniversary Special" and "Dinosaurs." He also appeared (as a puppet Alien) opposite Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in "Men In Black II." A New York-trained actor/singer/dancer, he has appeared in and/or sung on numerous television commercials (M&M's, Pepsi, Crest, Kit Kat, Planter's, Fandango, etc...), movies, stage and TV shows. He has acted with Whoopi Goldberg, danced with Gregory Hines and clowned with Victor Borge. For the Broadway stage, Michael created the role of Noel Petard in Sid & Marty Krofft's critically acclaimed "A Broadway Baby." His other stage work includes Audrey II in "Little Shop of Horrors" ("You'll marvel at Earl's skill!" - LA Times) and his 1998 biographical musical one-man show "Pure Imagination!," which he wrote and performed in Los Angeles and New York to much acclaim. Michael is a seven-time Emmy nominee and in 1995, won his first Emmy Award for his performance as Dr. Ticktock in "Ticktock Minutes," produced by Mississippi Educational Television. In subsequent years he was awarded three more Southern Regional Emmys for his lyric writing (in collaboration with composer Randy Klein) on the PBS interstitials, which are currently distributed on CD and DVD by BMG Music. Earl has mentored and/or coached many of today's most successful TV and film puppeteers. He has served as a puppetry consultant to such entertainment companies as MCA/Universal, Warner Bros. and Disney, working one-on-one with the Vice President of Disneyland Entertainment to conceive, develop and write puppet- and non-puppet live events. He has toured the U.S. giving concerts for children and their families, combining his talents as a singer, songwriter and puppeteer. In 1997 he created, wrote, co-produced and performed five educational puppet videos for City of Hope National Medical Center which are currently being used by pediatric nurses to help prepare young cancer patients for treatment. Over the years, he has worked one-on-one with countless children and adults, teaching them puppet making and performance through such organizations as the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Mark Taper Forum/Music Center, Kaiser, California Youth Theatre, L.A.'s Best, Puppeteers of America, L.A. Inner City Arts, Beverly Hills Parks & Recreation, The Sycamores, L.A. Unified School District, Art Share L.A., Hollywood Arts Council and the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. In 2002, Michael created the "Puppet Power!" program through California Youth Theatre, where he taught, built, directed and produced the first annual Ivar Puppet Festival, involving 150 L.A. Unified School District teens from two different high schools building dozens of giant 15-foot puppets they performed at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood. The event was a sold-out success and covered by the L.A. Times and the L.A. Daily News. Michael Earl lives in Los Angeles where he teaches an on-camera course in TV puppetry. He is also creating new TV, film and theatre entertainments designed to perpetuate the spread of wonder in the world...as well as encourage, instruct and strengthen children of all ages through the imaginative use of music and puppetry.