Trifecta of Birthday Wishes!

Today is a monumental day for Muppet Performer birthdays. Not one, not two, but three of our favorite doll wigglers share the same birthday. 

First up we have Ryan Dillon, who has been the guy underneath Elmo (an other various Sesame Street residence) for almost a decade.

Dillon has been so successful at taking over Elmo, that he now headlines his own, Not Too Late talk show. 

Below is Ryan performing Elmo live during a performance of 2019's Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: A Swingin' Sesame Street Celebration.

Next is Allan Trautman who has worked under, around, and behind many Muppet and Henson puppets since joining the Muppets on Muppet *Vision 3D. 

He's known as one of the best "face" man in the business operating the face / mouth on many larger creature shop characters like Fran Sinclair (as well as many other Dinosaurs) and Earth to Ned's alien talk show host Ned. He also performs General Skelly on Nickelodeon's The Barbarian and the Troll. 

Click here to read a What's On Disney Plus interview with Allan and below he talks about what  it takes to bring a character to life:

Last, but certainly not least is one of Jim Henson's earliest collaborators, the guy who made Cookie Monster, Bert, Grover, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, and Sam Eagle household names - Frank Oz.

Below Frank talks about his characters 

Fozzie's first appearance on The Muppet Show where Frank initially used a much deeper voice. When the pilot was reworked, they played off the voice as Fozzie's John Wayne impersonation. 

Of course Frank brought more than just the Muppets to life, he was also instrumental in bring Star Wars' Yoda to life as well a being an accomplished director who most recently brought us Muppet Guys Talking and In and of Itself. 

Below Oz talk about Muppet Guys Talking and Jim Henson's legacy. 

Happy Birthday to Ryan Dillon, Allan Trautman, and Frank Oz!