There have been lots of famous puppet and ventriloquist characters over the years, many of them Jim Henson’s Muppets. But I can think of only two who are female: Shari Lewis’s Lamb Chop, and Miss Piggy. The rest are minor characters, like hippie-chick Janice on The Muppet Show. Why such a low ratio? Are female puppet characters not funny? I don’t think it’s a matter of there being more male puppeteers — they could do female voices if they wanted.
Any thoughts?
Well the Muppets had plenty of minor female characters but I understand your point. There was the awful Madameoperated by Wayland Flowers. You might be lucky enough to have forgotten her.
Then there was Judy of course from Punch and Judy. Mr. Rogers had some female puppets but I don’t recall the names anymore.
Henrietta Pussycat and the old lady with the carousel thingy and Lady whatshername.
Mind like a steel trap.
Edit: Heh. I made two out of one: the carousel thingy was the museum-go-round, run by Lady Elaine Fairchilde. The “Lady whatshername” I was thinking of was Queen Sara Saturday. There were others, too: cite.
<insert “sticking hand up a person” jokes here>
I forgot all the female characters Mr. Rogers had in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe: Ana Platypus, Betty Okonak Templeton-Jones, Collette, Cousin Mary Owl, Elsie Jean Platypus, Harriett Elizabeth Cow, Henrietta Pussycat, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, Mrs. Frogg, Princess Margeret H. Lizard, and Queen Sara Saturday.
I particularly liked the cranky Lady Elaine Fairchilde, who was frequently up to no good. What female puppets there were at the time were often such passive goody-goods.
A new mom friend of mine was just remarking upon this the other day. She grew up with Sesame Street and The Muppets, but I don’t think she really noticed the disparity until she had a little girl herself. She’s also not too happy with the ratio of little girls to little boys in the books she’s been gifted and the cartoons she’s been screening (the kid’s barely one, so TV and DVDs are just starting to come into the equation). But she’s ga ga over Dora the Explorer, as are most little kids, it seems.
No, I think the fact that they are male puppeteers has a lot to do with it. (Note that Lamb Chop had a female puppeteer.) You tend to create characters of your own sex unless there’s a reason otherwise.
I did see Avenue Q this weekend, which has several female puppets and puppeteers. But that was a show, with a plot that required both males and females.
I was going to crackwise the same way, but was beaten too it by a total perv.
*Curse you![/size]
Back in the day, The Great Space Coaster had some bird named Knock-Knock who I’m fairly sure was the female friend of Goriddle Gorilla.
More recently, but I’m not sure if it’s still on, there was some PBS show called The Puzzle Place which made sure to have its racially diverse puppet cast split 50/50 along gender lines.
I think the older large ensemble Henson productions were really the worst “offenders” for female main character puppets.
Sesame Street has made an effort in the last decade or so to add female muppets to its cast. They’ve given Baby Bear a sister who’s on quite a bit, created Zoe, added Rosita (with her Spanish speaking background to bring in that demographic more) made Prairie Dawn a regular again, and of course this years addition of the Fairy who’s name I’ve forgotten because my kids aren’t as big of fans of the show anymore. There’s also a girl grouch who shows up for several skits each season. That said, the majority of the story lines do seem to still revolve around the three boys, Telly, Baby Bear, and of course Elmo, with the girls being supporting characters to what the boys are doing.
Don’t forget Fraggle Rock, Also a Henson Production. The 4 main characters were evenly split. Gobo and Boober were boys while Red and Mookie were girls. I can’t believe I still remember this stuff.
Grandpa Satch
I thought Lambchop was a boy?
I always thought of muppets and puppets as generic “kids”. Kermit was just a frog to me (until he and Miss Piggy started their hopeless love affair). Fozzy Bear could have been female, no? I know the puppeteer says he was male, but he could have been female. Same with Scooter from The Muppets–he could have been androgynous like SNL’s Pat…
They’re puppets. There are tons of books out there for little girls, especially once they start chapter books. Check with your local children’s librarian.
Rusty, and illegal in most states?
I don’t truly want to speculate why this is, but observe the typical cartoon ensemble: at random I’ll choose Scooby-Doo (Hanna-Barbera), the Simpsons (Groening), and Looney Toons (Warner Bros). I’ll list the actors in each, and name which characters they’re famous for.
Scooby-Doo
Don Messick: Scooby-Doo, Astro, Papa Smurf, Hamton J. Pig, Boo Boo, Bamm-Bamm, Muttley, et al.
Frank Welker: Freddy Jones, Dynomutt, Mxyzptlk, Iceman, Megatron, Ray Stantz, Slimer, et al.
Casey Kasem: Shaggy, Robin.
Nicole Jaffe: Velma.
Stephanianna Christopherson: Daphne.
The Simpsons
Dan Castellaneta: Homer, Grandpa, Mayor Quimby, Pimply Teen, Krusty, Groundkeeper Willie, Barney, et al.
Harry Shearer: Burns, Smithers, Skinner, Lovejoy, Hibbard, Otto, et al.
Hank Azaria: Moe, Wiggum, Snake, Apu, Frink, et al.
Julie Kavner: Marge, Patty, Selma.
Yeardley Smith: Lisa.
Nancy Cartwright: Bart, Ralph, Nelson, Chuckie Finster.
Pamela Hayden: Milhouse.
Tress MacNeille:Agnes Skinner, Daisy Duck, Babs Bunny, et al.
Looney Tunes
Mel Blanc: Bugs, Daffy, Elmer, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Porky Pig, etc., etc., etc., Barney Rubble, Dino, Speed Buggy, Mr. Spacely, et al.
June Foray: Granny, Witch Hazel, Betty Rubble, Rocky J. Flying Squirrel, et al.
For every June Foray or Tress MacNeille or Christine Cavanaugh (Dexter), there’s two or three men with equal or greater voice versatility: Welker, Blanc, Messick, Jeff Bennett (Johnny Bravo), Azaria, Castellaneta, Shearer, et al.
One is tempted to draw a few conclusions from that: either women get fewer opportunities (fewer roles written) that showcase their vocal versatility, or women aren’t encouraged to be as good at it (which seems odd, since there’s no shortage of actresses) or casting directors cast men and women differently (men for versatility, women for single characters) or some other reason. There just don’t seem to be as many versatile working female voice artists. The most successful ones have little versatility, and the most versatile ones aren’t famous outside the industry.
Shari Lewis on Lamb Chop: “I really don’t analyze her personality too much. Too much analysis of that which is magic makes the magic go away. Lamb Chop works so organically, she is a very trustworthy ad-libber.” (Washington Post, June 18, 1982, p. C7)
Oh! Missed it by that much. You forgot Wembley. Three boys, two girls, one of whom was a tomboy.
Weren’t a lot of other female Fraggles.
As Charles Schulz said
Little girl hitting little boy = Funny
Little boy hitting little girl = not funny
Little boys getting into trouble = funny
Little girls getting into troulbe = not funny
Wot, no love for Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds? Or Tin-Tin from the same? Or Marina from Stingray? C’mon, Gerry Anderson was all about the laydeez.
Well, all I know is that Puppetry of the Penis is shamefully lacking in female roles. For shame, boys.
Well, for Muppets, don’t forget their Land of Grorch: King Ploovis, Scred, the Mighty Favog, and Wisss are male, and Queen Peuta and Vazh are female