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Kermit Love
(August 7, 1916 - June 21, 2008) USA

Kermit Love

Puppeteer, puppetmaker, costume designer, actor

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Kermit Ernest Hollingshead Love was born in Spring Lake, New Jersey , to Ernest and Alice Love. He was raised by his grandmother and great-grandmother after his mother's death when he was three years old.

He began his theatrical career working as a marionette maker for a federal Works Progress Administration theater in Newark, New Jersey in 1935. He was also a costume designer for Broadway and other stage productions as in the 1930s, including Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre troupe. Kermit also appeared on stage in a bit part as a student for the 1937 play Naught Naught 00 .

During the early 1960s, Kermit first crossed paths with Jim Henson through Don Sahlin, who urged him to meet with Henson. The three first collaborated on The LaChoy Dragon . Kermit's theatrical background had given him particular skill at handling full body-puppets and tailoring them to allow freedom for the performer's movements.

rom this, Kermit went on to build Oscar the Grouch and then Big Bird after a drawing was designed by Henson. He talked about how he designed Big Bird so that he would subtly shed feathers in the course of normal movement, "Not unlike a tree shedding leaves in the Fall."

He believed this made Big Bird appear more natural to young viewers. Later, Love designed Mr. Snuffleupagus and helped create Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. He accompanied the Big Bird costume (Kermit preferred calling it a "puppet") when it traveled overseas for appearances.

Despite the coincidence of names, Kermit Love first met Jim Henson after the 1955 creation and naming of Kermit the Frog. Though he also worked on The Muppet Show and The Muppet Movie , Sesame Street was Kermit's domain. He also portrayed Willy, the hot dog vendor, on Sesame Street . He even puppeteered on the special Julie on Sesame Street . For the feature film Follow That Bird , he served as special Muppet consultant, as well as appearing in many background scenes as Willy.

Kermit also appeared as Santa Claus on the cover of New York magazine in December 1982, 1984 and 1985. Going into semi-retirement in the 1990s, Kermit remained active, building many full-body puppets for the Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker performances.

Although he was American, Kermit Love often spoke with an English accent. He resided in Stanford, New York and was survived by Christopher Lyall, his partner of 50 years. Kermit died of congestive heart failure and pneumonia in Poughkeepsie, New York.

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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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