Butch

PERFORMER	various
DEBUT	1979
DESIGN	Ed Christie designer/builder

Butch is a Bengal tiger who made various appearances on Sesame Street. He was the first Muppet designed and built by Ed Christie, and originally appeared as a saber-toothed tiger (performed by Brian Muehl) in the "Toothbrush" sketch of the Caveman Days series.^[1] The puppet was also used on The Muppet Show, starting in season 4.

The tiger was named onscreen in episode 416 (performed by Jim Henson), when he teamed up with a lion as "Butch and Sundance," running away from an animal training act.

Like his early Sesame appearances, he was also used as a saber-toothed tiger on The Muppet Show, in episodes 513 and 516.

Butch was later seen as an audience member on Muppets Tonight. He was later reworked as Mrs. Tiger for Mopatop's Shop.

A modified version of the puppet appeared as Tungar the Tiger on Panwapa, and has continued to be used on Sesame Street (performed on several occasions by Matt Vogel as early as Episode 4102).

Episode 416 of The Muppet Show

Butch as a saber-toothed tiger from episode 513 of The Muppet Show

Filmography

• Sesame Street
  • Sketches: Caveman Days: Toothbrush, Manny's Casting Office (Michael Earl), How the King Got His Kazoo, On Vacation with Guy Smiley (Martin P. Robinson), Calling All Pigeons (Jerry Nelson), "The Most Important Meal of the Day", Letter E Cookie (Jim Martin), Elmo's World: Wild Animals, "In My Book" (Kevin Clash), Karate Master the Musical
  • Episodes: 2799, 3129 (Robinson), 3145 (Martin), 3156, 3220, 3275 (Martin), 3948, 4102, 4308 (John Kennedy), 4414, 4603, 4720, 4927 (Robinson), 5417
• The Muppet Show
  • Episode 404: Dyan Cannon
  • Episode 410: Kenny Rogers
  • Episode 416: Jonathan Winters (performed by Jim Henson)
  • Episode 422: Andy Williams (Performed by Jerry Nelson)
  • Episode 509: Debbie Harry
  • Episode 513: Tony Randall
  • Episode 516: Gladys Knight
  • Episode 517: Hal Linden ("Just an Old Fashioned Girl")
  • Episode 524: Roger Moore
• Little Muppet Monsters
  • Episode 103: The Great Boodini
• The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
• The Ghost of Faffner Hall
• Sing, Hoot & Howl with the Sesame Street Animals
• Muppets Tonight (in audience)
  • Episode 102: Garth Brooks
  • Episode 105: Cindy Crawford
  • Episode 107: Sandra Bullock
  • Episode 108: Jason Alexander
  • Episode 109: Whoopi Goldberg
  • Episode 110: Martin Short
• Mopatop's Shop
  • Episode 126: Something Special (as Mrs. Tiger)
• Elmo's Playdate: Scavenger Hunt (as Mr. Stripey)

Sources