A pirate is any person who commits robbery at sea. While piracy is a serious and problematic crime in any time period, modern depictions have glorified the practice, particularly that of the 18th century. They are often depicted as fun and playful, gaining great wealth and fame. According to Gilbert and Sullivan, they also had a penchant (or penzance) for bursting into light operatic solos.
The Muppet Show
- The "Pigs in Space" sketch in episode 223 featured John Cleese as a pirate named Long John Silverstein.
- Episode 412 attempts to re-create a "Pigs in Space" sketch entitled "Pig Alien," featuring a pirate pig named Captain Blueboar.
- The plot of episode 507 involved guest star Glenda Jackson taking over The Muppet Theatre with a band of Whatnot pirates (one of whom is named Dead Ear Dick), Eric the Parrot, various Frackles created new for this episode, and Sweetums as Short John Silver.
- Episode 515 included a brief appearance by a pirate At the Dance who kept spinning his partner around in a circle because his wooden leg was stuck in the floor.
Muppet Babies
- In "Treasure Attic," the babies stumble upon The Pirettes while looking for Nanny's treasure. The Pirettes sing the song "Pirates."
- Baby Gonzo appears as Long John Silver from Treasure Island in Muppet Babies' Classic Children's Tales.
The Jim Henson Hour
- In episode 102, a sketch had Ted Danson and his date on a pirate-themed cruise with him having to fight through pirates to get to the salad bar. Gonzo, Leon, and Link Hogthrob make appearances as pirates.
Muppet Treasure Island
- Angel Marie
- Beggar
- Begoony
- Big-Fat-Ugly-Bug-Face-Baby-Eating O'Brien
- Mr. Bitte
- Black Eyed Pea
- Calico
- Calico Jerry
- Clueless Morgan
- Dead Tom
- Dodo
- Easy Pete
- Headless Bill
- Jacques Roach
- Lew Zealand
- Long John Silver
- Mad Monty
- Mudwell the Mudbunny
- Old Tom
- One-Eyed Jack
- Polly Lobster
- Real Old Tom
- Short Stack Stevens
- Spotted Dick
- Sweetums
- Undertaker
- Walleye Pike
- Wolf
Pirates at the Admiral Benbow Inn
- Billy Bones
- Black Dog
- Blind Pew
- Brool the Minstrel
- Mr. Curly Twirly
- Elderly Frackle
- Lyle the Dog
- Murray the Minstrel
- Old Joe
- Wander McMooch
Other Pirates
Sesame Street
- Ernie, Bert, Grover and Cookie Monster pose as fictional pirate Sandokan and his fellow pirates on a cover of Epi, Blas y los demás (1970s).
- The Sesame Street ABC Storybook features "The Story of Pete the Pirate," the nasty pirate who took everything beginning with P in a town, vowing only to stop if someone said a special P-word.
- Count von Count and several Anything Muppets reenact Treasure Island in the 1982 Sesame Street Storytime Calendar.
- The Bookaneer Captain leads an Anything Muppet pirate and a salty dog in Episode 4135.
- Long John Silver and Long Jane Silver visit the laundromat in Episode 2751.
- Ernie and Bert appear as pirates, looking for treasure on the open sea, in a Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures segment. The "Pirates" segment was later adapted into a storybook and an iPad app.
- Germany's Sesame Street spin-off Eine Möhre für Zwei featured a five-part pirate story during its fourth season, produced in 2014.
- An entry of "Cookie's Crumby Pictures" features Cookie Monster as Captain Snack Sparrow, a spoof of Captain Jack Sparrow.
- Bert dresses as a pirate in the Me Want Cookie short "Trick or Treat with Cookie Monster."
- "Pirates "R"": Animated pirates merrily sing about their favorite letter. (First: Episode 3995)
Other
- Dinkybeard (The Secret Life of Toys)
- Long Joel Silver (From the Balcony)
- Sir Francis Drake (historical figure)