Forgotten Muppets From The Muppet Show | Part 1

Forgotten Muppets: 5 Characters You Probably Haven’t Thought About in Years (Part 1)

Before Kermit became a superstar, before Miss Piggy took over the spotlight, and before Animal destroyed another drum kit, there were Muppets who helped make the madness happen — only to fade into the background.

Some had major roles in the earliest days of The Muppet Show. Others appeared for just a handful of sketches, leaving behind moments so wonderfully strange that only dedicated fans remember them.

But forgotten doesn’t mean unimportant.

Jim Henson and his talented team created an enormous collection of unusual, hilarious, and sometimes downright bizarre characters. Not everyone could become the next Fozzie Bear or Gonzo, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t deserve a little applause.

Welcome to Forgotten Muppets, a new Muppet Madness series where we dig through the archives and bring some of those overlooked characters back into the spotlight.

Let’s see how many of these five you remember!

1. Nigel — The Muppet Who Almost Had Kermit’s Job

Imagine The Muppet Show without Kermit the Frog trying desperately to keep everything under control.

Believe it or not, that almost happened.

In the 1975 pilot The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, the host wasn’t Kermit. It was a rather mild-mannered fellow named Nigel.

Performed by Jim Henson, Nigel was originally positioned as the show’s host, introducing the various acts and attempting to manage the chaos.

Unfortunately for Nigel, he didn’t quite have the personality that would eventually make Kermit the perfect ringmaster.

When The Muppet Show became a regular television series in 1976, Kermit took over hosting duties. Nigel was reassigned to conducting the Muppet Orchestra.

And here’s an interesting little detail: in one episode, Nigel is credited within the show’s story with writing The Muppet Show theme song!

Over time, Nigel became increasingly difficult to spot, usually appearing behind the orchestra rather than in the spotlight.

Forgotten Muppet Fact: Nigel went from hosting the entire show to conducting the orchestra in the background.

Talk about a career change!

2. Baskerville the Hound — Rowlf’s Forgotten Partner

Everybody remembers Rowlf the Dog.

The laid-back, piano-playing canine became one of Jim Henson’s earliest television stars and eventually a beloved member of The Muppet Show.

But how many fans remember Baskerville?

Baskerville the Hound actually goes all the way back to 1962, when he appeared alongside Rowlf in commercials for Purina Dog Chow.

That’s right. Baskerville was hanging around with Rowlf long before The Muppet Show ever existed!

With his shaggy brown fur, long pointed snout, and glasses, Baskerville looked like the sort of dog who might have a few complaints about his dinner.

When The Muppet Show premiered, Baskerville made appearances in various sketches and musical performances.

One particularly memorable appearance featured Rowlf playing Sherlock Holmes while Baskerville took on the role of Dr. Watson.

Unfortunately, while Rowlf continued enjoying the spotlight, Baskerville gradually became more of a background character.

Forgotten Muppet Fact: Baskerville’s history stretches back to 1962, making him one of the older characters in the Muppet family.

And yes, his name is a nod to The Hound of the Baskervilles, the famous Sherlock Holmes mystery.

3. Droop — The Miserable Monster With a Surprisingly Long History

Some Muppets are cheerful.

Some are absolutely bonkers.

And then there’s Droop.

With his long, drooping nose and permanently unhappy expression, Droop looked like a monster who had just received some particularly terrible news.

But don’t let that miserable face fool you.

Droop could occasionally be quite the performer.

Primarily performed by the legendary Jerry Nelson, Droop appeared in the 1974 special The Muppets Valentine Show and later became one of the many strange monsters inhabiting The Muppet Show.

He could be seen joining musical numbers alongside the Frackles and other unusual creatures, sometimes displaying far more enthusiasm than his appearance suggested.

His roots go back even further. An early version of the character, known as Snivelly, appeared in the 1970 special The Great Santa Claus Switch.

Droop also made a brief but memorable appearance in The Muppet Christmas Carol, proving that even a gloomy monster could enjoy a surprisingly long career.

Forgotten Muppet Fact: Droop was around in one form or another before The Muppet Show existed, and continued appearing in Muppet productions decades later.

Maybe he wasn’t miserable after all.

Maybe he just had a very long nose.

4. Bobby Benson — The Man Who Managed a Band of Babies

If you thought Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem were an unusual musical group, wait until you remember Bobby Benson.

Bobby was a sunglasses-wearing musician who eventually became the leader of one of the strangest acts ever to appear on The Muppet Show.

Bobby Benson’s Baby Band.

Yes, an actual band made up of babies.

And somehow, these diaper-wearing little performers could play musical instruments.

The band performed numbers including “Pennsylvania 6-5000” and “Tuxedo Junction,” bringing a completely different level of absurdity to the show’s musical entertainment.

But the babies weren’t always well-behaved.

In one memorable episode, Miss Piggy attempted to look after the band to prove she would make a wonderful mother.

Unfortunately, the babies had other plans.

They proceeded to wreck her dressing room and drive the poor pig absolutely crazy.

Bobby Benson, meanwhile, maintained the attitude of a hardened show-business professional who just happened to be managing several tiny musicians.

Forgotten Muppet Fact: Bobby Benson was performed by Richard Hunt, the talented puppeteer who also brought Scooter, Janice, and many other characters to life.

Bobby and his babies later popped up in Muppet films, but they never became household names.

Which is a shame, because a band of musical babies is exactly the sort of madness we need more of.

5. Angus McGonagle — The Muppet Who Lost His Big Break to Star Wars

Now this is a deep cut.

Imagine finally getting booked as a guest on The Muppet Show, only to have your big opportunity stolen by Luke Skywalker.

That’s pretty much what happened to Angus McGonagle.

Angus was a purple, kilt-wearing gargoyle with a very unusual talent.

He could gargle the music of George Gershwin.

And according to Angus, he could do it gorgeously.

In the famous 1980 episode featuring the stars of Star Wars, Angus was originally scheduled to appear as the show’s special guest.

Unfortunately, Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, R2-D2, and the rest of the gang unexpectedly arrived, leaving Angus out in the cold.

But Angus wasn’t about to give up his moment in the spotlight.

He eventually managed to sneak onto the stage and perform a gargled rendition of “Summertime.”

Even Mark Hamill joined in!

Naturally, things didn’t go particularly well, and Animal eventually chased the performers away.

Angus never became a regular member of the Muppet family, but his brief appearance remains a wonderfully ridiculous example of classic Muppet humor.

Forgotten Muppet Fact: Angus McGonagle was primarily performed by Jerry Nelson, with Richard Hunt providing the gargling.

Only The Muppet Show could make a gargoyle gargling Gershwin seem like a perfectly reasonable entertainment choice.

Why These Forgotten Muppets Still Matter

It’s easy to remember the stars.

Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, and the rest of the famous gang have entertained generations of fans.

But one of the things that made Jim Henson’s creations so special was the enormous world surrounding those characters.

There were cranky janitors, strange musicians, nervous monsters, oddball performers, and creatures who might appear for just one unforgettable joke.

Some were created for early television commercials. Others appeared in pilots that never became regular series. A few were quietly pushed into the background as newer, more popular characters took over.

Yet each contributed something to the wonderfully unpredictable universe that Henson and his performers created.

And for many longtime fans, spotting one of these forgotten faces in an old episode is like running into an old friend you haven’t seen in 40 years.

That’s the magic of the Muppets.

They don’t have to be famous to be unforgettable.

Now It’s Your Turn, Muppet Fans!

How many of these five characters did you remember?

Did you know Nigel almost had Kermit’s job? Were you a fan of Bobby Benson’s Baby Band? Or do you still remember the mighty gargling talents of Angus McGonagle?

Tell us in the comments: Which forgotten Muppet deserves to make a comeback?

And if there’s an obscure character you remember from your childhood, let us know. We might feature your suggestion in Part 2!

This is only the beginning of our journey into the forgotten corners of Muppet history.

Stay tuned for more forgotten faces, surprising stories, and wonderfully weird Muppet memories.

Keep the Madness Alive!

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