OZ, Frank 1944–

PERSONAL

Full name, Richard Frank (some sources cite Frank Richard) Oznowicz; born May 25, 1944, in Hereford, England; son of Isidore and Frances Oznowicz; married; wife's name, Robin, 1979; children: one. Education: Attended Oakland City College, 1962.

Addresses: Office— Henson Associates, P.O. Box 20726, New York, NY 10023–1488. Agent— Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Career: Puppeteer, actor, producer, director, and writer. Henson Associates (also known as Jim Henson Productions), New York City, puppeteer with the Muppets, 1963—, also vice president and producer. Performed voices of Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Sam the Eagle for Muppet*vision 3–D (also known as Jim Henson's Muppet*vision 3–D, Kermit the Frog Presents Muppet*vision 3–D, and Muppet*vision 4–D ), a featured attraction at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, 1991. Limelight Entertainment, director of commercials, c. 1993–95; director of other commercials, including some featuring the Energizer Bunny, 1995–96.

Member: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Phi Alpha Tau (honorary member).

Awards, Honors: Emmy awards, individual achievement in children's programming (with others), 1974, 1976, and 1979, all for Sesame Street; Emmy Award nominations, outstanding comedy, variety, or music program (with others), 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, and Emmy Award, outstanding comedy, variety, or music series (with others), 1978, all for The Muppet Show; Grand Prize (with Jim Henson), Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival, 1983, for The Dark Crystal; American Comedy Award, creative achievement, 1998; John C. Zacharias Memorial Award, Emerson College, 1999; Cinematic Imagery Award, Art Directors Guild of America, 2002; Connor Award, Phi Alpha Tau fraternity.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Voices, Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Prince (also known as Frog Prince ), 1972.

Voices, Muppet Musicians of Bremen (also known as Tales from Muppetland: The Muppet Musicians of Bremen ), 1972.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, and Marvin Suggs, The Muppet Movie, Associated Film Distributors, 1979.

Corrections officer, The Blues Brothers, Universal, 1980.

Voice of Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1980.

Mr. Collins and voice of Miss Piggy, An American Werewolf in London (also known as American Werewolf ), Universal, 1981.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam the Eagle, The Great Muppet Caper, Universal, 1981.

Voices of Aughra and Skeksis Chamberlain, The Dark Crystal, Universal/Associated Film Distributors/ITC Entertainment, 1982.

Voice of Yoda, Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of Jedi and Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1983.

Corrupt cop, Trading Places, Paramount, 1983.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, Bert, Cookie Monster, and board member for Ocean Breeze Soap, The Muppets Take Manhattan, TriStar, 1984.

Voices of Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover, Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird! (also known as Follow That Bird ), Warner Bros., 1985.

Test monitor, Spies Like Us, Warner Bros., 1985.

Voice of the wiseman, Labyrinth, TriStar, 1986.

Pathologist, Innocent Blood (also known as A French Vampire in America ), Warner Bros., 1992.

Voices of Miss Piggy as Emily Crachit, Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig, Sam the Eagle, Animal, and other characters, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Buena Vista, 1992.

Voices of Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear as emperor, Muppet Classic Theatre, 1994.

Voices of Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear, It's Not Easy Being Green, 1994.

Voices of Miss Piggy as Benjamina Gunn, Fozzie Bear as Squire Trelawney, Sam the Eagle as Mr. Samuel Erroll, and Animal, Muppet Treasure Island, Buena Vista, 1996.

Warden, Blues Brothers 2000, Universal, 1998.

Voice of Yoda, Star Wars: Episode 1—The Phantom Menace (also known as The Phantom Menace and Star War I: The Phantom Menace ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1999.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam the Eagle, Muppets from Space, Columbia, 1999.

Voices of Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Columbia, 1999.

Voice of Fungus, Monsters, Inc., Buena Vista, 2001.

Voice of Yoda, Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones (also known as Attack of the Clones: The IMAX Experience, Star Wars II, and Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 2002.

Voice of First Mate Piggy for Pigs in Space: The Movie.

Film Director:

(With Jim Henson) The Dark Crystal, Universal/Associated Film Distributors/ITC Entertainment, 1982.

The Muppets Take Manhattan, TriStar, 1984.

Little Shop of Horrors, Warner Bros., 1986.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Orion, 1988.

What about Bob?, Buena Vista, 1991.

HouseSitter, Universal, 1992.

The Indian in the Cupboard, Paramount, 1995.

In & Out, Paramount, 1997.

Bowfinger, MCA/Universal, 1999.

The Score, Paramount, 2001.

Film Work; Other:

Producer (with David Lazer), The Great Muppet Caper, Universal, 1981.

Executive producer, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Buena Vista, 1992.

Executive producer, Muppet Treasure Island, Buena Vista, 1996.

Television Appearances; Series:

Voices of Bert, Grover, Cookie Monster, and other characters, Sesame Street (also known as Canadian Sesame Street, The New Sesame Street, Open Sesame, Sesame Park, and Les amis de Sesame ), PBS, 1969–2001.

Voices of Fozzie Bear, Animal, Miss Piggy, Sam the Eagle, Swedish Chef, and other characters, The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1976–1981.

Voices of Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear, The Jim Henson Hour, 1989.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam the Eagle, Animal, and lion in the jungle, Muppets Tonight!, ABC, 1996.

Voices of Animal, Baby Kermit, and Fozzie Bear for the series Muppet Babies; also appeared in The Orson Welles Show.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Chuck, Emmet Otter's Jug–Band Christmas, 1977.

Voices of Muppets, Julie Andrews: One Step into Spring, CBS, 1978.

Voices of Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, 1978.

Voices of Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, A Special Sesame Street Christmas, 1978.

Voices of Muppets, The Muppets Go Hollywood, 1979.

Voices, John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together, 1979.

Voices, The Muppets Go to the Movies, 1981.

(Uncredited) Himself and voice of Miss Piggy, Of Muppets and Men: The Making of the Muppet Show, 1981.

Voice of Miss Piggy, The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show, ABC, 1982.

Voices of Muppets, I Love Liberty, 1982.

Voice of Miss Piggy, Night of 100 Stars, ABC, 1982.

Himself, The World of "The Dark Crystal, " 1983.

Voice of Miss Piggy, San Francisco Ballet in Cinderella, PBS, 1985.

Voices of Muppets, The Muppets—A Celebration of 30 Years, CBS, 1986.

Voices of Muppets, The Television Academy Hall of Fame, NBC, 1986.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Swedish chef, Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, A Muppet Family Christmas (also known as Christmas at Home with the Muppets ), ABC, 1987.

Voice of Fozzie Bear, Little Muppet Monsters, 1987.

(Uncredited) Voices of Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, The Adventures of Super Grover, 1987.

(Uncredited) Voices of Bert and Grover, Big Bird Brings Spring to Sesame Street, 1987.

Voices of Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, Sesame Street Special (also known as Put Down the Duckie ), PBS, 1988.

Voices of Muppets, Free to Be ... a Family, ABC, 1988.

Voices of Muppets, Sesame Street ... 20 and Still Counting, NBC, 1989.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam the Eagle, "The Muppets at Walt Disney World," The Wonderful World of Disney, NBC, 1990.

"Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Special," The Wonderful World of Disney, NBC, 1990.

Himself, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, CBS, 1990.

Voices of Grover and Cookie Monster, Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake, PBS, 1991.

Voices of Muppets, Holiday Greetings from the Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1992.

Himself, "George Lucas: Heroes, Myths and Magic," American Masters, PBS, 1993.

Sesame Street Stays Up Late! A Monster New Year's Eve Party, PBS, 1993.

Himself, "The World of Jim Henson," Great Performances, PBS, 1994.

Voices of Cookie Monster and Grover, Elmo Saves Christmas, 1996.

Voices of Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster, Cinderelmo, Fox, 1999.

Interviewee, Sesame Street, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle, It's a Very Muppet Christmas Movie, NBC, 2002.

Voices of Bert, Grover, and other Muppets, Play with Me Sesame, 2002.

Himself, I Love Muppets, BBC, 2002.

Also voice of Fozzie Bear for The Muppets Celebrate Richard Hunt.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Voice of Miss Piggy, The 41st Annual Emmy Awards, Fox, 1989.

The 12th Annual American Comedy Awards, Fox, 1998.

Himself and voice of Yoda, 2003 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2003.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Voice of the Mighty Favag, Saturday Night Live, NBC, between 1975 and 1976.

Voice of Bert, Connie Stevens, 1977.

Voice of Miss Piggy, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, 1979.

Voice of Miss Piggy, Dolly, 1987.

Voice of Yoda, "Running with Scissors," Al TV, 1999.

Guest, The Big Breakfast, Channel 4, 2001.

Guest, Breakfast, BBC, 2001.

Performed as Muppet voices for multiple episodes of The Afro Family, and voice of Grover for The Electric Company; voice of Sam the Eagle, "Bald Eagle/Chicken Hawk," The Animal Show; voice of Horace, "Oh, NO! Hiccups," The Horace Music Pizza; voice of Ewey (hopping lamb), "Friends," Jim Henson's Beanie Baby Land; voice of Tarzan, "Tantor and the Magic Wand/One Blue Tiger/Turk's He," Disney's Tarzan Cubs; also appeared in an episode of International Festival of Animation.

Television Work:

Director, The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show (special), ABC, 1982.

Creator, Frankenstein Follies (series), 1993.

Director, The Funkhousers (pilot), ABC, 2002.

Stage Appearances:

Voice of Miss Piggy, Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982.

Performed as voice of Miss Piggy for the stage show PBS Kids Live!

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Voice, Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets (also known as Jim Henson's Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets ), 1985.

Voice of Miss Piggy, Oscar's Greatest Moments (also known as Oscar's Greatest Moments 1971–1991 ), 1992.

Video Games:

Voices of Miss Piggy as Benjamina Gunn and Fozzie Bear as Squire Trelawney, Muppets Treasure Island, 1996.

Voices, The Muppet CD–ROM: Muppets Inside, 1996. Voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam the Eagle, Muppet Race Mania, Midway Games/Sony CEE, 2000.

WRITINGS

Screenplays:

(With Tom Patchett) The Muppets Take Manhattan, TriStar, 1984.