Frank Oz - Famous Puppeteer

Frank Oz Net Worth

$80,000,000

Famous actor, director, producer and puppeteer Frank Oz has a net worth of $80 million as of 2021. Oz is renowned for his puppeteering skills, having performed as Yoda in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise and various characters on ‘Sesame Street’.

Key facts:

  • Frank Oz is a renowned puppeteer who has performed as Yoda in the 'Star Wars' movies and as several characters on 'Sesame Street' and in Jim Henson's Muppet productions.
  • He got his early start in puppeteering when he worked at Children's Fairyland, an amusement park, and was discovered by Jim Henson, which led to his move to New York to perform with The Muppets.
  • Oz made his debut as a director with 'The Dark Crystal,' which he co-directed with Jim Henson and featured the most advanced puppets at the time. He went on to direct many successful films including 'Little Shop of Horrors' and 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.'
  • Oz has also directed comedy movies like 'What About Bob?' and 'In & Out,' and he even directed a previous black comedy 'Death at a Funeral' in 2007 among other serious movies.
  • He has a net worth of $80 million.

Basic Information About Frank Oz

CategoryCelebrities β€Ί Actors
ProfessionsPuppeteer, Film director, Voice Actor, Actor, Film Producer
Net worth$80,000,000
Date of birth1944-05-25 (80 years old)
Place of birthHereford
NationalityUnited States of America
Curiosities and TrademarksHis films tend to be comedies
Performer of such puppets as Yoda, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Grover, Animal
SpouseVictoria Labalme - (17 JulyΒ 2011 - present)
Robin Oz - (12 DecemberΒ 1979 - 2005)Β (divorced)Β (4 children)
GenderMale
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Social Mediaβ†—οΈŽ Wikipedia β†—οΈŽ IMDb

What Movie Awards did Frank Oz win?


Oscar

Golden Globe

Golder Raspberry

BAFTA

Other
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Frank Oz awards

Award Name State Movie / Series Name Year
Golden Carp Film Award - International - Best Ensemble PerformanceNomineeKnives Out2020
Gold Derby Award - Ensemble CastNomineeKnives Out2020
Hugo - Best Dramatic PresentationNomineeLittle Shop of Horrors1987
BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award - Best Male Vocal Performance in a Feature Film in a Supporting RoleWinnerStar Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi2018
Critics Choice Award - Best Digital Acting PerformanceNomineeStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones2003
Grand Prize - WinnerThe Dark Crystal1983
Hugo - Best Dramatic PresentationNomineeThe Dark Crystal1983
Audience Award - Documentary FeatureWinnerIn & of Itself2020
Jury Award - Best Documentary FeatureNomineeIn & of Itself2020
SXSW Adam Yauch HΓΆrnblowΓ©r Award - WinnerIn & of Itself2020
Audience Award - WinnerDeath at a Funeral2007
Audience Award - WinnerDeath at a Funeral2007
BTVA Television Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series - Children's/EducationalNomineeSesame Street2014
Daytime Emmy - Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's ProgrammingWinnerSesame Street1979
Daytime Emmy - Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's ProgrammingWinnerSesame Street1974
Grammy - Best Recording for ChildrenNomineeSesame Street1976
Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music ProgramNomineeThe Muppet Show1979
Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music SeriesWinnerThe Muppet Show1978

Frank Oz roles

Movie / Series Role
Knives OutAlan Stevens
An American Werewolf in LondonMr. Collins / Miss Piggy
Little Shop of HorrorsDirector
Trading PlacesCorrupt Cop
LabyrinthThe Wiseman
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last JediYoda (voice)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the ClonesYoda (voice)
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of SkywalkerYoda (voice)
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the SithYoda (voice)
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackYoda (voice)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceYoda (voice)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the JediYoda (voice)
Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsDirector
Inside OutSubconscious Guard Dave (voice)
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force AwakensYoda (archive sound) (uncredited)
What About Bob?Director
Monsters, Inc.Fungus (voice)
The Blues BrothersCorrections Officer
Superman IIIBrain Surgeon (scenes deleted)
Zathura: A Space AdventureRobot (voice)
The ScoreDirector
The Dark CrystalDirector
The Dark CrystalAughra, a Keeper Of Secrets (performer) / Chamberlain (performer)
In & of ItselfDirector
In & OutDirector
BowfingerDirector
The Stepford WivesDirector
Death at a FuneralDirector
The Muppet MovieMiss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle / Doc Hopper's Men / Marvin Suggs / Swedish Chef (assistant) / Motorcycle Guy (voice)
Spies Like UsTest Monitor
Blues Brothers 2000Warden
The Muppets Take ManhattanDirector
The Muppets Take ManhattanWriter
The Muppets Take ManhattanMiss Piggy / Fozzie / Animal / Bert / Cookie Monster / Ocean Breeze Soap Board Member / Sam the Eagle (voice)
Muppet Treasure IslandMiss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Sam the Eagle / Animal (voice)
The Great Muppet CaperMiss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle / Gramps / Swedish Chef (voice)
HouseSitterDirector
Muppets from SpaceMiss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle (voice)
Follow That BirdCookie Monster / Bert / Grover / Additional Muppets (voice)
Sesame StreetBert / ... 573 episodes, 1969-2014
Star Wars: RebelsYoda 2 episodes, 2014-2018
Saturday Night LiveThe Mighty Favog / ... 4 episodes, 1975-1976
LeverageDirector
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf 1 episode, 2021
The Muppet ShowFozzie Bear / ... 120 episodes, 1976-1981
Loose WomenMiss Piggy 2 episodes, 2007
The Dick Cavett ShowCookie Monster / ... 1 episode, 1971

Frank Oz's Quotes

  • If you look at a lot of the pieces on The Muppet Show (1976) that came from Jim, there was a tremendous sweetness about them, and that's unique to Jim. Jim was never wimpy. He had a strength to his sweetness... that was great.
  • [on Jim Henson]: He envisioned a world where bears could tell jokes, chickens could sing, pigs could be stars and they all could ride bicycles.
  • [on The Muppet Show (1976) head writer, Jerry Juhl]: He was the person responsible really for the heart of the Muppets. He just knew the characters better than anybody else. He was brilliant because he could be funny but not nasty. He always saw the affection between the characters. Nobody else could do that kind of writing... He was THE Muppet writer.
  • [About the fame of Miss Piggy]: I wouldn't like to be that famous, I value my privacy. Mind you, Miss Piggy enjoys every moment of it. If it were not for me, she would spend all her time in the limelight.
  • (On Touch of Evil) I think it opened up my view of film-that there's so much more that could be done. Actually, by breaking so many rules, he allowed other people to say, "Hey, I can maybe think of some stuff, too!" He just opened up the possibilities more for me. That's what he did.

Frank Oz's photos

Interesting Facts about Frank Oz

  1. Has appeared in many of director John Landis' films as a good luck charm of sorts. He did not appear in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and Landis had plenty of bad luck during that film. In Trading Places (1983), he plays a cop taking an inventory of Dan Aykroyd's personal items, ironically reprising his role from The Blues Brothers (1980), where he took an inventory of the other Blues Brother's personal items, John Belushi, as Belushi was being freed from jail. He later went on to play the warden in Blues Brothers 2000.
  2. Often works with Steve Martin (The Muppet Movie (1979), The Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), HouseSitter (1992), Bowfinger (1999)).
  3. The middle three letters of his car's license plate are "PYK", for Piggy, Yoda and Kermit. It is believed to be a coincidence, because it is a standard DMV-issued license plate, not a vanity plate.
  4. Is a recipient of the prestigious Connor Award, given by the brothers of the Phi Alpha Tau fraternity based out of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also an honourary brother of the fraternity.
  5. The Muppet Show (1976) character "Fozzie Bear" is actually not named after Frank Oz, as is widely believed. "Fozzie Bear" is named after The Muppet Show (1976) builder Faz Fazakas.
  6. Uncle of Michelle Oznowicz and Jenny Oznowicz.
  7. Though Yoda only appears in two episodes of the original Star Wars trilogy, Oz managed to make three movies with Carrie Fisher by appearing with her in The Blues Brothers (1980), the same year that Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) was released. Then, in addition to working with Princess Leia's on-screen mother, Natalie Portman in all three prequels, he also directed Carrie Fisher's real-life mother, Debbie Reynolds, in In & Out (1997).
  8. Attended Jim Henson's funeral.
  9. Has directed two of his Star Wars castmates in otherwise unrelated films: Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine/Darth Sidious) appeared in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) and Terence Stamp (Supreme Chancellor Valorum) appeared in Bowfinger (1999).
  10. Was replaced by John Lithgow in the radio adaptations of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983). Lithgow also appeared in the Broadway musical based on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988).
  11. One of his first performing duties for The Muppet Show (1976) was performing Rowlf's right hand on The Jimmy Dean Show (1963).
  12. 1961: Met Jim Henson in Asilomar, California.
  13. His father, Isidore Oznowicz, was of Polish Jewish background. His mother, Frances (Ghevaert), was of Belgian (Flemish) descent.
  14. Collaborated five times with composer Miles Goodman: The Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), What About Bob? (1991), HouseSitter (1992) and The Indian in the Cupboard (1995). However, Goodman's score to The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) became unused and replaced by a score composed by Randy Edelman.
  15. Directed one Oscar nominated performance: Joan Cusack in In & Out (1997).
  16. He worked with James Earl Jones in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and his father Robert Earl Jones in Trading Places (1983).
  17. No longer signs autographs, due to many of his autographs winding up on auction sites.
  18. Refuses to let anyone else try on the Yoda puppet from the "Star Wars" series. Oz has said he's extraordinarily protective of the character, and takes his role as Yoda, a cultural icon, very seriously.
  19. He performed as Yoda in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and acted in 'The Blues Brothers', and 'American Werewolf in London.'.
  20. In 1963 he was studying journalism in California when he met Jim Henson who asked him to travel to New York for a 6 month try out with the Muppets. He's been associated with them ever since, bringing life to Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and many others.

References & Fact Checks βœ…

1/ Filename: frank-oz-1984-b66s9646.jpg
  • Checked: βœ… Yes (2023-07-02 17:40:06)
  • Source URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frank_Oz_-_1984.jpg
  • Original Source: ebay
  • Author: Baltimore Sun
  • Date taken: 1984 (year when photographed and published)

Frank Oz Famous Network

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