Recommended music: Scott Joplin – The Entertainer
It’s #SomethingElseSunday, and we’re still celebrating 70 years of the Muppets! Today, from Palisades Toys, it’s Fozzie Bear!
A bear puppet that looked like Fozzie, but without eyebrows, appeared in the second Muppet Show pilot from 1975, The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, but I haven’t actually noticed him in that episode. The Fozzie Bear we all know, performed by Frank Oz, made his official debut in the first episode of The Muppet Show. As the group’s comedian, he appeared in 115 out of 120 episodes.
In the first season of The Muppet Show, Fozzie’s monologues were mostly simple, corny jokes that usually ended with his catchphrase, “Wocka wocka wocka,” while Statler and Waldorf heckled him. Later on, his routines started to include more gimmicks or impressions of the guest star.
After The Muppet Show ended, Fozzie appeared in every Muppet film and other major productions, with Frank Oz performing him for 25 years. Eric Jacobson took over in 2002 and is still the main performer for Fozzie today.
Palisades Toys released the regular Fozzie Bear figure in the second wave of its Muppets toy line and later made four more versions of the character. Unlike the Dr. Teeth figure from the first wave, Fozzie was the first to have a magnet in his head and removeable hat to keep it in place. He also comes with a Groucho mask, a microphone with a stand, a rubber chicken, and a figure base. The figure stands well even without the base and is a great sculpt with five points of articulation.
If you’re a fan, you should definitely have a version of Fozzie Bear in your collection. This figure is probably my favorite Fozzie item.
I know the 70th anniversary of The Muppets has already passed, but I still have a good number of characters to feature on the blog. Also, if you missed The Muppet Show’s 50th-anniversary special, it’s now streaming on Disney+, and it’s great … even with the bear!
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