Top 10 Muppets from The Muppet Show

Keyboardist and leader of The Electric Mayhem, Dr. Teeth is the coolest Muppet, with his top-hat, gruff voice and tooth he made from melted gold records. Originally performed by Jim Henson, he’s famous for his… creative use of big words. Alongside Janice, Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Zoot, and Animal, he rocks the Muppet Theatre as part of the house band – which requires extra muppeteers to work his super-long arms!

Voiced by Jim Henson, Rowlf was the first Muppet to achieve fame, long before “The Muppet Show” hit airwaves. Another cool and collected keyboardist, Rowlf is as laid-back as they come – and some say he’s the Muppet closest in personality to Henson. With no fancy outfits, catchphrases or gimmick: Rowlf is simply that floppy-eared dog that plays a mean piano. What kind of dog he is, is another story…

His jokes are terrible, but he gets back up every night to face the hecklers – y’gotta admire that! This stand-up comedian is always dressed in his pork pie hat and same old scarf, spouting the same puns he’s been telling for decades – and that’s why we love him. Created as a collaboration between Jim Henson and longtime muppeteer Frank Oz, he’s one iconic Muppet with a catchphrase we adore.

He’s possibly an alien, his girlfriend’s a chicken, and he’s an artiste. Gonzo is dedicated to performing for the sake of performance, meaning he’ll injure himself in the name of art – and that never fails to crack us up. The curved-nosed Muppet may never’ve gotten the hang of the trumpet, or of that motorcycle stunt, but this weirdo still found his way into our hearts.

Y’gotta love these haters. From their plum balcony seats, these grumpy ole’ curmudgeons offer up the clever quips every YouTube commenter wishes they could come up with. Always heckling the stage, and Fozzie Bear in particular, they definitely aren’t impressed with the Muppets – but they sure as hell find themselves entertaining. Y’know why these guys work? Cause you can’t have sweet Muppets without salty – and boy, are they salty.

Once performed as a team-effort between Henson and Oz, the Swedish Chef is one Muppet you don’t need to understand to find hilarious. With his human hands, trademark facial hair and his catchphrase, he parodies TV chefs of all kinds, always ending his cooking segments with some sort of physical injury or slapstick comedy. His gibberish mock-Swedish and tendency to toss utensils make him one of our faves.

An immediate fan fave upon his season-2 introduction on “The Muppet Show,” Beaker’s got orange hair, shocked eyes and a voice you’ll never forget. As Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s Muppet Labs assistant, Beaker’s a character you love because you get to laugh at his misfortune over and over and over. In fact, he’d be the first to say Dr. Honeydew’s methods are questionable – that is, if you could understand him.

She’s violent, loud, a diva and a lover of all things French. Performed until 2002 by Frank Oz, Miss Piggy was one of the first well-rounded Muppet characters. Plus, she’s the Muppets’ biggest star – and no we don’t mean her porky size so keep those karate chops to yourself, honey. Kermit’s the love of her life, and she won’t hesitate to let him or anybody else know it – so watch out.

Originally performed by Frank Oz, Animal is that badass, reckless, devil-may-care Muppet who plays drums for The Electric Mayhem at a deafening volume. Simple, savage and slaughtering his drumkit, Animal’s remained unchanged since his debut. With his modest vocabulary, shaggy hair and tendency to go wild, he’s basically the drunken frat-boy of Muppet Theatre. In fact, he’s so crazy; you must just find him leashed up on occasion.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Scooter
- Sam the Eagle
- Camilla the Chicken
- Lew Zealand
- Sweetums

Crafted from the fabric of Jim Henson’s mother’s coat with a couple of ping-pong ball eyes, the unofficial mascot of the Muppet franchise came to life with the creator’s voice as his own. On “The Muppet Show,” he’s the host with the most and the glue that holds everything together. Kind, patient, with arms that flail in the funniest of ways, Kermit is the most iconic Muppet, flippers down.

Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite Muppet from “The Muppet Show”? For more muppetational top 10s, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.