Kermit Ernest Hollingshead Love (August 7, 1916 – June 21, 2008) was an American puppet maker, puppeteer, costume designer, and actor in children's television and on Broadway. He was best known as a designer and builder with the Muppets, in particular those on Sesame Street.
Early life
Love was born in Spring Lake, New Jersey on August 7, 1916, to Ernest and Alice Love.[1] He was raised by his grandmother and great-grandmother following his mother's death when he was three years old.[1]
During the early 1960s, Love first crossed paths with Jim Henson through Don Sahlin, who urged him to meet with Henson. The three first collaborated on the La Choy Dragon for advertising the chow mein brand,[4] which was a precursor to Big Bird.[6] Love's theatrical background had given him particular skill at handling full body-puppets and tailoring them to allow freedom for the performer's movements. From this, Love went on to build Oscar the Grouch and then Big Bird[4] after a drawing was designed by Henson (though Sahlin had carved the first head). Love talked about how he designed Big Bird to subtly shed feathers in the course of normal movement,[7] "Not unlike a tree shedding leaves in the Fall." He believed this made Big Bird appear more natural to young viewers. Love co-designed Cookie Monster and he designed Mr. Snuffleupagus.[3][7] He accompanied the Big Bird costume (Love preferred calling it a "puppet") when it traveled overseas for appearances.[5]
Despite popular rumor, Love was not the namesake of Kermit the Frog; the character was created and named in 1955, before Henson met Love in the 1960s.[2][5]
In his memoir The Wit and Wisdom of Big Bird, Caroll Spinney speaks affectionately of Love and his importance to the show, though noting an occasional cantankerous side.[3]
Beyond Sesame Street
In addition to his work on Sesame Street, Love remained busy as freelancer, creating and building puppets for the non-Henson puppet series The Great Space Coaster.[2]
One of his specials was watched by a young Kevin Clash, whose parents contacted Love and told him about their son. Love worked as a mentor to Clash[2] and introduced him to Jim Henson, and helped Clash get jobs on children's shows The Great Space Coaster and Captain Kangaroo. After both shows were canceled, Clash moved on to Sesame Street. Other works included building the Snuggle Bear[2] puppet for the Snuggle fabric softener advertisements.[3][4]
Love appeared as Santa Claus on the cover of New York magazine[4][2] in December 1982, 1984, and 1985.
Going into semi-retirement in the 1990s, Love remained active, building many full-body puppets for the Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker performances, such as designing the mice and the 16 ft (4.9 m)-tall Mother Ginger puppet, an association that continued to 2004. In 1993, he directed the Whirligig pilot for PBS at The Studios at Las Colinas, Irving, Texas. In 2001, he designed Aza, the bird-like mascot for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Personal life and death
Although he was American, Love often spoke with an English, and sometimes French, accent.[1][2] He resided in Stanfordville, New York.[1]
^ abcdefHevesi, Dennis (June 24, 2008). "Kermit Love, Costume Creator, Dies at 91". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2011. Despite his assumed English (and sometimes French) accent, Kermit Ernest Hollingshead Love was born in Spring Lake, N.J., on Aug. 7, 1916. His father, Ernest Love, was a decorative plasterer. His mother, Alice, died when he was 3, and he was raised by a grandmother and a great-grandmother.
