Behind the Muppets

If you've ever wondered where your favorite Muppets come from (and who hasn't), CNN has a great piece on the backgrounds of the Jim Henson creations. While all the big names are covered, so are the smaller ones. Take Rizzo the Rat for instance, they note that his name might sound familiar if you've seen Midnight Cowboy, because he's "named for Dustin Hoffman's character, Ratso Rizzo. He was created after puppeteer Steve Whitmire was inspired by rat puppets made from bottles." His first appearance was on the Muppet Show with a pack of rats following Christopher Reeve around. Meanwhile, the hugely popular Elmo (friend of Gothamist), wasn't created until puppeteer Kevin Clash put some life into an extra red puppet in 1984.