Cool News
Muppet Engineer Kermit Love Is Gone...
Merrick here...
When we think about Muppets and SESAME STREET, names like Jim Henson and Frank Oz instantly (and understandably) pop to mind. But, as with many technical endeavors, there are numerous other folks behind-the-scenes whose names aren't as quickly connected to their creations.
One such person is Kermit Love (full name Kermit Ernest Hollingshead Love), who was claimed by congestive heart failure on Saturday. He was 91.
...and Snuggle Bear.
He was a costume designer for Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, and collaborated with dance gods like George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Twyla Tharp.
You can learn much more about Love's career and creations in THIS LA TIMES ARTICLE, or THIS NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE.
Love never had children of his own, but acknowledged his indelible connection to countless families in a 1991 interview with Newsweek. "I have a million children."
Readers Talkback
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Sad lost
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YEAH!!!!
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June 26, 2008, 10:32 a.m. CST
When you said Kermits love i thought Frank OZ had died.
by eric haislar
I almost screamed NOOOOOOOOOOO!
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And RIP Mr. Love.
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As with just about everyone else, I grew up on their wonderful creations. My daughter now watches these from time to time. <p>Thanks for everything you've done Mr. Love.
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www.boilcheck.com
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Seemed like a really nice guy. What a nice charmed life he led. These are the guys I'm jealous of, not the movie stars.
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I seriously am going to have nightmares of that things head flopping around and knocking over cans while trying to drag me back to hell with him.
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I absolutely love that name...no pun intended..after all these years Im a little surprised that I never heard of the guy. Rest In Peace.
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"Hi, I'm Snuggle, and I'm going to carve you like a turkey!"
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and for some reason I want to eat Chinese now.
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when Big Bird tried to count his feet, and just kept walking around and around him, counting and recounting legs.<p>so great.
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cause the world has become a cesspool of non talented yet famous shitmongers, haters and terrorists.
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this message brought to you by the letter T.
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that is probably the best thing I have ever seen. Makes the Smash Martians look rubbish. A Sad day.
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worked with insanely talented people, created timeless pieces of art and was called Kermit Love. <p> The guy is all kinds of win. Seriously it's the guys like this behind the scenes who deserves the appraisals, and as was said by jedirob it's this type of man who makes me envious. RIP.
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There must be a movie greenlighted NOW based on this creature.
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legacy he has left us all to love. Rest In Peace indeed Mr. Love.
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Many people have said this INCLUDING Jim Henson, it's just a coincidence. But his contribution to the muppets was indelible nevertheless. His presence will be missed I'm sure.
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...Meet The Feebles style. Still, anyone who (literally) had a hand in The Muppets is cool in my book. Rest in peace sir.
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Seriously, were I a 70+ entertainment legend I'd be looking both ways at least twice before I crossed the street in 2008.
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June 26, 2008, 11:09 a.m. CST
La Choy Dragon rocks! And so does that damn cute teddy bear
by theycallmemrglass
When were those commercials made? early 70s? Never heard of Kermit Love but what a fucking name. RIP KL
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I hate to see the people who bring joy to children pass away. :(
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I had never seen that. That commercial is awesome hahaha...way better than alot of the ones out now.
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I know some first names fall out of fashion, but it's more interesting to note which ones go away once they're firmly identified with a certain character.<BR><BR> For instance, when is the last time you met someone named "Kermit" who was born after the frog become popular? Or "Linus"? Or "Dagwood"? Or "Clark"? Or "Elmer"? Or "Felix" and/or "Oscar"?<BR><BR> Of course, I've encountered a LOT of little boys named "Logan" since the first X-MEN movie was released. I'm certain that their dads had a lot more to do with that then their moms. (When I asked one kid if he was named after Wolverine, his mom rolled her eyes and sighed, "Yes..." Which tells me she didn't make the connection when her man suggested the name. Tee-hee!)<BR><BR> Thanks for all of the entertainment, Mr. Love. Big, heaping piles of kudos to you.
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Suck me sideways! Deaths being a real cunt lately!
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My god, those are far the evilist, most wicked muppets I've ever seen! One even gets shot in the head!
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and the mom grabbing her son for dear life. comedy gold!
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Just wondering. This gentleman did great work. Thanks Mr. Love.
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stan winston talk back.
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for the most psychotic thing I've seen in a long time. I can't believe it was made in the era it was.
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June 26, 2008, 11:46 a.m. CST
people used to be really talented and creative... =0(
by The Marquis de Side 3
...all these people like Winston and Love, they were really committed to their craft. I highly doubt that this generation will beget anyone like them. The new generation doesn't yield as many original individuals as the previous one did...
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It is making me sick, so much talent is being lost and yet those who churn garbage out of the Hollywood machine are still here WTF?????
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but the La Choy Dragon is genius!
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Especially when a legend has just left us. I'm looking at u, coen_fan. Let's show some class for once
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June 26, 2008, 11:55 a.m. CST
I love the fucking mob mentality of the Wilkin's commercials
by Jackie Boy
"Something just seems to happen to people who don't drink Wilkin's Coffee, motherfucker!"
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...CGI. (Along with Pop'n'Fresh, who, incidentally was originally drawn by Golden Age Green Lantern creator Mart Nodell). La Choy dragon??? WTF?
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June 26, 2008, 12:04 p.m. CST
To answer the question of why do you need a designer for radio
by emeraldboy
The answer is that before he hit radio. welles was know as landmark theater director. Mercury theatre was a bonafide theatre group. Welles Production of Richard the III has gone down in history. It was controversial and it electrified the crowd. But It showed that here was a man hwo took risks, was bold and could take text, in this case shakespeare and turn it into something modern. He transposed Richard the 111 to nazi germany and his all black version of Macbeth gave harlem the biggest crowd it ever in fact when Macbeth. Before the play none of the actors couldnt even read and had never acted before. That all changed. He bullied, cajoled, marshalled, harrased and harrangued his actor. BUt the result was a firestorm. He inspired fear and awe in his actors. and they delivered.
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...made my fuckin' day. i've never seen an ad so deliciously insane in my life. they don't make shit like this anymore, that's for sure. and for that reason, i'll miss mr. love all the more. we need guys like him. if only for more la choy dragon mayhem.
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Muppets > any Disney shite.
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And he said he fucking hated it so much he never worked a full-body-suit puppet again. And I believe he DID use the word "fucking" when he described it--Mr. Oz is pretty, well, frank.
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ha ha ha. good life sir, rest well.
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it's that people with grey beards die. <P>please, go buy some Just For Men right now.
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freaking old. I expect to see a few other Muppet/Sesame performers in the "RIP" headlines in the next few years.
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Sad news.
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It's funny, I was inadvertently thinking about Kermit Love the other day. I saw a new "Snuggle" commercial and I was shocked at what I saw. I was always kind of fond of the little bear but mainly, I thought the animation/whatever you want to call it was outstanding. Now I see that they have replaced that with crappy CGI. It REALLY looks terrible. An era is truly ending, I'm afraid.<p>Seriously, can this year get any worse? Gas prices going through the roof, important people in the world of the arts (no, not celebrities. If anyone should get it, it should be the talentless losers like.. I won't mention names), my ex girlfriend finding another guy, and people actually buying what Obama is selling. What's next?<p>
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It's particularly important when you look at the context. A LOT of very important people behind the scenes are passing on. Maybe they don't get the recognition that Stan Winston did, but they all contributed to a golden era of film and television that will continue to entertain long after we're all gone. It's out of respect that AICN and it's visitors take a break from the Shia Lebeouf updates just so they can slow down and remember all of Mr. Love's contributions.
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that beard is hard core
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Fucking A! I want some of that shit right now! I've never had anything quick cooked in Dragon Fire!
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it always makes me think they died a few years ago, and were being used like a puppet, but only now the corpse puppet is so worn down they have to admit death and bury it.
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That dragon ad was awesome. They don't make 'em like that anymore. They don't make 'em like those Snuggle commercials, either. Growing up, I never could decide if I loved the Snuggle bear or hated it. Love the puppetry, hate the voice and that asinine little giggle. Now, if only Snuggle tore up a Walgreen's while yelling in the faces of patrons, I might have come to love him, as I love that La Choy dragon. Also, love the rediculous claim that La Choy is cooked in actual dragon fire.
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Too bad we always seems to learn of peeps accomplishments AFTER they depart. As one of his "million children"...Thanks pops... That Dragon, and all you did for SS, and the Muppets will entertain many for ages...
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Battletanks 2 ad FTW. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48NnTQclWgU
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXGIFPxbtk
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"R.I.P. by Toby___Wong Jun 26th, 2008 12:09:29 PM Muppets > any Disney shite. " The muppets are owned by disney now.
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This stinks. Last year i just got to meet jim hensons wife. I wonder how she feels about this.
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never heard of this guy before, but now that AICN and other sites have noted his passing I realize how important he was to the industry.
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... and I went on a date earlier which went really well (at least I think it did), so that's saying something.
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Nothing like a giant pink dragon cock to obliterate your innocence.
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Good advice, I'll definitely keep it in mind. Although, I was planning to eventually propose to her over talkback... something along the lines of: "I know it's TOO SOON, but will you marry me? After all, a guy's GOTTA EAT and at least I'm not Michael Bay."
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