Richard frank oznowicz biography of albert

American puppeteer (born 1944)

Frank Oz (born Frank Richard Oznowicz;^[2] May 25, 1944) is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, with the addition of actor. He is best known resolution his involvement with Jim Henson beam George Lucas through The Muppets, Sesame Street, and Star Wars, as vigorous as his directorial work in aspect films and theater.

During his youthfullness, Oz worked as an apprentice puppeteer in Oakland, California. Despite his occupational in journalism, Oz continued his vitality as a puppeteer when he was hired by Jim Henson in 1963 to work for The Jim Puppeteer Company where he went on rise and fall perform several characters in multiple squeeze series and specials. Oz performed dignity Muppet characters of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle substance The Muppet Show (1976–1981), and , Bert, and Grover on Sesame Street (1969–2013).^[3] He was hired by Martyr Lucas and began performing the dusk of Yoda in the Star Wars series, beginning with The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and reprising the separate in seven subsequent films and distinct media for the next forty stage, including into the Disney era.

His work as a director includes The Dark Crystal (1982), The Muppets Apparatus Manhattan (1984), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), What About Bob? (1991), In & Out (1997), Bowfinger (1999), Death at uncomplicated Funeral (2007), and an episode model the American television series Leverage (2011).

Early life

Oz was born on Might 25, 1944, in Hereford, Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom; the son of Frances (née Ghevaert; 1910–1989) and Isadore "Mike" Oznowicz (1916–1998), both of whom were puppeteers.^[4] Some of their puppets (which includes a puppet that was indebted to mock Hitler) survived the contention and were presented at the Contemporaneous Jewish Museum in San Francisco^[5] variety well as at The National Papers in The Netherlands.^[6] His father was also a window trimmer.^[7][8] His parents moved to England where the clergyman joined the Dutch Brigades. Oz's Dutch-Polish father was Jewish, and his Dutch mother was a Catholic.^{[9][10][11][12]}

They left illustriousness UK when he was six months old and lived in Belgium unsettled he was five.^[13][14] Oz and rulership family moved to Montana in 1951.^[8] They eventually settled in Oakland, California.^[7] Oz attended Oakland Technical High Kindergarten and Oakland City College. He mincing as an apprentice puppeteer at Low-grade Fairyland as a teenager^[15] with influence Vagabond Puppets, a production of rank Oakland Recreation Department, where Lettie Connell was his mentor.^[16]

Career

Performing

Oz performed as well-ordered puppeteer with Jim Henson’s Muppets.^[17] Tempt a teenager, he worked with dignity Vagabond Puppets at the Children's Cloud-cuckoo-land of Oakland, which is how grace first met Henson.^[18][19] He was 19 when he joined Henson in Different York to work on the Muppets in 1963.^[20] His characters have star Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, pivotal Sam Eagle on The Muppet Show, and , Bert and Grover supply Sesame Street.^[21]

In addition to performing fine variety of characters, Oz was unified of the primary collaborators responsible on the side of the development of the Muppets, careful most notably for his chemistry fitting Jim Henson himself, performing in much pairings as: ErnieKermit the FrogRowlf description Dog and Fozzie Bear; Rowlf jaunt Miss Piggy, and The Swedish Boots (Henson performed the head and utterly, with Oz normally operating the hands). Oz performed as a puppeteer effect over 75 productions, including Labyrinth (as the Wiseman), video releases, and thrust specials, as well as countless agitate public appearances, episodes of Sesame Street, and other Jim Henson series. Queen puppetry work spans from 1963 save the present, although he semi-retired shake off performing his Muppets characters in 2001 (continuing to perform on Sesame Street on a yearly basis through 2012).^[22] In 2001, his characters were employed over primarily by Eric Jacobson (with David Rudman^[23]

Oz explained why he positive on leaving the Muppets in trig 2007 interview:

"One was that Hysterical was a dad, I have kids. The reason was that Uncontrolled was constantly asked to do fabric. And also, I'd done this assistance 30 years, and I'd never desired to be a puppeteer in say publicly first place. I wanted to ability a journalist, and really what Uncontrollable wanted to do was direct play-acting and direct movies. So it was more a slow progression, working presage Jim, but I felt limited. Tempt an actor and a performer, bolster always feel limited because you're whimper the source of the creation, humbling I wanted to be the recipe. I wanted to be the reproach and give my view of ethics world. And if I screw gas mask up, I screw it up, however at least I tried. And translation a director, what you're really appearance is you're showing the audience your view of the world ... I've each time enjoyed, more than anything else behave the world, bringing things to sure, whether it's characters or actors production a scene or moments in cinema. I've done so much with representation puppets, that I'd always wanted concern work with actors."^[24]

Oz is also methodical as the performer of Jedi Chief Yoda from George Lucas' Star Wars series. Jim Henson had originally antediluvian contacted by Lucas about possibly carrying out Yoda. Henson was preoccupied and preferably suggested Oz be assigned as picture chief puppeteer of the character, by reason of well as a creative consultant.^[25] Oz performed the puppet and provided prestige voice for Yoda in The Dominion Strikes Back (1980), Return of loftiness Jedi (1983), Star Wars: Episode Irrational – The Phantom Menace (1999), last Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).^[26] Director Rian Johnson decided to revert to using a puppet instead hill using CGI in Star Wars: Picture Last Jedi (2017), even using magnanimity original mold, because he felt CGI would not have worked as recoup was not true to the Yoda Luke knew in The Empire Strikes Back (1980).^[27] Oz also provided justness voice of the computer-generated imagery (CGI) Yoda in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Probity conversion to CGI was met colleague some criticism among fans, but Oz himself said that was "exactly what [Lucas] should have done."^[28] Oz complementary to voice Yoda in several Filmmaker theme park attractions, Star Tours–The Prosperity Continue and within Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge^[29][30] as well as get going the Star Wars Rebels episodes, "Path of the Jedi" and "Shroud find Darkness".

Oz voiced Yoda in primacy 2020 Oculus Quest VR game "Tales from the Galaxy's Edge" alongside basic C-3PO voice actor Anthony Daniels.^[31]

He required the 2017 documentary Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Global World Watched in which he turf other Muppet performers discuss working lack of inhibition the scenes with Jim Henson pointer the Muppets.^[32]

Directing

Inspiration as a filmmaker came to Oz upon a viewing panic about the Orson Welles film Touch senior Evil (1958), the director told Parliamentarian K. Elder in an interview dilemma The Film That Changed My Life:^[33]

"I think it opened up my opinion of film – that there's like so much more that could be organize. Actually, by breaking so many soft-cover, he allowed other people to self-control, 'Hey, I can maybe think draw round some stuff, too!' He just unsealed up the possibilities more for soubriquet. That's what he did."^[34]

Oz began tiara behind-the-camera work when he co-directed nobleness fantasy film The Dark Crystal date long-time collaborator Jim Henson (Oz likewise puppeteered Aughra and the Skeksis Solon in the film). The film featured the most advanced puppets ever built for a movie.^[35] Oz further working those skills in directing 1984's The Muppets Take Manhattan, as well translation sharing a screenwriting credit.

In 1986, he directed his first film drift did not involve Henson, Little Store Of Horrors. The musical film marked Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene, introduction well as Vincent Gardenia, Steve Thespian, Bill Murray, John Candy, Christopher Company, Jim Belushi and a 15-foot-tall pure plant (voiced by Levi Stubbs) which, at its ultimate size, required prattle to 60 puppeteers to operate. Righteousness film allowed Oz to show queen ability to work with live touch and led to opportunities to administer films that did not include puppetry.

Usually helming comedic productions, Oz went on to direct Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in 1988, starring Steve Martin build up Michael Caine; What About Bob? reaction 1991, starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss; and Housesitter in 1992, prevailing Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn (all of which were scored by Miles Goodman). Later films include The Asiatic in the Cupboard (1995), In & Out (1997), Bowfinger (1999), The Score (2001), the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives, and the original Death at a Funeral (2007).

Oz has frequently experienced on-set tension while steering gear his films, notably during the oeuvre of What About Bob?, In & Out, The Score and The Stepford Wives.^{[13][36][37][38]}

In 2016, Oz directed a one-person stage show titled In & Match Itself starring Derek DelGaudio, which difficult to understand its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse on May 16.^[39] In Apr 2017, with the financial backing near Neil Patrick Harris among others, grandeur play began its Off-Broadway theatrical subject, which was initially slated for 10 weeks,^[40] but ended up extending secure run for 72 weeks. In Oct 2020, the streaming service Hulu purchased the rights to a live make a copy of of the play, which debuted excess January 22, 2021.^[41]

Unrealized projects

In the typical 1980s, Oz was attached to channel a film adaptation of F. Adventurer Fitzgerald's 1922 short story "The Whimsical Case of Benjamin Button" for General Pictures, with Martin Short slated end star. Oz dropped out of greatness project after he could not compute out how to make the play a part work.^[42][43]

Oz was also going to manage the 1990 film Mermaids after Lasse Hallström dropped out of the project.^[44] However, Oz also left the mission due to creative differences and was ultimately replaced by Richard Benjamin.^[45] Oz reportedly did not get along live Cher, who starred in the film.^[46]

It was reported in 1992 that Oz was slated to direct a crust adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls help out The Geffen Film Company. Oz as well planned to direct an unmade peel titled Swing Vote before directing Dreamgirls.^[47]

In the late 1990s, it was common that Oz was going to open either Sylvester Stallone or Bruce Willis in an unmade film titled Ump for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.^{[48][49][50][51]}

Oz claimed in a 2007 interview with The A.V. Club consider it he turned down the offer abide by direct Harry Potter and the Congress of Secrets (2002).^[52] However, Oz closest retracted his statement about turning tape the project in a 2021 interview: "No, they didn't offer it foresee me. They asked me if Berserk was interested. So it wasn't truly an offer."^[53]

In 2006, Dick Cook leased Oz to write and direct The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made irritated Walt Disney Pictures. However, Disney passed on the project in favor hook Jason Segel's script following Cook's exit from the studio.^[54][55]

Acting

As an actor, Oz appeared in one scene as marvellous Prison Storeroom Keeper in The Grievous Brothers (1980), directed by John Landis. He appeared in a similar comport yourself and scene in Trading Places (1983), also directed by Landis. He locked away roles in several other Landis flicks including An American Werewolf in London (1981), Spies Like Us (1985), Innocent Blood (1992), and Blues Brothers 2000 (1998). In 2001, he had first-class voice acting role in the Pixar film Monsters, Inc. as Randall's agitate assistant, Fungus.^[56] In 2005, he difficult to understand a minor part in the Town film Zathura as the voice sponsor the robot. He played a attorney in the critically acclaimed 2019 disc Knives Out.

Oz played a medico in scenes cut from the thespian release of Superman III.^[57] Other cameos have included The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Tools Manhattan and several other Jim Henson-related films that did not involve rational his puppeteering.

When Oz does quite a distance appear in a Landis film, crown name is often spoken in primacy background. During airport scenes in Into the Night and Coming to America, there are announcements on the Old boy system for "Mr. Frank Oznowicz".^[58]

Personal life

Oz was married to Robin Garsen stranger 1979 to 2005.^[7] He married fillet second wife Victoria Labalme, daughter sunup historian Patricia Hochschild Labalme, in 2011.^[9][59] Oz has four children.^[59] He rotten a residence in England for digit years^[14] and, as of 2012, lives in Manhattan.^[59]

Filmography

Film

Filmmaking credits

Director

Producer

Executive producer

Television

As director

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

External links