Frank Oz biography (YodaJeff.com)

Frank Oz biography

from Henson.com

Frank Oz was born in England. The son of Isidore and Frances Oznowicz, Frank was raised in Belgium until he was five years old. The family then immigrated to the United States and settled in Oakland, California where Frank grew up with his brother Ronald and sister Jenny. From ages 11 to 18, Frank performed puppet shows in the San Francisco Bay area. In 1961, he was introduced to Jim and Jane Henson. Two years later, Jim Henson asked 19-year-old Frank to join the Muppets, which would turn out to be a historic collaboration.

One of Frank's first jobs was to operate the right hand of the Muppet Rowlf the Dog, while Jim operated the head, the left arm and did the voice. He now performs the ever glamorous Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam Eagle and Animal.

Movies in which Frank has performed include The Muppet Movie, The Dark Crystal, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets From Space. He also performs Yoda in Episode One: The Phantom Menace and the other Star Wars movies.

As an actor, Frank has appeared in The Blues Brothers, The Blues Brothers 2000, Innocent Blood, Spies Like Us, Trading Places and An American Werewolf in London.

In 1986, Frank directed his first movie, Little Shop of Horrors. Since then, he has directed Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, What About Bob?, Housesitter, Indian in the Cupboard, In & Out, Bowfinger and Ump.

He has been awarded four Emmy Awards, two George Foster Peabody Awards, an American Comedy Creative Achievement Award and three gold and two platinum records.

Today, Frank lives in Connecticut with his wife, Robin, an illustrator. They have three sons and a daughter. His next film project is The Score, starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando and Angela Bassett, due for release in 2001.

Frank is a member of the Board of Directors for The Jim Henson Company.

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