The Making of The CinderElmo French Stewart Puppet

Once again, I am happy to provide MUCH more information than you need.

French Stewart was great to work with on the Sesame special "CinderElmo," and I thought he might appreciate having a puppet of his own to remember the experience by. This idea percolated in the back of my head for a couple of days while we were shooting, but I couldn't quite figure out what to do about it. Around 8pm Sunday evening, I was looking at the shooting schedule, and noticed that the next day, Monday, was Mr. Stewart's last day. Eek, what to do? I couldn't go out and buy a puppet at that hour. I didn't want to abandon the idea completely, so, I came up with the genius notion of making him a puppet myself. A little one wouldn't take too long, right? Well... The schmeepie French Stewart puppet
Above, a better look at the completed puppet.

At around 8pm Sunday night, I started making a little puppet from fleece I had already dyed. To make a long story somewhat shorter, it took me all night to make the puppet, and I went sleepless to the studio Monday with a completed puppet with no facial features and no costume. I finished the costume and hair at the studio whenever I wasn't working, and the Muppet workshop graciously donated eyes and a nose. The costume materials came from the special's costume designer, and are the fabrics from which Mr. Stewart's costume are made, and whatever else I could scavenge at the studio. Exactly twenty-three hours after I first started making the puppet, it was presented to Mr. Stewart. Thanks to Stephan and Bill and Lara and Carol and Michelle and Carlo and Mary for helping with materials!


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Photo from the Private Collection of Rick Lyon