IndieWire: Director Frank Oz Reflects on Chaotic ‘What About Bob?’ Shoot: ‘Every Set Has a Culture and a Dynamic of Its Own’
- #news
- #headline
Figure timeline
Frank Oz
Frank Richard Oznowicz, known professionally as Frank Oz, is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and actor. He is best known for his involvement with Jim Henson and George Lucas through The Muppets, Sesame Street, and Star Wars, as well as his directorial work in feature films and theater.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
entertainment · American actor and puppeteer (born 1944) · film director · actor · marionetteist · screenwriter · film actor · television actor · voice actor · director · also Frank Oz, Frank Richard Oznowicz, Oz
Born 25 May 1944 · Q311319
21 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
3 photos
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Award
- Award
2025· 1 entry
2024· 1 entry
Awarded Disney Legends (2024).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2022· 1 entry
Snopes.com rated the claim “Frank Oz was the voice actor and performer behind the popular film/television characters of Yoda, Grover, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster, and Bert.” True.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
- #fact-check
- #rated
- #claim-about-figure
2016· 1 entry
Oz directed a one-man stage show titled In & Of Itself starring Derek DelGaudio, which had its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse on May 16
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2013· 1 entry
It was reported that Oz was to direct Billy Crystal in an unmade film titled Winter’s Discontent
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2008· 1 entry
Awarded Great Immigrants Award (2008).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2006· 1 entry
Dick Cook hired Oz to write and direct The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made for Walt Disney Pictures
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2005· 1 entry
Had a minor part in the Columbia film Zathura as the voice of the robot
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2001· 3 entries
Following his retirement, his characters were taken over by Eric Jacobson, with the exception of Cookie Monster, who was taken over by David Rudman
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Had a voice acting role in the Pixar film Monsters, Inc
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
(continuing to perform on Sesame Street on a yearly basis through 2012)
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1992· 1 entry
That Oz was slated to direct a film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls for The Geffen Film Company
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1991· 1 entry
Starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss; and Housesitter in 1992, starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn (all of which were scored by Miles Goodman)
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1988· 1 entry
Starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine; What About Bob
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1986· 1 entry
Directed his first film that did not involve Henson, Little Shop of Horrors
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1978· 1 entry
Awarded Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for The Muppet Show (1978).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1963· 1 entry
Going on to perform several television characters such as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle on The Muppet Show (1976–1981) and Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover on Sesame Street from 1969 to 2013
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1958· 1 entry
“I think it opened up my view of film – that there's so much more that could be done. Actually, by breaking so many rules, he allowed other people to say, 'Hey, I can maybe think of some stuff, too!' He just opened up the possibilities more for me. That's what he did.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
1951· 1 entry
Before eventually relocating to Oakland, California
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1944· 2 entries
Born 1944-05-25.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth
The son of Belgian mother Frances (née Ghevaert; 1910–1989) and Dutch-Polish father Isadore "Mike" Oznowicz (1916–1998), both of whom were puppeteers who had moved to England when his father joined the Royal Netherlands
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event