Timothy Lagasse (born 1968/1969) is an American puppeteer, puppet designer, and director. He has worked on films and television programs for Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon, Disney XD, and HBO. He is known for playing the title character on Noggin's Oobi, and Crash on Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein.
Lagasse has been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards. In 1991, he became the first recipient of the Jim Henson Memorial Prize in Puppetry. In 1993 he was presented with a Citation for Excellence by UNIMA; and later that year, received a Broadcast Design Silver Award for his series of short films, A Show of Hands.
Biography Lagasse was born in Milford, Connecticut. He attended St. Mary's School and Notre Dame High School in West Haven, and graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1992 with a BFA in Puppet Arts.
One of his earliest roles was Mr. Cook on the Nickelodeon series Allegra's Window. He also played the title character on the Noggin's Oobi series, and Crash on Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein. He has performed additional characters on Sesame Street, The Muppets and the 2008 film A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa. In addition to his performance credits, he has built puppets for The Jim Henson Company and Puppet Heap.
Lagasse also teaches the art of puppetry, lecturing at the Lincoln Center Foundation and instructing students on modern puppetry techniques at the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts Program. In 2011 he offered workshops on building puppets at the University of Central Arkansas as part of Heather Henson's Handmade Puppet Dreams Film Festival. In 2012 he traveled to Haiti with No Strings Productions as a puppet workshop trainer.
Filmography Year Title Credit(s) Role(s) Ref. 1994–1996 Allegra's Window Principal puppeteer Mr. CookTweeter 1995–1998 Nick in the Afternoon Additional puppets 1995 Weinerville Guest puppeteer Coach Loogi 1996–1998 Once Upon a Tree Jasper the Hare, Bleu the Cricket 1996–1998 The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Ensemble puppeteer Fox in SocksJunior KangarooLittle Cat PSidney the Spider 1997–2006 Bear in the Big Blue House Jet Setter Tutter 1999–2000 A Little Curious 2000–present Sesame Street Ensemble puppeteer Additional puppets 2000–2010 Between the Lions Arty SmartypantsBarnaby B. Busterfield IIIGus the Bunny 2000–2005 Oobi OobiTaro 2003–2006 Chappelle's Show Puppet coordinator 2003–2008 Paz Paz 2004 Blue's Room Puppet designer Polka DotsDress Up Chest 2005–2009 Johnny and the Sprites Basil 2006–2007 It's a Big Big World Wartz the FrogIck the Catfish 2007 Imagination Movers Puppet designer 2008 A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa Ensemble puppeteer Additional puppets 2010 The Electric Company Director 2012–2014 Crash & Bernstein Principal puppeteer Crash 2015–2016 The Muppets Ensemble puppeteer Additional puppets 2017 The Muppets Take the Bowl Additional Muppet Performer, live show at the Hollywood Bowl, Sept. 8–10 2018 The Muppets Take the O2 Additional Muppet Performer, live show at the O2 Arena, Jul. 13–142019–2023 HelpstersScatter 2026 The Muppet Show Supporting Muppet Performer
Awards and nominations Year Presenter Category/Award Work Status Ref. 1991 University of Connecticut Jim Henson Memorial Prize in Puppetry N/A 1993 Union Internationale de la Marionette Citation for Excellence A Show of Hands Broadcast Design International Broadcast Design Silver Award 2003 30th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Single Camera Editing Between the Lions 2004 31st Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Editing 2005 American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Design Award Uncle Jimmy's Dirty Basement
References
External links Official website