Kevin Clash#Abuse allegations

{{Infobox person

| name = Kevin Clash

| image = Kevin Clash Photo Op GalaxyCon Richmond 2023.jpg

| caption = Clash at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2023

| birth_name = Kevin Jeffrey Clash

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|9|17|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

| other_names =

| occupation = {{hlist|Puppeteer|director|producer}}

| years_active = {{hlist|1978–2012|2018–present}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Genia Clash|1986|2003|reason=divorced}}

| children = 1

| website =

| education = Dundalk High School

| domestic_partner =

}}

Kevin Jeffrey Clash (born September 17, 1960) is an American puppeteer, director and producer best known for puppeteering Elmo on Sesame Street from 1985 to 2012. He also performed puppets for Labyrinth, Dinosaurs, Oobi, and various Muppet productions.

Clash developed an interest in puppetry at an early age and, in his teen years, performed for local television children's shows in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He joined the cast of Captain Kangaroo in the early 1980s and began performing on Sesame Street in 1984. He was the fifth puppeteer to perform Elmo, who became his signature character, and he also served as an executive producer and director for the show. Clash worked in various productions with The Jim Henson Company and occasionally on other projects. Clash's autobiography, My Life as a Furry Red Monster, was published in 2006; he was later the subject of the documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011).

Clash resigned from Sesame Street in 2012 after allegations of sexual impropriety with minors, all of which he denied and were later dismissed due to expiration of the statute of limitations. Clash returned to puppeteering as a supporting performer in the adult comedy The Happytime Murders (2018).

Early years

Clash was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 17, 1960, the third of four children born to George Clash, a flash welder and handyman, and Gladys Clash, who ran a small daycare center in their two-bedroom, one-bath home in the Turner Station area of Dundalk, Maryland.Clash, pp. 10–11 Clash developed an interest in puppetry at an early age, inspired by children's shows like Kukla, Fran and Ollie and Sesame Street. He made his first puppet, a version of Mickey Mouse, at the age of 10.Herman (Part 1), event occurs at 3:41 When he was twelve, he made a monkey puppet out of the lining of his father's coat.Clash, pp. 80–81 His first performances were for his mother's daycare children.Marks, event occurs at 9:11

By the time he was a teenager, he had built almost 90 puppets, which he based upon commercials, popular music, and his friends.Herman (Part 1), event occurs at 11:09Clash, p. 68 While still in high school, Clash performed at venues throughout Baltimore, including schools, churches, fundraisers, and community events.Clash, p. 3 While appearing at a neighborhood festival, Clash was discovered by Baltimore television personality Stu Kerr, who became Clash's first mentor and hired him to perform in the children's show Caboose at Channel 2. Clash also built puppets for the Romper Room franchise.Clash, p. 155Herman (Part 2), event occurs at 9:19Davis, p. 288 When he was 17, he contacted and met puppeteer Kermit Love, who became Clash's mentor, after seeing Love featured in an episode of the children's educational television series Call It Macaroni.Marks, event occurs at 17:55Clash, pp. 68–70 In 1979, on Love's recommendation, Clash appeared as Cookie Monster in the Sesame Street float during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and met Jim Henson, who later became his boss, mentor, and good friend.Marks, event occurs at 30:26Clash, pp. 71–75; p. 140

When he was 19, Clash became a puppeteer for Captain Kangaroo, initially as a guest performer, in which he also made occasional on-camera appearances. The producers of Captain Kangaroo used some of Clash's puppet creations for the show.Herman (Part 2), event occurs at 3:59Clash, p. 158 In 1984, Clash had to turn down Henson's offer to work on his film The Dark Crystal because he was working on two TV shows at the same time, Captain Kangaroo and Love's syndicated program The Great Space Coaster, in which he was producer for the first time.Davis, pp. 290–291Marks, event occurs at 37:43Herman (Part 2), event occurs at 11:39

Career

Captain Kangaroo was canceled in 1984 after 29 seasons, and Great Space Coaster ended, freeing up Clash to work on projects with Henson such as the film Labyrinth and Sesame Street.Marks, event occurs at 39:49 Clash started working at Sesame Street for ten episodes in 1983, mostly performing nondescript, stand-in puppets known as Anything Muppets.Herman (Part 2), event occurs at 18:46Clash, p. 163 Some of his earliest characters included the saxophone-playing Hoots the Owl (based on Louis Armstrong),Clash, pp. 40–41 the infant Baby Natasha, and inventor Dr. Nobel Price. He worked on the 1985 feature film Follow That Bird. After 1985, Elmo, a furry red monster, became his main character.Clash, p. 46 Three puppeteers, including Richard Hunt, had performed Elmo previously, but it was Clash's development, with a falsetto voice, that established the character.Clash, p. 121Herman (Part 2), event occurs at 24:26Herman (Part 3), event occurs at 1:05 He based Elmo's character on the preschool children that attended his mother's daycare in Baltimore and upon his own personality and the personality of his parents.Marks, event occurs at 49:02 Clash followed the advice of fellow puppeteer Frank Oz, who told Clash to always "find one special hook" for each character. Clash decided that the central characteristic for Elmo should be that he "should represent love".Marks, event occurs at 49:30

File:Kevin Clash Elmo 2010 (cropped).jpg at the Peabody Awards in 2010]]

After the height of Elmo's popularity, especially the "Tickle Me Elmo" craze in 1996,{{cite news|last=Ramirez|first=Anthony|title=Waiting for Elmo|work=The New York Times|date=December 8, 1996|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/08/nyregion/waiting-for-elmo.html|access-date=December 6, 2012}} Clash's responsibilities at Sesame Street increased. He recruited, auditioned, and trained its puppeteers,Marks, event occurs at 58:52 and became the senior Muppet coordinator, a writer, director, and co-producer of the "Elmo's World" segment of the show. Clash worked with and mentored the puppeteers of Sesame Street's international co-productions.{{cite book|last=Gikow|first=Louise A|title=Sesame Street: A Celebration—Forty Years of Life on the Street|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|year=2009|location=New York|page=262|isbn=978-1-57912-638-4}} He found working with the co-productions "a lot of fun" and "very rewarding".Herman (Part 4), event occurs at 3:08 In 2007, he was promoted to senior creative adviser for the Sesame Workshop.{{cite news|title=Workshop promotes Elmo|work=C21Media.com|date=May 17, 2007|url=http://www.c21media.net/archives/32252?ss=Kevin+Clash|access-date=December 8, 2012}} Until 2011, he was the sole performer as Elmo in all his public relations appearances, making his schedule, as he called it, "crazy".Marks, event occurs at 57:51 Cheryl Henson, president of the Jim Henson Foundation, called him "essential" to the show.Marks, event occurs at 59:10

Clash worked on the first film version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in 1990 and the sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, which was dedicated to Henson, in 1991, voicing Master Splinter.Clash, p. 144{{cite news|title=Turtles Clean Up Their Act But Still Try the Patience|work=The New York Times|date=March 22, 1991|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/22/movies/turtles-clean-up-their-act-but-still-try-the-patience.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|access-date=August 1, 2013}} He performed in several productions with Jim Henson Productions, including as the Muppet Clifford in The Jim Henson Hour (1989),{{refn|Clash appeared as Clifford on The Arsenio Hall Show with Jim Henson, which was Henson's last televised appearance before his death in 1990.Davis, p. 2|group=note}} and performing the puppetry for Frank Oz's characters (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam the Eagle, and Animal) in Muppet Treasure Island (1996).Herman (Part 4), event occurs at 4:36 Clash performed in the films Muppets from Space (1999) and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005), and the TV series Muppets Tonight (1996–1998), in which he reprised Clifford, who served as the show's host. He performed characters and worked behind the scenes on the sitcom Dinosaurs.Herman (Part 4), event occurs at 12:02

In 2006, Clash published his autobiography, co-written by Gary Brozek and Louis Henry Mitchell, entitled My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud. His life was featured in the 2011 documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey.{{cite news|last=Sragow|first=Michael|title=Kevin Clash shines in new documentary 'Being Elmo'|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=November 13, 2011|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/11/13/kevin-clash-shines-in-new-documentary-being-elmo/|access-date=December 9, 2012|archive-date=January 17, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117175913/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-11-13/entertainment/bs-ae-being-elmo-20111113_1_constance-marks-puppeteer-muppets|url-status=live}}

After a hiatus of several years, Clash returned to performing with the film The Happytime Murders (2018), directed by Brian Henson and co-produced through Henson Alternative.{{cite web |last1=Radish |first1=Christina |title=Melissa McCarthy on Getting R-Rated with Puppets in 'The Happytime Murders' |url=http://collider.com/the-happytime-murders-interview-melissa-mccarthy/ |website=Collider.com |date=July 12, 2018 |publisher=Collider |access-date=18 August 2018}} He later puppeteered in the 2019 Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, which serves as a prequel series to the 1982 Jim Henson film The Dark Crystal.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newsweek.com/netflix-dark-crystal-age-resistance-review-muppets-game-thrones-1457428 |magazine=Newsweek |title=Netflix The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Review: The Muppets Meet 'Game of Thrones' |date=September 3, 2019 |first=Steven |last=Asarch |access-date=September 5, 2019 }}

Personal life

Clash has stated that although children ignore him and speak directly to Elmo, black adults tend to be surprised when they meet him.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Felicia R.|title=Tickled Red to Be Elmo in a Rainbow World|work=The New York Times|date=August 23, 2006|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/arts/23clash.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1355325456-zWIGyBYSGCaAlL03Rm8veA|access-date=November 12, 2012}} He has stated in interviews that his racial identity was pertinent to his work, and that it came through in his performances.{{cite web|last=Reeves|first=Ronke Idowu|title=Q&A: Kevin Clash on Being Elmo|publisher=Black Entertainment Television|date=November 7, 2011|url=https://www.bet.com/article/2q9ema/qa-kevin-clash-on-being-elmo|access-date=December 12, 2012}}

Clash was married for 17 years and has a daughter who was born in 1993.Clash, p. 125{{cite news|last=Macatee|first=Rebecca|title=Elmo Puppeteer Kevin Clash Quits Sesame Street|work=E! Online|date=November 21, 2012|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/364792/elmo-puppeteer-kevin-clash-resigns-from-sesame-street-anatomy-of-a-sex-scandal|access-date=November 25, 2012}}

In November 2012, Clash publicly revealed his homosexuality in response to the allegations that led to his resignation from Sesame Workshop, stating, "I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter."{{cite news|last=Oldenburg|first=Ann|title='Sesame Street' actor faces underage sex charges|work=USA Today|date=November 12, 2012|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2012/11/12/sesame-street-elmo-puppeteer-takes-leave-underage-sex-charges/1699321/|access-date=November 26, 2012}}

In 2015, Clash moved to Los Angeles to work on other Jim Henson Company productions, including The Happytime Murders and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, performing Lyle and Mr. Bumblypants in the former and Aughra in the latter.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

=Abuse allegations=

In November 2012, 23-year-old Sheldon Stephens alleged that he had been in a sexual relationship with Clash that began when Stephens was 16, which would be a felony under New York law that declares illegal any sexual relationship with individuals under 17 years of age, whether consensual or not. Sesame Workshop had initially been presented with the allegation in June, and its investigation found the allegation to be unsubstantiated. Clash acknowledged that he had been in a relationship with the accuser; however, he said the relationship was between two consenting adults.{{cite news|last=Moore|first=Frazier|title=Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash accused of relationship with boy, 16, taking leave from 'Sesame Street'|work=The Toronto Star|date=November 12, 2012|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/article/1286384--elmo-puppeteer-kevin-clash-accused-of-relationship-with-boy-16-taking-leave-from-sesame-street|access-date=November 15, 2012}} Stephens later recanted his accusation, but two weeks later, another accuser, Cecil Singleton, accused Clash of sexually abusing him when he was 15 years old, and lawsuits were filed by attorney Jeffrey Herman against Clash.{{cite news|last=Jensen|first=Elizabeth|author2=Brian Stelter|title=Elmo Puppeteer Resigns After Fresh Allegation|work=The New York Times|date=November 20, 2012|url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/kevin-clash-elmo-puppeteer-resigns/?smid=tw-share|access-date=November 15, 2012}}{{cite web|last=Duke|first=Alan|title=Voice of Elmo quits after underage sex lawsuit filed|website=CNN|date=November 20, 2012|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/20/showbiz/voice-of-elmo-resigns/|access-date=April 17, 2014}}

Clash resigned from Sesame Workshop on November 20, 2012, and released a statement saying, "Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work 'Sesame Street' is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately". Sesame Workshop also released a statement: "Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin's personal life has become a distraction that none of us want, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from 'Sesame Street'." They stated that other puppeteers had been trained to serve as Clash's understudy and would take over his roles on the show.{{cite news|last=Moore|first=Frazier|title=Kevin Clash: Elmo left behind on 'Sesame Street' as actor exits|work=The Washington Times|agency=Associated Press|date=November 21, 2012|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/21/kevin-clash-elmo-left-behind-sesame-street-actor-e/#ixzz2EbMbyM3h|access-date=December 10, 2012}}

In July 2013, the three cases against Clash were dismissed because it was ruled that the claims were made more than six years after each man reasonably should have become aware of Clash's alleged violations during the three years after each turned 18. Clash's lawyers expressed his hope that the ruling would allow him to restore his personal and professional life.{{cite news|title=Ex-Elmo puppeteer says he's pleased that 3 NYC lawsuits against him were dismissed|work=Fox News|agency=Associated Press|date=July 1, 2013|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ex-elmo-puppeteer-says-hes-pleased-that-3-nyc-lawsuits-against-him-were-dismissed/|access-date=July 2, 2013}} Lawyers for the plaintiffs appealed the ruling, alleging that the psychological effects of the abuse were not fully realized until 2012. In April 2014, the decision to dismiss the three lawsuits was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals.{{Cite news|title=Elmo Puppeteer Kevin Clash Cleared of Sex Abuse Charges|date=April 24, 2014|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/elmo-puppeteer-kevin-clash-cleared-698645|last=Brzeski|first=Patrick|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=April 25, 2014}} Months after the other alleged victims made legal accusations, Stephens filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania against Clash,{{cite news |last=Corriston |first=Michele |date=April 23, 2014 |title=Elmo Puppeteer Kevin Clash Cleared of Sexual Abuse Charges |url=http://www.people.com/article/kevin-clash-cleared-sexual-abuse |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423214052/http://www.people.com/article/kevin-clash-cleared-sexual-abuse |archive-date=April 23, 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2014 |work=People}} but it was ultimately dismissed in June 2014 because the statute of limitations had passed.{{cite news|title=Final Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Elmo Puppeteer Dismissed|work=The Hollywood Reporter|agency=Associated Press|date=June 20, 2014|quote="Federal Judge Christopher Conner says Stephens failed to sue by age 19 under laws in New York, where their meetings took place. Stephens had sued in Pennsylvania, where longer time limits apply."|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/final-sex-abuse-lawsuit-elmo-713746|access-date=August 9, 2014}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role(s)
1980–1984 \|Captain Kangaroo \|Artie, himself
1980–1984 \|The Great Space Coaster \|Goriddle Gorilla, Rory, Big Jock Ox, Scruffy
1983–2012 \|Sesame Street \|Elmo, Baby Fats Domino, Benny Rabbit, Billy Idle, Chip Cat, Clementine, Hoots the Owl, Kingston Livingston III, Mario, Paul Pencil, Warren Wolf, Watson, Wolfgang the Seal, Natasha, Mel, Counting Crows Lead Singer, Additional Muppets
1985 \|Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird \|Additional Muppets, Elmo (voice)
1985–1993 \|Muppet Meeting Films \|Luncheon Counter Monster, Franklin, Bob, additional Muppets
1986 \|The Tale of the Bunny Picnic \|Be-Bop Bunny, Father Bunny, additional Muppets
1986 \|Labyrinth \|Firey
1987 \|Inner Tube \|Drummer
1988 \|Jim Henson's Play-Along Video \|P.J., Artie, Be-Bop Bunny, Luncheon Counter Monster, additional Muppets
1989 \|The Song of the Cloud Forest \|Nick, Caiman
1989 \|The Jim Henson Hour \|Leon, Clifford, Bob, Blue-Green Extreme, Codzilla, Himself, additional Muppets
1990 \|The Cosby Show \|Clif's Nightmare
1990 \|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles \|Splinter
1990 \|The Muppets at Walt Disney World \|Clifford, Alligator, Frog, Ace Yu
1990 \|The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson \|Clifford, Elmo, additional Muppets
1990 \|Basil Hears a Noise \|Elmo, Chip Cat, Watson the Dog and Warren Wolf
1991 \|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze \|Splinter
1991–1994 \|Dinosaurs \|Baby Sinclair, Howard Handupme, Howlin' Jay, additional characters
1992–1995 \|Dog City \|Ace Yu (special), Eliot Shag (series), additional Muppets
1993–1996 \|Muppet Sing-Alongs \|Billy Bunny, Clifford, Bad Polly, Black Dog, Spa'am, additional Muppets
1994 \|Muppet Time \|Do Re Mi Monster, Jeffy, Huffy Monster
1994 \|The Best of Elmo \|Elmo, Wolfgang the Seal
1995 \|Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree \|Father Mouse, Owl
1996–2002 \|The Rosie O'Donnell Show \|Elmo
1996–2002 \|Tots TV \|Tiny (US version only)
1996 \|Muppet Treasure Island \|Fozzie Bear (puppetry only), Miss Piggy (puppetry only), Sam Eagle (puppetry only), Animal (puppetry only), Bad Polly, Black Dog, Spa'am, additional Muppets
1996 \|Muppets Tonight \|Clifford, Mulch, Bad Polly, Carter, Craniac, Bart, Waldorf, Animal, additional Muppets
1996 \|Elmocize \|Elmo, Benny Rabbit
1997 \|123 Count with Me \|Benny Rabbit
1997 \|Elmo Says Boo! \|Elmo, Kingston Livingston III
1998 \|The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss \|Little Cat Fleep
1998–2009 \|Elmo's World \|Elmo, Baby Natasha, Benny Rabbit, Wolfgang the Seal
1999 \|Muppets from Space \|Clifford, Carter, additional Muppets
1999 \|The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland \|Elmo, Pestie, Grouch Cab Driver, Grouch Jailer
2002 \|It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie \|Sam the Eagle
2002 \|Bert & Ernie's Word Play \|Elmo, Benny Rabbit
2003–2005 \|Oobi \|Randy, additional characters
2003 \|Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic \|Elmo
2004 \|The West Wing \|Elmo (Season 5, Episode 16 "Eppur Si Muove")
2004–2005 \|The Tony Danza Show \|Elmo
2005 \|The Muppets' Wizard of Oz \|Clifford, Black Dog, additional Muppets
2007 \|Elmo's Christmas Countdown \|Elmo, Hoots, Billy Bunny, Mel, Mouse King, Wolfgang the Seal
2007–2012 \|Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures \|Elmo
2008 \|Abby in Wonderland \|Elmo/Red Rabbit
2008 \|A Muppet's Christmas: Letters to Santa \|Additional Muppets
2009 \|Scrubs \|Elmo
2009 \|The Game \|Himself/Mookie (puppet)
2012–2013 \|Elmo the Musical \|Elmo
2018 \|The Happytime Murders \|Lyle, Mr. Bumblypants
2019 \|The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance \|Aughra, Skeksis skekVar/The General, skekMal/The Hunter, The Gelfling Librarian, Gruenak #1, additional voices
2020 \|Earth to Ned \|Additional puppeteer{{cite web \|url=https://www.videodetective.com/show/earth-to-ned-267012 \|title=Earth to Ned \|website=Video Detective \|date=September 4, 2020 \|access-date=December 10, 2020 }}
2022 \|Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock \|Uncle Travelling Matt (puppeteer)

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role(s)

1980–1984

|Captain Kangaroo

|Artie, himself

1980–1984

|The Great Space Coaster

|Goriddle Gorilla, Rory, Big Jock Ox, Scruffy

1983–2012

|Sesame Street

|Elmo, Baby Fats Domino, Benny Rabbit, Billy Idle, Chip Cat, Clementine, Hoots the Owl, Kingston Livingston III, Mario, Paul Pencil, Warren Wolf, Watson, Wolfgang the Seal, Natasha, Mel, Counting Crows Lead Singer, Additional Muppets

1985

|Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird

|Additional Muppets, Elmo (voice)

1985–1993

|Muppet Meeting Films

|Luncheon Counter Monster, Franklin, Bob, additional Muppets

1986

|The Tale of the Bunny Picnic

|Be-Bop Bunny, Father Bunny, additional Muppets

1986

|Labyrinth

|Firey

1987

|Inner Tube

|Drummer

1988

|Jim Henson's Play-Along Video

|P.J., Artie, Be-Bop Bunny, Luncheon Counter Monster, additional Muppets

1989

|The Song of the Cloud Forest

|Nick, Caiman

1989

|The Jim Henson Hour

|Leon, Clifford, Bob, Blue-Green Extreme, Codzilla, Himself, additional Muppets

1990

|The Cosby Show

|Clif's Nightmare

1990

|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

|Splinter

1990

|The Muppets at Walt Disney World

|Clifford, Alligator, Frog, Ace Yu

1990

|The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

|Clifford, Elmo, additional Muppets

1990

|Basil Hears a Noise

|Elmo, Chip Cat, Watson the Dog and Warren Wolf

1991

|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

|Splinter

1991–1994

|Dinosaurs

|Baby Sinclair, Howard Handupme, Howlin' Jay, additional characters

1992–1995

|Dog City

|Ace Yu (special), Eliot Shag (series), additional Muppets

1993–1996

|Muppet Sing-Alongs

|Billy Bunny, Clifford, Bad Polly, Black Dog, Spa'am, additional Muppets

1994

|Muppet Time

|Do Re Mi Monster, Jeffy, Huffy Monster

1994

|The Best of Elmo

|Elmo, Wolfgang the Seal

1995

|Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

|Father Mouse, Owl

1996–2002

|The Rosie O'Donnell Show

|Elmo

1996–2002

|Tots TV

|Tiny (US version only)

1996

|Muppet Treasure Island

|Fozzie Bear (puppetry only), Miss Piggy (puppetry only), Sam Eagle (puppetry only), Animal (puppetry only), Bad Polly, Black Dog, Spa'am, additional Muppets

1996

|Muppets Tonight

|Clifford, Mulch, Bad Polly, Carter, Craniac, Bart, Waldorf, Animal, additional Muppets

1996

|Elmocize

|Elmo, Benny Rabbit

1997

|123 Count with Me

|Benny Rabbit

1997

|Elmo Says Boo!

|Elmo, Kingston Livingston III

1998

|The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss

|Little Cat Fleep

1998–2009

|Elmo's World

|Elmo, Baby Natasha, Benny Rabbit, Wolfgang the Seal

1999

|Muppets from Space

|Clifford, Carter, additional Muppets

1999

|The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

|Elmo, Pestie, Grouch Cab Driver, Grouch Jailer

2002

|It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

|Sam the Eagle

2002

|Bert & Ernie's Word Play

|Elmo, Benny Rabbit

2003–2005

|Oobi

|Randy, additional characters

2003

|Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic

|Elmo

2004

|The West Wing

|Elmo (Season 5, Episode 16 "Eppur Si Muove")

2004–2005

|The Tony Danza Show

|Elmo

2005

|The Muppets' Wizard of Oz

|Clifford, Black Dog, additional Muppets

2007

|Elmo's Christmas Countdown

|Elmo, Hoots, Billy Bunny, Mel, Mouse King, Wolfgang the Seal

2007–2012

|Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures

|Elmo

2008

|Abby in Wonderland

|Elmo/Red Rabbit

2008

|A Muppet's Christmas: Letters to Santa

|Additional Muppets

2009

|Scrubs

|Elmo

2009

|The Game

|Himself/Mookie (puppet)

2012–2013

|Elmo the Musical

|Elmo

2018

|The Happytime Murders

|Lyle, Mr. Bumblypants

2019

|The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

|Aughra, Skeksis skekVar/The General, skekMal/The Hunter, The Gelfling Librarian, Gruenak #1, additional voices

2020

|Earth to Ned

|Additional puppeteer{{cite web |url=https://www.videodetective.com/show/earth-to-ned-267012 |title=Earth to Ned |website=Video Detective |date=September 4, 2020 |access-date=December 10, 2020 }}

2022

|Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

|Uncle Travelling Matt (puppeteer)

Awards and honors

Clash won Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series for his work as Elmo on Sesame Street in 1990, 2005–2007, and 2009–2013.Clash, pp. 55–57; pp. 58–59{{cite news|last=Giove|first=Candice|title=Scandal-plagued Elmo puppeteer picks up Daytime Emmys|work=The New York Post|date=June 15, 2013|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/scandal_plagued_elmo_puppeteer_picks_E6tz6vMXG35mQjenpjWgYO|access-date=June 15, 2013}} In all, he has won 27 daytime Emmys and one prime-time Emmy.{{cite news|last=Moore |first=Frazier |title=Elmo actor resigns amid underage-sex allegations |work=The Denver Post |date=November 20, 2012 |url=http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_22033336/elmo-actor-kevin-clash-resigns-amid-sex-allegation |access-date=December 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204150509/http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_22033336/elmo-actor-kevin-clash-resigns-amid-sex-allegation |archive-date=December 4, 2012 }}
He was the first recipient of the 'Miss Jean' Worthley Award for Service to Families and Children given by Maryland Public Television on June 9, 2007.{{cite news|last=Hiaasen|first=Rob|title=A Natural Honor|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=June 7, 2007|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2007/06/07/a-natural-honor/|access-date=December 9, 2012|archive-date=March 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302112152/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-06-07/features/0706070141_1_worthley-hodgepodge-lodge-miss-jean|url-status=live}}
On May 19, 2012, Clash was presented with an honorary degree from Washington & Jefferson College.{{cite press release|title=Commencement Ceremony Celebrates Washington & Jefferson College's Class of 2012|publisher=Washington & Jefferson College|location=Washington, Pennsylvania|date=May 21, 2012|url=http://www.washjeff.edu/news/commencement-ceremony-celebrates-washington-jefferson-college's-class-2012|access-date=May 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624215733/http://www.washjeff.edu/news/commencement-ceremony-celebrates-washington-jefferson-college%E2%80%99s-class-2012|archive-date=June 24, 2013|df=mdy-all}}

{{succession box

| before = Richard Hunt

| title = Elmo performer

| years = 1985–2012

| after = Ryan Dillon}}

{{succession box

| before = Jerry Nelson

| title = Performer of Mulch

| years = 1990s

| after = None}}

{{succession box

| before = Brian Meehl

| title = Performer of Clementine

| years = 1985–1988

| after = Camille Bonora}}

{{succession box

| before = Brian Meehl

| title = Performer of Dr. Nobel Price

| years = 1984–1988

| after= None}}

{{succession box

| before = None

| title = Performer of Clifford

| years = 1989–2005

| after = None}}

{{succession box

| before = None

| title = Performer of Hoots the Owl

| years = 1985–2012

| after = Christopher Hayes}}

{{succession box

| before= Frank Oz

| title= Performer of Sam the Eagle

| years= 2002–2003

| after= Eric Jacobson}}

Notes

References

Works cited

Clash, Kevin, Gary Brozek, and Louis Henry Mitchell (2006). My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud. New York: Random House. {{ISBN|0-7679-2375-8}}
Davis, Michael (2008). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. New York: Viking Penguin. {{ISBN|978-0-670-01996-0}}
Herman, Karen (2004-07-20). [http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/kevin-clash# Archive of American Television.] Parts 1–4.
Marks, Constance (Director) (2011) (DVD). Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey.