Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey
Kevin Clash grew up dreaming of working with his idol, master puppeteer Jim Henson. Today, he is the man behind Elmo, among Sesame Street's most beloved characters.
Every day, millions tune in to Sesame Street to see one of the world’s most adored and recognizable characters — a furry red monster named Elmo. Yet, with all of Elmo’s fame, the man behind the icon is able to walk down the street without being recognized.
Meet Kevin Clash.
As a teenager growing up in Baltimore in the 1970s, Kevin had very different aspirations from his classmates — he wanted to be a puppeteer. More specifically, he wanted to be part of Jim Henson’s team, the creative force responsible for delivering the magic of Sesame Street on a daily basis. With a supportive family behind him, Kevin made his dreams come true.
Combining amazing archival footage with material from the present day, filmmaker Constance Marks explores Kevin's story in vivid detail and chronicles the meteoric rise of Jim Henson in the process. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and including interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others, this insightful and personal documentary offers up a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey has won numerous film festival awards including a Special Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.Elmo character and name are trademarks of Sesame Workshop. Elmo © 2012 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved.