Mike Quinn (puppeteer)

Mike Quinn (born 1964) is an English puppeteer, animator, actor, director, producer, voice-over artist, puppet builder, composer and mentor. He is also known as Mike Quinby, Michael E. Quinn, and Michael Quinn.

Mike Quinn
Born1964 (age 56–57)
London
Other namesMike Quinby
Michael E. Quinn
Michael Quinn
OccupationPuppeteer, animator, actor, director, producer, voice-over artist, puppet builder, composer, mentor
Years active1980–present
Spouse(s)
​
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(m. 1988; div. 2004)​

Early life and career

Mike Quinn was born in Kent, England, and grew up in Enfield, Middlesex. He began puppeteering at age eight.

In 1977, Mike regularly visited the set of The Muppet Show with his homemade puppets, eventually meeting Jim Henson. Through his visits, he learned more about puppeteering and received encouragement from Jim Henson and his co-workers.

After leaving school in 1980, Quinn joined The Jim Henson Company and worked on the 1981 film The Great Muppet Caper puppeteering in crowd scenes and acting as a double for various main Muppet characters. Quinn later designed and built the Podlings for The Dark Crystal, where he also performed the Skeksis Slave Master SkekNa (who was voiced by David Buck).

During the filming of Return of the Jedi, Quinn (and David Barclay and David Greenaway) were assistant puppeteers to Frank Oz in his performance of Yoda . He also performed the role of Nien Nunb in Return Of the Jedi. Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Quinn joined with fellow puppeteer David Barclay, creating Ultimate Animates, a production company specializing in new building and performing techniques for internal and external puppet productions.

Quinn joined George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic as an animator, first working on Jurassic Park III and then Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

He reprised his role as Nien Nunb in Star Wars: The Force Awakens,[1] a role that he reprised again in Star Wars: The Last Jedi[2] and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and performed for the Disney theme park ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

In 2018, Mike Quinn provided the voice of the Stan Laurel-based character Agnes Packard in the Cartoon Network series, Mighty Magiswords opposing Ken Mitchroney voicing her Oliver Hardy-based husband Mr. Pachydermus in the episode "Pachydermus Packard and the Camp of Fantasy".

Quinn appeared as a guest on The George Lucas Talk Show during their May the AR Be LI$$ You Arli$$ Marathon fundraiser.

Personal life

From 1989 to 2004, Mike Quinn was married to fellow puppeteer Karen Prell.

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1981The Great Muppet CaperAdditional Muppets
1982The Dark CrystalSkekNa - the slavemaster SkeksisPerformer plus puppet builder
1983Return of the JediNien Nunb and various rolesYoda (assistant performer)
1985 Dreamchild Puppeteer
1986Little Shop of HorrorsPuppeteer
1986 LabyrinthGoblins plus variousPuppeteer
The Tale of the Bunny PicnicBulbous, Mayor BunnyparteVoice
1988Who Framed Roger RabbitPuppeteer
1989 How To Get Ahead In Advertising Puppeteer of the boil and growing head
1992The Muppet Christmas CarolUndertakerVoice; performer of Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear
1996Muppet Treasure IslandAdditional Muppets
Mary Reilly Special effects Puppeteer
1998A Bug's LifeAnimator
1999Toy Story 2Animator, including the 'Woody's Roundup' TV sequence
2001Jurassic Park III Dinosaur animator
2002 Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones Animator
2005The Muppets' Wizard of OzAdditional MuppetsCredited as Michael Quinn
2011The MuppetsAdditional Muppets
2014Muppets Most WantedAdditional Muppets
2015Star Wars: The Force AwakensNien Nunb
2017Star Wars: The Last Jedi[2]
2019Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1983–87Fraggle RockGobo Fraggle (UK and French versions), Traveling Matt (UK and French versions), Sprocket (French and German versions) and variousrecorded regional variations for UK, Germany, France
1987Jim Henson's Mother Goose StoriesBrown Gosling, Humpty Dumpty, plus variousCredited as Mike Quinby
1988The StorytellerDevilEpisode: "The Soldier and Death" puppeteer
1989The Ghost of Faffner HallRiff, synthesiser fly13 episodes
1993The Great BongProducer, director, puppeteer, puppet builder
1994The Secret Life of ToysVarious, Rabbit Lamp
Jim Henson's Animal ShowChuck The Lion4 episodes
1995 Heroes of Comedy Designer, builder, performer of Max Miller puppet Series 1, Episode 3
1995-97 The Slow Norris Puppeteer, Puppet Builder
2005The Muppets' Wizard of OzMuppet Performer
2013Shake It UpParrotEpisode: "Ty It Up"
Good Luck CharlieAdditional Muppet PerformerEpisode: "Duncan Dream House"
GleePuppeteerEpisode: "Puppet Master"
2015-16The MuppetsAdditional Muppet Performer
2018–presentKiddingSecret Chef, Wedding Groomsman and Puppeteer4 episodes
Mighty MagiswordsAgnes PackardEpisode: "Pachydermus Packard and the Camp of Fantasy"
2020 Muppets NowAdditional Muppet Performer6 episodes
2020 The George Lucas Talk Show Himself May the AR Be LI$ You (Arli$ Marathon fundraiser)

Event
YearTitleRoleNotes
2015TEDx TalkAssistant puppeteer to Kermit the Frog
2016Outside Lands Music Festival Golden Gate Park, San FranciscoMuppet Performer for Dr. Teeth and the Electric MayhemAugust 7
2017The Muppets Take the BowlAdditional Muppet PerformerLive show at the Hollywood Bowl, September 8–10
2018The Muppets Take the O2Additional Muppet Performer and voicesLive show at the 02 Arena London, July
2019 and continuingDisney Theme Park Ride Star Wars: Rise of the ResistanceNien NunbStar Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland

Crew

References
  1. Ward, Jason (25 October 2015). "Star Wars Legend Mike Quinn returns as Nien Nunb in Star Wars: The Force Awakens!". Making Star Wars. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  2. Orange, B. Alan (5 February 2016). "Nien Nunb Will Return in 'Star Wars 8'". MovieWeb. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
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