Fran Brill

Acting

Fran Brill

Born 1946-09-30 · Chester, Pennsylvania, USA

Fran Brill (born September 30, 1946) is an actress and puppeteer who worked on Sesame Street beginning in 1970. She was the first female puppeteer hired by Jim Henson, outside of wife Jane Henson. She is best known for performing Prairie Dawn and Zoe. Brill retired from performing in September 2014.

Acting credits

Midnight Run poster
7.2

A bounty hunter pursues a former Mafia accountant who is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter, the F.B.I., and his old mob boss after jumping bail.

Midnight Run

1988

City Hall poster
6.0

The accidental shooting of a boy in New York City leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.

City Hall

1996

What About Bob? poster
6.9

Before going on vacation, self-involved psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin has the misfortune of taking on a new patient: Bob Wiley. An exemplar of neediness and a compendium of phobias, Bob follows Marvin to his family's country house. Dr. Marvin tries to get him to leave; the trouble is, everyone loves Bob. As his oblivious patient makes himself at home, Dr. Marvin loses his professional composure and, before long, may be ready for the loony bin himself.

What About Bob?

1991

Jim Henson Idea Man poster
7.8

Featuring unprecedented access to Jim Henson's personal archives, filmmaker Ron Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world.

Jim Henson Idea Man

2024

The Muppets Take Manhattan poster
6.6

When the Muppets graduate from Danhurst College, they take their song-filled senior revue to New York City, only to learn that it isn't easy to find a producer who's willing to back a show starring a frog and a pig. Of course, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy won't take no for an answer, launching a search for someone to take them to Broadway.

The Muppets Take Manhattan

1984

Being There poster
7.6

A simple-minded gardener named Chance has spent all his life in the Washington D.C. house of an old man. When the man dies, Chance is put out on the street with no knowledge of the world except what he has learned from television.

Being There

1979

Dog City poster
8.1

This parody of film noir and gangster flicks takes us through the dangerous town of Dog City, teeming with colorful Muppet Dog characters. Rowlf the dog is your guide through the underside of canine life during the 1930s in Dog City. Our hero, Ace, enters the world of bulldog gangsters and terrier molls when he inherits a saloon from his late Uncle Harry. Unwilling to pay protection money, Ace finds himself the target of Bugsy, a bulldog bully who owns most of Dog City. Life can be ruff!

Dog City

1989

Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration poster
7.0

Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration is a special produced for the beloved series' 25th anniversary. Released in a slightly different form on video in October 1993, the special was shelved for its broadcast premiere on PBS until 1994, during pledge drive season, and in many markets, aired as part of a marathon block with three show episodes.

Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration

1993

Sesame Street: Let's Eat! Funny Food Songs poster
10.0

After working hard, Grover has finally gotten a job as a waiter at the hot restaurant in town, Planet Storybook. Now, he can help kids learn about healthy eating while he serves up some of the biggest names in nursery rhymes (such as Miss Muffet). Some of the fun food songs include "Cereal Girl" and "The Most Important Meal of the Day," as well as a special tune from Cookie Monster assuring kids that there is more to food than cookies.

Sesame Street: Let's Eat! Funny Food Songs

2003

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! poster
7.0

Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! was a 1994 TV special that aired on ABC to celebrate Sesame Street's 25th anniversary. It was originally broadcast on May 18, 1994. The show featured Joe Pesci (as Ronald Grump), Corbin Bernsen (as real estate attorney, Arnie), Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman (as a Worm TV hosts), John Goodman (as Tough Guy Helpline operator), Charles Grodin (as Chaz), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (as reporter Kathie Lee Kathie), Rosie O'Donnell (as the Good Hope Fairy), Susan Sarandon (as Bitsy), Barbara Walters (reporting for 25/25), and Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford (as themselves).

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

1994

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland poster
6.2

Elmo loves his fuzzy, well-worn blue blanket more than anything in the whole world. However, when Elmo's blanket gets sucked through a colorful, swirling tunnel into Grouchland, the yuckiest place on earth, Elmo goes on an adventure to Grouchland to retrieve his prized possession.

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

1999

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson poster
6.8

While the Muppets prepare a tribute to the late Jim Henson, they learn about the life and career of the renowned puppeteer/film maker.

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

1990

The World of Jim Henson poster
7.4

In this episode of PBS' Great Performances, the history and legacy of puppeteer Jim Henson is explored, from his six-second commercial beginnings to a five-season run on ABC of The Muppet Show to several theatrically released films, including five Muppet movies, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.

The World of Jim Henson

1994

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey poster
7.2

Beloved by children of all ages around the world, Elmo is an international icon. Few people know his creator, Kevin Clash, who dreamed of working with his idol, master puppeteer Jim Henson. Displaying his creativity and talent at a young age, Kevin ultimately found a home on Sesame Street. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this documentary includes rare archival footage, interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey

2011

Sesame Street: Kid's Guide to Life: Learning to Share poster
NR

Like most kids, Elmo sometimes had trouble taking turns and sharing his toys. Even with his best friend Zoe. With a little help from Sesame Street favorites Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar, and special guest Katie Couric, Elmo discovers that sharing with friends makes playtime twice as much fun. Filled with songs and silliness, Learning to Share is a very special introduction to the Sesame Street Street Kid's Guide to Life - a new home video series that helps make growing up a lot more fun. Plus Katie Couric gives parents some helpful tips for guiding kids through learning how to share.

Sesame Street: Kid's Guide to Life: Learning to Share

1996

Doug's 1st Movie poster
5.6

Doug and his pal Skeeter set's out to find the monster of Lucky Duck Lake. Though things get really out of hand when some one blurts out that the monster is real.

Doug's 1st Movie

1999

Elmo's Christmas Countdown poster
6.2

There's a miracle on Sesame Street in this special holiday tale. Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and their new friend Stiller the Elf are going to count down to Christmas with the Christmas Counter-Downer. But all the counting boxes have gone missing and Christmas may never come again!

Elmo's Christmas Countdown

2007

Routed poster
8.0

After being fired after a dispute with his boss, Clark is free to take over his son's newspaper route during the boy's illness. Intending only to fill in for a few days, Clark quickly develops a manic enthusiasm for the job, and is even able to take revenge on his former boss (who is on the route) by tearing the comics page out of his newspaper.

Routed

1989

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street poster
7.4

Take a stroll down Sesame Street and witness the birth of the most influential children's show in television history. From the iconic furry characters to the classic songs you know by heart, learn how a gang of visionary creators changed the world.

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

2021

The Muppet Introduction poster
NR

"Janice introduces "the person who will introduce the person who will introduce the next speaker," P. Fenton Cosgrove, who brings on Sam the Eagle, who (reluctantly) presents Kermit." (Muppet Wiki)

The Muppet Introduction

1975

Sesame Street: Elmopalooza! poster
6.1

Jon Stewart hosts the Sesame Street Muppets' 30 year celebration, but Elmo steps in when things go awry.

Sesame Street: Elmopalooza!

1998

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? poster
NR

Come one, come all for Sesame Street's 35th anniversary musical gathering! Is there one song the whole world can sing together? Find out when Super Grover embarks on an outrageous mission. There's musical mayhem when Oscar the Grouch gets a song stuck in Big Bird's head and our yellow-feathered friend begins his own search for someone to help him name that tune.

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?

2004

A Sesame Street Christmas Carol poster
6.7

Oscar the Grouch is visited by three ghosts in an attempt to teach him the true meaning of Christmas.

A Sesame Street Christmas Carol

2006

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration poster
9.3

C is for Celebrate! Join host Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the residents of Sesame Street - human and monsters alike - to celebrate 50 years of learning, laughter, and love. Familiar felt faces like Roosevelt Franklin, Don Music, Sherlock Hemlock, and the Amazing Mumford join celebrity guests Norah Jones, Nile Rodgers, Sterling K. Brown, Meghan Trainor, Patti LaBelle, and Elvis Costello in this heartwarming special.

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

2019