We Make Our Dreams Come True: The Muppet Babies' Laurie O'Brien Answers Eight Eighties Questions

Today’s Eight Eighties Questions are answered by Laurie O’Brien, who was the voice of Miss Piggy on the Emmy-winning hit The Muppet Babies, which was a Saturday morning staple for millions of 1980s kids.  In addition to The Muppet Babies she was also in another 1980s classic, Harry and the Hendersons.  She has additionally appeared in many popular 1980s shows including Dynasty, St. Elsewhere, Knight Rider, Cagney and Lacey, and Matlock.  Laurie has had many other credits after the 1980s drew to a close, a small sampling of them include:  Spiderman (the TV series), Walker, Texas Ranger, 7^th Heaven, ER, Chicago Hope, and the upcoming series Complete Works.  

My thanks to Laurie for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer today’s Eight Eighties Questions.

1.  The Muppet Babies was a favorite cartoon for countless 1980s kids.  When you were a child, what were some of your favorite cartoons?

Popeye. I was very skinny and identified with Olive Oyle. I also loved Huckleberry Hound, The Yogi Bear Show, Rocky and Bullwinkle (especially Fractured Fairytales) The Flintstones, Betty Boop, Casper, The Jetsons, Bugs Bunny (I adored Tweety Bird), Mighty Mouse and of course Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy and Donald.

2.  When did you know that you wanted to become a performer?

It’s funny, but the first time I got bitten by the performance bug was also the first, and last time, I was nearly crippled by stage fright. By the time I was seven I had been performing with my mother’s singing group, the Musiquettes, for a couple of years. I enjoyed it, but it was just kind of something I did. Until one night when they got me all gussied up in a slinky red satin gown with sequins and a slit up the side, with plastic dime store high heels and a cigarette holder fashioned out of tin foil and glitter. I was going to sing Put the Blame on Mame a la Rita Hayworth.

I had never actually sung this song full out, or walked beyond three feet in the shoes, and boy, the stage seemed huge. So, standing in the dark of the wings, waiting to go on stage, my left knee started shaking, butterflies fluttered up into my throat, and I had to pee. Badly. I was watching my mother’s trio sing. She was the favorite soprano and gorgeous and perfectly at ease. I got more nervous. The song ended, the applause began, and Margaret, the piano player/director gestured for me to come out. Turning to the audience she said, “And now for a special treat we have the youngest, and maybe the sweetest Musiquette of all, our own Henrietta O’Brien’s daughter Laurie singing a siren’s song, Put the Blame on Mame.”

She gestured to me again, but my feet were six feet under. Everything suddenly seemed too bright and slow. My mouth went dry, my tongue numb. “Come on, sweetheart,” Margaret mouthed, but I couldn’t budge from my nice, anonymous spot, besides I couldn’t remember the first words of the song. Margaret bugged her eyes at me, glanced at the audience, laughed, and then turned toward my mother and shook her head. Silence. A few people cleared their throats. Someone coughed.

Then my mother, in what seemed like slow motion, turned to me and simply smiled. Her face was untroubled, without sign of panic or embarrassment. It was just a full confident, joyful smile that sent life back into my feet, moisture to my mouth. So I took a deep breath, stepped onto the stage, into the dazzling light, and plunging ahead I clickity-clacked my way across the stage on those little heels to the piano, and laying my hand on top of it, took a drag off my cigarette holder and said to Margaret, “Hi there, Dearie.”

The audience howled and something shifted inside me. My heart danced a sassy little cha-cha. Margaret winked and said in a grand stage whisper, “You know what to do, honey,” and began the intro.

So I flipped my hair over my shoulder and sidled up to the audience and as I looked out over that vast darkness I felt connected, at home. All those strangers turned into my friends. We were in this together.

Margaret was right; I did know what to do. I wasn’t imitating Rita, or my mother, but neither was I quite myself. Something strange and beautiful had climbed inside me, turned me inside out. I brought the house to their feet, and I was bitten.

3.  How did you get the role of Miss Piggy?

I auditioned for it. I’ve been told that hundreds of people did so. I’m not sure if that’s true. Regardless, I was very lucky to have landed the role. The meeting came through my agent at the time, Herb Tannen. Actually I came very close to not going to the audition. Herb called me one afternoon and asked if I could do the voice of Miss Piggy as a child. I said, I supposed so, if I practiced. I had a young kid’s voice that I walked around doing all the time, claiming that someday I was going to make a million dollars with it. I figured I could probably add Miss Piggy’s idiosyncrasies to that voice. “Well,” he said, “I just said you could do her as well as 3 other characters. Your appointment is at 10:45 tomorrow.” I said, okay if I could get around to it. I was busy rehearsing a one-woman play I had written and was rather preoccupied. He said, “No, no, you don’t understand, Laurie. This is really important. You’ll be there.”

Well, I had a TV but I didn’t have a VCR back then, so I rented The Muppet Movie and took it to a friend’s house and played it on his machine. I took along my little cassette player and recorded a couple of sections of Piggy talking that I thought best represented her tone and attitude and I practiced saying those lines over and over with her inflections in that “million dollar” little girl’s voice. I actually took the cassette player with me to the audition and whenever I felt I was losing Piggy’s rhythms or tone I listened to it. The audition was so much fun, and just a taste of what was to come after I landed the role. When I found out I got the part, I knew something magical had just come into my life.

Front row:  Janis Liebhart (song writer/vocal coach), Barbara Billingsley (Nanny), Russi Taylor (Gonzo), Hank Saroyan (Director), Katie Leigh (Rowlf), Frank Welker (Kermit, Skeeter and Beaker), Laurie O'Brien (Piggy).

Back Row:  David Coulier (Animal, Bunsen), a technician, Greg Berg (Fozzie) and Star Kaplan (production coordinator/assistant).

4.  What can you tell us about making a typical episode of The Muppet Babies?

There was never a dull moment. I worked with the most amazingly talented, creative, fun, good people in the world. Voiceover people are notorious for cutting up during sessions, entertaining each other between takes with improvisational antics and this crowd was classic. That’s not to say that people didn’t do their jobs, or stick with the script. They did. Everyone was beyond professional. It’s just that there was an abundance of creative energy and joy in the room. Truly, you can’t help but be happy doing this work. We had the blessing of eight seasons and we grew very close.

It normally took us a full day, eight hours, to record one episode. The voice actors would arrive around 9 in the morning, we’d get our scripts, mark them. Sometimes we had a table read, but not always. We all had our favorite spots in the booth. The technical crew was always there before us, of course and had everything ready. They would check each of us for sound and then we would begin from the top and work our way through. We did quite a bit of stopping and starting so that Hank Saroyan, our director, our guiding light, could realize his vision to the fullest. Like I said, we clowned around a lot between takes.

We recorded the songs at separate sessions. We tried, for the first couple of episodes, to sing together but that didn’t work out. So we each had our own time in the studio and they layered us in.

5.  The Muppet Babies was a major hit. I had a Muppet Babies lunch box, finger puppets, stuffed animals, sewing cards, and there were so many toys and products.  What was it like being part of such a hit show?

It was truly a gift. Piggy was a star, so I got to be too. Whenever I told anyone I was Baby Miss Piggy they would practically swoon. It’s funny, but that still will happen, especially with people who are between about 25-35 years old. I can never make the announcement and get away without doing a little bit of her. I love the looks on people’s faces.

It was a wild time. We were in high demand. There were commercials, toys; we even recorded an album. I was so proud of all of it. The show was smart and quirky and accessible to both kids and adults. What could be better than to be paid to be a singing, screaming, giggly, bossy, spunky pig? And to work with and know such great people (including Jim Henson!) AND to get to be a STAR and yet walk through my normal life and not be mobbed by crowds or paparazzi. Fabulous!

From Left to Right:  Greg Berg (Fozzie, Scooter), Jim Henson, Howie Mandel (original Animal/Sketer/Bunsen), Laurie O'Brien (Piggy), Hank Saroyan (Director), Russi Taylor (Gonzo), Maian Matisse (production coordinator), unknown name, Frank Welker (Kermit), Bob Richardson (supervising producer/director). Kate Leigh (Rowlf) is crouching between the railings.

6.  You were also in Harry and the Hendersons, which was one of the great kids films of the 1980s. What memories can you share about your experience?

Laurie O'Brien Today

I didn’t have a large part in the film, but I had worked with the director, Bill Dear, before and we had a great relationship. Bill is a very intense, funny man who keeps his sets both lively and focused. I remember there was a lot of hilarity on the set.

7.  What are you working on currently?

I just completed a short film, and I’m in the outlining stage of writing a new one-woman show. I’m also a sculptress and I practice yoga. Of course I’m auditioning as often as I can and am always hopeful another Muppet Babies will come my way.

8.  What is one piece of life advice that you would like to share?

Live in the here and now, and of course, do what you love to do. That will mean you’re always on your right path.