Ernie

Performers: Jim Henson (1969-1990), Steve Whitmire (1993-present), and John Tartaglia (Play With Me Sesame season 2).

Ernie is one of the stars of Sesame Street, dating back to the first episode. He and Bert form a comic duo that is one of the program's centerpieces, with Ernie acting the role of the naïve trouble-maker and Bert the world-weary foil.

Ernie is well known for his fondness for baths with his Rubber Duckie, and for trying to learn to play the saxophone because he wouldn't "put down the duckie."

Ernie is a "live hands puppet", meaning that while operating the head of the puppet with his right hand, the puppeteer inserts his left hand into a T-shaped sleeve, capped off with a glove that matches the fabric "skin" of the puppet, thus "becoming" the left arm of the puppet. A second puppeteer usually provides the right arm, although sometimes the right arm is simply stuffed and pinned to the puppet's chest. Other puppets of this type include Cookie Monster and Fozzie Bear.