Louise Gold (born 1956) is an English singer, actress, and puppeteer whose career has spanned more than four decades. She is best known for her work as a puppeteer on television and for roles in musical theatre in the West End.
Gold was raised in London, beginning training in the arts at an early age. She began to appear in musical theatre in the mid-1970s. She was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show, for four seasons from 1977, and later for Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films, albums, television specials, and TV shows like the second and third seasons of The Animal Show (performing Bunnie, Tizzy, Rhonda Rat, and various animal guests). She was a founder and lead puppeteer for the satirical television show Spitting Image from 1984 to 1986 and occasionally thereafter. She has had other television, film and voice roles since then.
Gold is also known as an actress in musical theatre, having starred in numerous shows in the West End, beginning with Joe Papp's London production of The Pirates of Penzance in 1982. She has played such roles as Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Kate in Kiss Me, Kate, Tanya in Mamma Mia!, Phyllis in Follies, Baroness Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins, Mrs Sowerberry and Mrs Bedwin in Oliver!, and Mazeppa in Gypsy, among many others. She was a regular performer in the Lost Musicals concert productions in London in the 1990s, and she regularly performs in her own cabaret act.
Performer Credits[]
- The Muppet Show: Afghan Hound, African Mask(Water), Annie Sue, Beakie (episode 307), Zelda Rose, Lou, Lottie Lemon and her Singing Wig, Mean Mama, Fish Singer
- The Great Muppet Caper: Annie Sue, Lou
- The Muppets Go to the Movies: Popcorn Girl
- The Dark Crystal: Gourmand Skeksis (puppetry only)
- The Tale of the Bunny Picnic: Mother
- The Ghost of Faffner Hall: Fughetta Faffner
- The Muppet Christmas Carol: Mrs. Dilber, Cockney Woman
- Sesame Street: Ethel Mermaid, Louisey, Mrs. Frazzle, Renata Scottie, Prunella, Diva, Super Nanny, Sally Messy Yuckyael, Anyone's Nose singer, Charmin', the Princess with the Pea, The Grand Royal Square Lover, Bob Lackey, Darlene, Bonnie Rabbit
- The Secret Life of Toys: Hortense, Raisin, Daffodil
- The Animal Show: Bunnie Bear, Tizzy (after the first season), Rhonda Rat Rodent Reporter, Trudy the Chimpanzee, Indria the Whale, Natasha the Tarantula, Doreen the Camel, Phoenicia the Hippopotamus, Winnie the Wasp, Monica the Musk Ox, Lulu the Potto, Alicia the Volcano Rabbit, Alicia the Snail, Mavis the Frog, Julie the Flamingo, Alana the Baboon, Vic the Monitor Lizard, Virginia the Red Fox, Stella the Stoat, Kiki the Rattlesnake, Gilda the Gorilla
- Muppet Treasure Island: Tourist Rat
- Alice in Wonderland: Guinea Pigs, Flowers
- Animal Farm: Mabel the chicken (voice only)
- Mopatop's Shop: Meesey Mouse, Princess Lulabelle, Phoebe the Fortune Teller, Shula the Shark
- Muppets Most Wanted: Annie Sue, Kangaroo
- That Puppet Game Show
- The Furchester Hotel: Funella Furchester, The Countess, Feathered-Hat Woman, Ms. Gator, Mrs. Woofberg