Elmo Was A Very Different Monster In His First Sesame Street Appearance

The modern version of Elmo, the popular red monster from "Sesame Street," didn't debut on the series until 1985, when the show was just starting its 17th season. At first, Elmo was a supporting monster, but he gained popularity over the next few years. By the time the Tickle-Me-Elmo toy was released in toy shops in 1996, Elmo was a legitimate pop culture phenomenon unto himself. He became the star of "Sesame Street" and was featured in his own segments. "Sesame Street" writers knew that they needed to embrace Elmo, even if it meant the show had to evolve. They were grateful that more and more people were tuning into "Sesame Street," but Elmo's limited emotional maturity demanded that the series be less varied and dynamic for all kids. 

Elmo, as any kid can tell you, has a high-pitched voice, a furry body, and seems to possess the mental character of a three-and-a-half year-old. Elmo is innocent and simple, and requires a lot of guidance from the other "Sesame Street" characters, especially when he gets confused or frustrated. The monster was voiced and operated by Muppet performer Kevin Clash until 2012, when a scandal ended Clash's career. The character was taken over by Ryan Dillon, who has played the role ever since. He even got his own movie once, leading 1999's "The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland." 

Elmo, however, had appeared on "Sesame Street" before his modern version in 1985. It seems that the Muppet Workshop had built the red, furry creature that would come to be known as Elmo as early as 1980. Caroly Wilcox designed the puppet, and it was constructed for a musical segment called "We're All Monsters." Elmo fans will be surprised to hear that the ur-Elmo had a low, gruff voice. 

"We're All Monsters" is, like most of the segments on "Sesame Street," devoted to overlooking superficial differences and getting along with your fellow humans. Or, in this case, fellow monsters. Several monsters appear on screen, and note that each one of them is a different color. One is blue, one is green, one is gray, and one is red. But they should get along because they're all monsters. They all love to play together, and that should overlook the fact that some monsters are fat or thin or short or tall. Elmo, unnamed, appears on screen with a low, gruff voice, sounding very much like a 50-year-old New York cabbie. 

Once the Elmo puppet was built, however, puppeteers used it frequently, and Elmo became a regular background monster in many "Sesame Street" sequences. From his inception until about 1984, puppeteer Brian Muehl operated Elmo. It was during this time that Elmo also got his name, although he rarely did anything more than sing backup or walk past the camera. Richard Hunt took over operating Elmo in 1984 and played the character for about a year until he became frustrated with its design. Evidently, it was hard for him to operate. The story goes that Hunt, in frustration, strangled the Elmo puppet and threw it to the young Kevin Clash, eager to be rid of it. Clash took up Elmo, and the rest is history. It was Clash who felt that Elmo should be a sweet, kind character, and not just some background monster. The personality stuck.

There but for the grace of Jim Henson went Elmo. He could very well have been a gruff-talking cabbie. He was born from a steady, multi-year evolution.