Frank Oz

Birthday: 25 May 1944, Hereford, England, UK

Birth Name: Frank Richard Oznowicz

Height: 188 cm

Frank Richard Oznowicz was born in Hereford, England to puppeteers Frances and Isidore Oznowicz. His family moved to Montana in 1951, eventually settling in Oakland, California. As a teenager, he work ...Show More

I'm not making art, I think that's too highfalutin'. I'm just doing my best. Someone else can tell m Show more I'm not making art, I think that's too highfalutin'. I'm just doing my best. Someone else can tell me whether it's art or not. In the meantime, I just want everyone else to enjoy it. Hide

[About the fame of Miss Piggy]: I wouldn't like to be that famous, I value my privacy. Mind you, Mis Show more [About the fame of Miss Piggy]: I wouldn't like to be that famous, I value my privacy. Mind you, Miss Piggy enjoys every moment of it. If it were not for me, she would spend all her time in the limelight. Hide

[on improvisation in "Death on a Funeral"] Are you kidding? Every movie I do - from Brando and DeNir Show more [on improvisation in "Death on a Funeral"] Are you kidding? Every movie I do - from Brando and DeNiro to "Funeral" - is improvised. I've worked with some great scripts, including "Funeral," but improvisation really brings people together. I have to be flexible enough to bring life to a movie in that way. Hide

(On Touch of Evil) I think it opened up my view of film-that there's so much more that could be done Show more (On Touch of Evil) I think it opened up my view of film-that there's so much more that could be done. Actually, by breaking so many rules, he allowed other people to say, "Hey, I can maybe think of some stuff, too!" He just opened up the possibilities more for me. That's what he did. Hide

[on Jim Henson]: He envisioned a world where bears could tell jokes, chickens could sing, pigs could Show more [on Jim Henson]: He envisioned a world where bears could tell jokes, chickens could sing, pigs could be stars and they all could ride bicycles. Hide

[on The Muppet Show (1976) head writer, Jerry Juhl]: He was the person responsible really for the he Show more [on The Muppet Show (1976) head writer, Jerry Juhl]: He was the person responsible really for the heart of the Muppets. He just knew the characters better than anybody else. He was brilliant because he could be funny but not nasty. He always saw the affection between the characters. Nobody else could do that kind of writing... He was THE Muppet writer. Hide

[on Little Shop of Horrors (1986)] Howard Ashman gave me the best advice of anybody ever, regarding Show more [on Little Shop of Horrors (1986)] Howard Ashman gave me the best advice of anybody ever, regarding directing this kind of a movie. He said, "Frank, this is supposed to be stupid." And it was the best advice. He said, "My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote this." Hide

If you look at a lot of the pieces on The Muppet Show (1976) that came from Jim, there was a tremend Show more If you look at a lot of the pieces on The Muppet Show (1976) that came from Jim, there was a tremendous sweetness about them, and that's unique to Jim. Jim was never wimpy. He had a strength to his sweetness... that was great. Hide

Frank Oz's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (80) as Director (8)

Saturday Night Live - Season 14

The Score

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Season 1

Loose Women - Season 28

Saturday Night Live - Season 33

The Great Muppet Caper

Saturday Night Live - Season 41

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi

Muppets from Space

An American Werewolf in London