And I'm back for…well, not so much an obit as a recognition. Jerry Nelson was one of the first-string, Henson-selected Muppet performers. He was a major player on Sesame Street performing Count Von Count, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Herbert Birdsfoot, Sherlock Hemlock, Herry Monster, the Amazing Mumford, Little Jerry, Simon Soundman, Farley and a wide array of supporting one-shot characters. When the Muppets were on Saturday Night Live the first season, he was the lead character, Scred. And then on mainstream Muppet projects, his roles included Robin, Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand (the guy with the boomerang fish) and sometimes Statler of Statler and Waldorf. He was also one of the lead performers on Fraggle Rock. He was often used in roles that played up his fine singing voice(s).
I never met Jerry Nelson but I quite admired his work. And as a devout fan of the first generation of Muppeting, I'm always sad when another one of those guys goes away.