Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal

Louise Gold performed as Skeksis Principal Puppeteer on The Gourmand Skeksis (SkekAyuk), and also fulfilled various other puppeteering duties, such as: Radio-control assistant for Kira, Skeksis Cable crew member (for other people’s Skekses), and Podlings. Filmed at Elstree Film Studios, 1981.

Proving, perhaps, "That girls can pull their weight like men, wherever girls are free." Amongst her various puppeteering jobs on this film, Louise was the only female puppeteer to be a Skekis Principal performer.

Cast

Character Principal Puppeteers

Jen - Jim Henson

Kira - Kathryn Mullen

Aughra - Frank Oz

Fizzgig - Dave Goelz

The Skeksis

Chamberlain SkekSil - Frank Oz

General (Garthim-Master) SkekUng - Dave Goelz

High Priest (Ritual-Master) SkekZok - Jim Henson

Scientist, SkekTek - Steve Whitmire

Gourmand, SkekAyuk - Louise Gold

Ornamentalist SkekEkt- Brian Muehl

Historian (Scrollkeeper) SkekOk - Bob Payne

Slave Master SkekNa - Mike Quinn (aka Michael Quinn)

Treasurer SkekShod - Tim Rose (aka Timothy M Rose)

The Mystics urRu

Urzah The Ritual Guardian and Dying Master, urSu - Brian Muehl

Weaver urUtt- Jean-Pierre Amiel

Cook, urAmaj - Hugh Spight

Numerologist urNod- Robbie Barnett

Hunter - Swee Lim (aka Swim Lee)

Chanter urSol - Simon Williamson

Scribe urAc - Hus Levant

Alchemist, urTih - Toby Philpot

Healer urIm - Dave Greenaway and Richard Slaughter

Landstriders - Robbie Barnett, Swee Lim, and, Hugh Spight

Stunts - Kiran Shah

Additional Puppeteers (Credited)

Peter Burroughs, Sadie Corre, Mike Cottrell, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Edmonds, Lisa Esson, John Ghavan, Abbie Jones (aka Annie Jones), Natasha Knight, Jack Purvis, Deep Roy, Kiran Shah (aka Kirin Shaw), and, Gerald Stadden (aka Gerald Staddon)

Uncredited Puppeteering Duties include:

Jen radio-control assistant - Wendy Midener (aka Wendy Froud)

Kira radio-control assistant - Louise Gold

Aughra & Skeksis Chamberlain Assistant - David Barclay

Skeksis Cable Crews - Everyone including Jim Henson seems to have served their turn on this duty (there is a photograph showing Louise Gold, Jim Henson, and Dave Goelz as part of a cable crew assisting Steve Whitmire)

Other puppeteers include: Venice Marrow

Voices

Jen - Stephen Garlick

Kira - Lisa Maxwell

Aughra - Billie Whitelaw

Fizzgig - Percy Edwards

The Skeksis

Chamberlain - Barry Dennen

General - Michael Kilgarriff

High Priest and Dying Emperor - Jerry Nelson

Scientist - Steve Whitmire

Gourmand - Thick Wilson

Ornamentalist - Brian Muehl

Historian - John Baddeley

Slave Master - David Buck

Treasurer - Charles Collingwood

The Mystics

Dying Master - Brian Muehl

Urzah - Sean Barrett

Pod People - Miki Iveria, Patrick Monckton, Sue Westerby, and, Barry Dennen

urSkeks and Narrator - Joseph O’Connor

Production Team

Produced by - Jim Henson, and, Gary Kurtz

Directed by - Jim Henson, and, Frank Oz

Screenplay by - David Odell

Story by - Jim Henson

Executive Producer - David Lazer

Conceptual Designer - Brian Froud

Production Designer - Harry Lange

Director Of Photography - Oswald Morris B.S.C.

Film Editor - Ralph Kemplan

Music - Trevor Jones

Associate Producer - Bruce Sharman

Special Visual Effects - Roy Field B.S.C., and, Brian Smithes

Supervising Art Director - Charles Bishop

Art Directors - Brian Ackland-Snow, Terry Ackland-Snow, and, Malcolm Stone

Set Decorator - Peter Young

Construction Manager - Alan Booth

Assistant Art Directors - Richard Dawkins, Fred Evans, and, Katherina Kubrick

Sketch Artists - Roy Carnon, Mike Ploog, Denis Rich, and, Bill Stallion

Draftsmen - Michael Boone, Roger Bowles, Reg Bream, Don Dossett, Richard Holland, and, James Morahan

Chargehand Modeller - Allan Moss

Modellers - Brian Archer, Andrew Holder, Bernard Kramer, Keith Short, Brian Van Muir, and, Peter J. Voysey

Chief Buyer - Roddy Roderigo

Operating Cameraman - Derek Browne

Senior Camera Assistant - Maurice Arnold

Camera Assistant - Tim Dodd

Camera Grips - Denis Lewis, and, Brian Osborn

Gaffer - John Harman

Rigging Gaffer - Derek Sheriff

Supervising Video Engineer - Ian Kelly

Property Master - George Ball

Property Supervisors – Eddie Francis, Ray Perry, and, Denis Hopperton

Head Carpenter – Fred Britten

Head Plasterer – Sid Whitlock

Head Rigger – William Lowen

Head Painter – Dixie Dean

Head Stagehand – Harry Ecksford

Drapes Master – Barry Wilson

Associate Producer for Henson - Duncan Kenworthy

Production Manager - Philip Kohler

Choreography & Mime Training - Jean-Pierre Amiel

Choreographer - Gates McFadden (aka Cheryl McFadden) - Note: not originally credited.

Assistants to Directors - Patsy de Lord, and, Jill Colley

Assistant to Producer - Bunny Alsup

Assistant to Executive Producer - Martin Baker

First Assistant Director - Dusty Symonds

Second Assistant Director - Chris Newman

Third Assistant Directors - Nick Laws and, Keith Young

Continuity - Cheryl Leigh

Production Coordinator - Bi Benton

Production Assistant - Mary Richards

Production Aids - Grant Kingham, and, Moyra Simpson

Production Accountant – Sidney G. Barnsby

Set Controller – Ken Gordon

Assistant Accountant – Jill Bennett

Unit Publicist – Ann Tasker

Assistant Publicists – Jennifer Collen-Smith, and, Kirsten Wing

Still Photographer – Murray Close

Promotion & Publicity Coordinator – Roberta Jimenez

Sound Editor – Nicholas Stevenson

Music Editors – Michael Clifford, and, Dina Eaton

Assembly Film Editor – Marcel Durham

Dialogue Editor – Brian Mann

Optical Editorial Coordinator – William Webb

Dialogue Supervisor – Louis Elman

Assistant Sound Editors – John Muth, and, Derek Trigg

Foley Editor – Campbell Askew

Foley Assistant – Robert Gavin

Re-Recording – Bill Rowe

Production Sound – Peter Sutton, Don Wortham, and, Bob Taylor

Music Recording – John Richards, and, Eric Tomlinson

Music Coordinator – Graham Walker

Orchestrations – Peter Knight, and, John Coleman

Conductor – Marcus Dodds

Special Sound Effects – Ben Burtt

Music Performed by – The London Symphony Orchestra

Soloists – Chris Taylor, Skala Kanea, and, Richard Harvey

Synthesised Electronic Sounds – David Lawson, Brian Gasgoigne, David Firman, and, Trevor Jones

Second Unit

Director – Gary Kurtz

Assistant Director – Vincent Winter

Continuity – Pamela Mann

Operating Cameraman – Neil Binney

Camera Assistant – Tony Woodcock, and, Michael Lloyd

Location Manager – Redmond Morris

Minature Effects Unit

Director – Brian Smithies

Assistant Director – Gareth Tandy

Director Of Photography – Paul Wilson

Camera Operator – John Morgan

Camera Assistants – Jonathan Taylor, and, Johanna Abey

Camera Grips – R. H. Hall

Gaffer – Billy Pochetty

Head Carpenter – Gordon Routledge

Production Effects Unit

Mechanical Effects Supervision – Ian Wingrove

Effects Engineer – Tony Dunsterville

Wire Effects – Bob Harman

Effects Technicians – Joseph Fitt, David Harris, Terry Schubert, and, Ian Scoones

Optical Effects Unit

Optical Printing Supervision – Richard Dimbleby

Matte Paintings – Mike Pangrazio, and, Chris Evans

Matte Camera Operator – Martin Body

Assistant Optical Effects – Andy Jeffery

Scenic Matte Photography – Neil Krepela

Matte Photography Assistant – Craig Barrow

Additional Matte Artist – Charles Stoneham

Titles by – Graphmation

Creature Development

Creatures Costume Design - Brian Froud

Creative Supervisior - Sherry Amott

Creature Design and Fabrication

Gelfling - Wendy Midener

Skeksis - Sarah Bradpiece, and, Lyle Conway

Mystics - Sherry Amott, and, Tim Clarke

Garthim - Fred Nihda

Aughra and Urskeks - Lyle Conway

Landstriders - Valerie Charlton

Pod People and Slaves - Sherry Amott

Environmental Creatures - John Coppinger, and, Tim Miller

Fizzgig - Rollin Krewson

Associate Costume Designers

Skeksis - Sarah Bradpiece, and, Steven Gregory

Mystics - Shirley Denny, and, Diana Mosley

Gelfling, and, Pod People - Barbara Davis, Ellis Duncan, and, Polly Smith,

Costumes - Val Jones, and, Lesia Liber

Wardrobe Supervisior - Betty Adamson

Wigs and Hair - Stuart Artingstall

Special Mechanical Design - Bob Baldwin, Leigh Donaldson, Tad Krzanowski, and, John Stepehenson

Foam Latex Supervisor - Tom McLaughlin

Associates - Joan Garrick, and, Sue Higgins

Radio Control Design - Faz Fazakas

Creature Fabrication

Gelfling Unit - David Blazer, Leigh Donaldson, and, Mike Osborn

Skeksis Unit - Brian Baker, Cindy Bishop, Vin Burnham, Sarah Gunn, Michael Jefferies, Nick Lyons, Sarah-Jane McClelland, Michael McCormick, Chris Ostwald, Peter Owen, John Thirtle, Tim Wheeler, Cas Willing, and, Henrietta Worrall-Thompson

Mystic Unit - Joanna Allman, Jerry Andrews, Elvira Angelinetta, George Chamberlain, Linda Cooper, Chris Dartnell, Harry Franchetti, Jeremy Harris, June Kirby, Ann Lodge, Heather Menczer, Diane Murphy, Stuart Robinson, and, Eileen Sullivan

Garthim Unit - Peter Bennion, Bill Dennis, Dominic Farrugia, Peter Gillow, Guy Grebot, Bob Keen, Ron Nash, and, Helen Pettit

Pod People Unit - Debbie Coda, Nick Folder, Marianne Harmes, Cheryl Henson, Sarah Monzani, Bob Payne, Michael Quinn, Peter Saunders, and, Amy Van Gilder

Aughra and Urskeks Unit - David Barclay, Steve Court, Graeme Galvin, Jeremy Hunt, and, Paul Jiggins

Landstrider Unit - James Acheson, Mike Flynn, Barry Fowler, Charlie Green, Lyn Kramer, John Markwell, Stephen T Miles, Dennis Murray, Roger Shaw, Nigel Trevessey, Ray Tricker, and, Geoff Wiles

Character Names - UrSkeks and their divisions

UngIm (the one who speaks to Jen at the end of the film, a combination of urIm The Healer and SkekUng The Garthim Master)

SoSu (a combination of urSu The Master and SkekSo The Emperor)

ZokZah (a combination of urZah the Ritual Guardian and SkekZok The Ritual Master)

SilSol (a combination of urSol The Chanter and SkekSil The Chamberlain)

AyukAmaj (a combination of urAmaj The Cook, and, SkekAyuk The Gourmand)

NaNol (a combination of urNol The Herbalist and SkekNa The Slave Master)

OkAc (a combinaiton of urAc The Scribe and SkekOk The Scroll Keeper)

ShodYod (a combination of urYod The Numerologist and SkekShod The Treasurer)

EktUtt (a combination of urUtt The Weaver and SkekEkt The Ornamentalist)

In some of the background details of the film it is noted that SkekAyuk and SkekNa, and their mystic counterparts urAmaj and urNol are close friends. It might be noted that those two skekses actually have one thing in common, their heads were both puppeteered left-handed.

It seems likely that the mystic billed as The Hunter, might in fact be the one detailed in the background information as urNol The Herbalist.

Many of the Cast and crew appeared in the documentary The World Of The Dark Crystal (first broadcast in 1983).

To advertise this big art puppetry film, as one might expect involved the cast in television appearances. One, such on 17 February 1983 on an episode of the BBC TV Children’s magazine programme Blue Peter, involved British puppeteers: David Barclay, Louise Gold, and, Mike Quinn performing a bunch of Podlings doing their Podling Dance, and also featured The Ornamentalist Skeksis (SkekEkt), and, Fizzgig. Photographs of this appearance can be found in Blue Peter Annual No 20.

Once a film is over people move on to other things, and sometimes change career. Some twenty years later (by which time one of the Skeksis puppeteer’s was tap-dancing in the musical Follies at the Royal Festival Hall), it is rumoured that one member of the creature fabrication unit had since become a second-hand bookseller with one of the stalls under Waterloo Bridge.

Puppeteers: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, and Kathryn Mullen, along with Jerry Nelson were all veteran performers of The Muppet Show, on which Brian Muehl and Bob Payne also puppeteered. It had been filmed just down the road at Elstree television studios. Various other members of the crew had also worked on that legendary programme: Sherry Amott, Barbara Davis, Faz Fazakas, Marianne Harmes, Cheryl Henson, Rollin Krewson, Tom McLaughlin, Wendy Midner, Tim Miller, Tim Rose, Polly Smith, and Amy Van Gilder, built puppets; David Odell was a writer; and David Lazer, Malcolm Stone, and, Martin Baker were also involved.

A number of the people involved with this groundbreaking film had previously worked together on The Great Muppet Caper, which was also shot at Elstree Film Studios. The puppeteers who had previously worked on The Great Muppet Caper were: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen, Brian Muhel, Robert Barnett, Bob Payne, Mike Quinn, Hugh Spight, and, Kirah Shah, along with Jerry Nelson, and, Tim Rose. Quite a number of puppet builders also worked on both films, namely: Amy Van Gilder, Lyle Conway, Joan Garrick, Tom McLaughlin, Tim Miller, Ted Krzanowski, Faz Fazakas, Barbara Davis, Debbie Coda, and, Betty Adamson. Other production personnel who worked on both include: Harry Lange, Oswald Morris, David Lazer, Ralph Kemplan, Dusty Symonds, Derek Browne, Maurice Arnold, John Harman, Cheryl Leigh, Ian Kelly, Tim Dodd, Charles Bishop, Terry Ackland-Snow, George Ball, Alan Booth, Brian Smithies, Martin Baker, Chris Newman, Nick Laws, Bi Benton, Grant Kingham, Patsy de Lord, Jill Colley, Roy Field, Bruce Sharman, Sidney G Barnsby, Murray Close, Michael Clifford, Dina Eaton, Nicholas Stevenson, Marcel Durham, Bill Rowe, Peter Sutton, Don Wortham, Graham Walker, John Richards, and, Marcus Dodds,

The team of puppet-builders assembled, in the former postal-sorting office in Downshire Hill to make the creatures for The Dark Crystal, went on to form the nucleus of the animatronics workshop that became known (throughout the film industry) as Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and then to make the film Labyrinth. In effect (apart from some try-outs on Star Wars) The Dark Crystal was The Creature Shop’s first film, in 1981, and their last was a film version of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy in 2004. Some of the techniques pioneered on their first film were still in use in a much more refined form in their last. Their pioneering techniques have also been utilised in many many other films, including some they didn’t even work on, such as Time Machine.

Puppeteers: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, Mike Quinn, Toby Philpot, David Greenaway, Peter Burroughs, Malcolm Dixon, Jack Purvis, and, David Barclay, voice-artistes: Percy Edwards, and, Sean Barrett; Other personnel such as Brian Froud, Martin Baker, Terry Jones, and, Gates McFadden and, many of the puppet-builders, including: Shelley Amott, Rollin Krewson, and, Cheryl Henson went on to work on the film Labyrinth, some of them (in particular: Jim Henson, Brian Froud, and, Terry Jones) appear on the documentary Inside The Labyrinth.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, Steve Whitmire, Kathryn Mullen, Bob Payne, Brian Muehl, and, Mike Quinn, along with Jerry Nelson, and, Rollin Krewson, had previously puppeteered on The Muppets Go To The Movies, on which David Lazer also worked; And puppet builders included: Deborah Coda, Barbara Davis, and, Amy Van Gilder.

Puppeteers Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson, appeared together on: The Royal Variety Performance (1977).

Puppeteers Jim Henson, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson, appeared together in The All Time Get Around Sometimes Play Together Every Other Friday Night Vaudeville Show.

Puppeteer’s Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson sang on The Muppet Show Music Hall, The Muppet Show 2, For What It’s Worth, Jim Henson Presents Silly Songs,

Puppeteers Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson sang on The Muppet Show Music Album, which David Odell, and, David Lazer also worked on.

Puppeteers Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson sang on John Denver And The Muppets A Christmas Together, which Martin Baker also worked on. Tracks from that album found their way onto Christmas For Kids, John Denver Christmas, and, John Denver & The Muppets Merry Christmas 45RPM.

Puppeteers: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson sang on: The Great Muppet Caper (Soundtrack album), Favorite Songs From Jim Henson’s Muppets, Put Some Zing In Your Spring, Muppet Music Sampler, Muppet Hits 1, Muppet Hits 2, Muppet Music Mix, Music Mayhem And More.

Puppeteers Jim Henson, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson, can be heard on Jerome Kern The First 100 Years.

Puppeteers Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson can be heard on Elmo’s Lowdown Hoedown.

Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Mike Quinn, David Barclay, Robbie Barnett, Tim Rose, John Thirtle, and, Simon Williamson, along with Jerry Nelson went on to puppeteer on The Muppet Christmas Carol, whose puppet-building team also involved Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and included: Polly Smith, Debbie Coda, Tim Miller, Rollin Krewson, Barbara S. Davis, John Stephenson, and, Mike Osbourne; and on which other personnel included: Martin Baker, Ian Kelly, Jill Colley, David Lazer, Paul Wilson, and, David Harris. There is also a plasterer named Barry Fowler, but it is not clear whether that is the same or a different person to the puppet-builder of the same name on this film. If Andy Jeffery is really Andy Jeffrey then he also worked on both films.

Puppeteers Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, and, Mike Quinn, along with Jerry Nelson can be heard on The Muppet Christmas Carol (Soundtrack album).

Puppeteers Frank Oz, and, Louise Gold, along with Jerry Nelson can be heard on Born To Add.

Malcolm Stone, Tom McLaughlin, and Louise Gold went on to contribute their considerable expertise to the Spitting Image Pilot.

Puppet builder John Thirtle and puppeteer Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on Spitting Image.

Gaffer John Harman went on to become Chief Electrician on The Pirates Of Penzance (Film), for which the London Symphony Orchestra also played; co-incidentally it is the only other film Louise Gold has performed in where she did not do her character’s voice.

David Barclay, Mike Quinn, and, Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on the UK Co-Production of Fraggle Rock, for which Dave Goelz and Jerry Nelson (besides puppeteering on the main show itself) did some voice-work; and on which Martin G. Baker also worked.

Louise Gold, Jim Henson, Mike Quinn, and, Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer on Tale Of The Bunny Picnic; for which Leigh Donaldson, Cheryl Henson, Rollin Krewson, and, Polly Smith also built puppets; and on which Martin G. Baker, and, Duncan Kenworthy also worked.

John Stephenson, and others from The Creature Shop, went on to work on the film Animal Farm, for which soloist Richard Harvey composed music.

Louise Gold has performed in one capacity or another on several other Creature Shop films, namely: Labyrinth (as a Ballroom dancer), Alice In Wonderland (as a puppeteer), and, Animal Farm (as a voice-artiste); And she puppeteered the title role in their TV series The Ghost Of Faffner Hall.

Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Mike Quinn, Robbie Barnett, John Thirtle, and, Ian Thom, along with Jerry Nelson, went on to puppeteer on Muppet Treasure Island. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop^TM were involved with building the puppets, and the puppet builders included: Polly Smith, Tim Miller, Rollin Krewson, Barbara S. Davis, and, John Stephenson. Other Personnel who worked on the film included Martin G. Baker, Jill Colley, and, Jennifer Collen-Smith. If Andy Jeffery is really Andrew Jeffrey then he also worked on both films.

Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, and, Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on The Animal Show, for which The Creature Shop developed its first regularly appearing CG character, and on which Frank Oz did a guest puppeteering appearance. There was much technical innovation on the programme, built upon the work of Faz Fazakas and John Stephenson.

Kiran Shah, David Barclay, and, Louise Gold, and others from The Creature Shop went on to work on the film Alice In Wonderland, whose production crew also included Gareth Tandy.

Puppet-builder John Thirtle went on to build and perform puppets on The Spooks Of Bottle Bay (where one of his fellow puppeteers included Louise Gold).

Tim Miller went on to build puppets for Mopatop’s Shop.

Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, Cheryl Henson, Duncan Kenworthy, Kathy Mullen, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, Mike Quinn, and, Steve Whitmire went on to take part in Jim Henson’s Memorial Service.

Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, Jerry Nelson, Mike Quinn, and, Steve Whitmire’s recording credits include A Green And Red Christmas.

Mike Quinn, and, Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on The Ghost Of Faffner Hall, with which The Creature Shop was also involved, in fact Louise Gold performed the title role.

Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, and, Mike Quinn, along with Jerry Nelson, puppeteered on The Secret Life Of Toys.

Charles Collingwood went on to appear in Up The Garden Path.

Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen, and, Steve Whitmire, along with Jerry Nelson went on to puppeteer together on Sesame Street (in the early 1990s).

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kathryn Mullen, Louise Gold, Jerry Nelson, David Lazer, David Odell, and, Martin Baker all featured in the television documentary Of Muppets And Men.

Synthesizer player David Firman went on to become a notable conductor, his recording credits include The Great Musicals – Glamour And Majesty, and, 100 Hits Musicals.

Jerry Nelson, and, Louise Gold’s recording credits include The Count’s Countdown, although there has been some debate as to whether Louise Gold actually sang on it.

Louise Gold, and, Tim Rose appeared in the documentary The Wonderful World Of Puppets, which specifically included a clip of Louise’s big puppeteering moment (the banqueting scene) from this film.

Thick Wilson, who voiced The Gourmand Skeksis, had back in March 1974 played Shorty in a revival of the musical Oh Kay at the Westminster Theatre with Amanda Barrie as Kay. Many years later, in 1997, that particular Skeksis’s Principal puppeteer actually played the title role in an original script concert staging of Oh Kay.

It is not known whether the John Coleman who was an orchestrator on this film, could be the same person conducting on the album The Great Musicals - From Broadway to Hollywood.

It seems likely that the puppeteer Robbie Barnett is also the actor of the same name who went on to appear in Bag.

Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, and, Rollin Krewson went on to take part in the documentary I Love The Muppets.

Many years later Louise Gold led a Puppet Walk around Hampstead, which focused on that areas contribution to The Muppet Show and The Dark Crystal.

Brian Froud, and, Louise Gold went on to appear as panellists at the Labyrinth 25^th Anniversary Screening

Steve Whitmire probably puppeteered on ITV’s 50 Greatest Shows.

Critics Comments

Links about The Dark Crystal

The Book Of Habidabad’s section for the film: http://habidabad.com/thra.htm

The Internet Movie Database’s entry: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0083791/

Jim Henson Productions Presents: Dark Crystal The Movie, presumably the Official Site: http://www.darkcrystalthemovie.com/

Muppet Wiki’s page for the film: http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Dark_Crystal

BFI Database’s Entry for the film: http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/125416

The Crystal Shard, the original Dark Crystal Fanlisting: http://fanlistings.dreame.net/darkcrystal/

IGN aka Gelfling Adventure, calls itself “The ultimate Dark Crystal Resource”: http://mac.ign.com/objects/497/497764.html

Rotten Tomatoes, reviews of the film: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dark_crystal/

The Unofficial Dark Crystal Homepage, built by the inimitable Monica J Roxenburgh: http://welcome.to/darkcrystal/

The Jim Henson Company’s Official Site For the film (wasn’t working when I tried it): http://www.henson.com/movies/films_darkcrystal.htm

The World Of Froud, Offical website for Brian and Wendy Froud’s work: www.worldoffroud.com. Note in particular the section about this legendary film: http://www.worldoffroud.com/faeries/films/dc/darkcrystal.cfm

John’s Crystal Corner, Dark Crystal Mailinglist: http://www.angelfire.com/ar/Ardelli/DarkCrystal.html

Wikipedia entry for The Dark Crystal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Crystal

Yahoo entry for the film: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800053569/info

Dreamchild’s Dark Crystal Page: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/4901/d_DarkCrystal.html

NY Times Review: http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=12243

Dark Crystal Webring: http://m.webring.com/hub?ring=darkcrystalring

The Spinning Image page for the film: http://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=212

Fionaurora’s Dark Crystal Page: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/3108/darkcrystal.html

Jen’s Quest, another Dark Crystal fansite: http://www.geocities.com/jens_quest/

Glen’s Dark Crystal Page: http://www.angelfire.com/pe/dacr/

The Dark Crystal News Page: http://www.topix.net/movies/the-dark-crystal

Gelfling College, as a human this site, devoted to the race of Gelflings, appears somewhat bizarre, but I’m sure it makes a lot of sense to Gelflings: http://www.gelflingcollege.com/

Digitally Obsessed’s page for this film: http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/treereview.php3?ID=4496

Twilight Zone Magazine’s article about the film: http://www.geocities.com/moviemagazinearchive/DarkCrystalTwilightZone.html

Mutant Reviewers From Hell, let themselves loose on the film: http://www.mutantreviewers.com/rdarkcrystal.html

Moviesonline’s page for the film: http://www.moviesonline.ca/film1532.htm

MSN Movies’s page for the film: http://entertainment.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=67557

The Dark Crystal Review, a fansite pulling together reviews and other articles about the film: http://www.bookmice.net/darkchilde/dark/dark.html

Rambles, an arts magazine,’s review of the film: http://www.rambles.net/dark_crystal.html

Time Out’s review of the film: http://www.timeout.com/film/64966.html

Rope Of Silicon’s page for the film: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/movies.php?id=2543

Popmatters’ review of the film: http://www.popmatters.com/film/reviews/d/dark-crystal.shtml

GreenmanReveiw’s page for Dark Crystal and Labyrinth: http://www.greenmanreview.com/henson.fantasies.htm

Insomniacmaina’s review of the film: http://www.insomniacmania.com/review_default.php?id=20

Currantfilm.com’s page for the film: http://www.currentfilm.com/darkcrystaldvd.html

DVD Movie Central’s review of the film: http://www.dvdmoviecentral.com/ReviewsText/dark_crystal.htm

World Movies’ page for the film: http://movies.wn.com/movie/Dark_Crystal_The_1982.html

Renaissance Magazine’s review of the film: http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/movies/crystal.html

Moviepie’s review of the film: http://www.moviepie.com/rent/dark_crystal.htm

Movie Vault’s review of the film: http://www.movie-vault.com/reviews/tJomUKjsicjhzhTA

Laramie Movie Scope’s review of the film: http://www.lariat.org/AtTheMovies/dvd/darkcrystal.html

Kartooner.com’s page for the film: http://www.kartooner.com/archives/2005/03/10/the-great-conjunction/

Laura Knauth’s Movie Collectables page for the film: http://www.lauraknauth.com/MovieCollectibles/DC_Movie.html

Movierapture’s page for the film: http://www.movierapture.com/darkcrystal.htm

Rants page for the film: http://www.angelfire.com/film/rings/rants/darkcrystal.html

Verticeweb’s site for the film: http://www.verticeweb.com/dc/

Sci Fi Watch’s page for the film: http://www.scifiwatch.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=210

Berthoud Recorder’s films for Hallowean: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/News/2009/oct/12/variety/scary-movies-halloweenies