Michael Earls

  

 

Michael Earl Davis (born September 10, 1959 in Oakland, California) is a 4-time Emmy Award-winning writer/lyricist/singer/puppeteer whose credits include Mr. Snuffleupagus on "Sesame Street" (1978-80) and Dr. Ticktock in "Ticktock Minutes," a musical series of PSA's on PBS he also co-created, scripted and wrote lyrics for that garnered 11 Southern Regional Emmys, a 1998 National Emmy for Best Public Service Announcements, a Gabriel Award, 2 Parents' Choice Awards and numerous other honors. He is also known as Michael Davis and Mike Davis.

"Ticktock Minutes" are available on CD and DVD from BMG Special Products. Michael performed the original "Shrek" character in a motion-capture development test film for DreamWorks and puppeteered lead characters in Paramount Pictures' "Team America." He began his professional career at age five acting in a Curad Bandaid TV commercial. Two years later he was tapped to be the original "Is It Soup Yet?" kid for Lipton. The spot ran for three years, the first in a series of wildly popular commercials that over the next decade became one of the most successful ad campaigns in history.

History

Michael has mentored and/or coached many of today's most successful TV and film puppeteers. He has served as a puppetry consultant to such entertainment companies as MCA/Universal, Warner Bros. and Disney, working one-on-one with the Vice President of Disneyland Entertainment to conceive, develop and write puppet- and non-puppet live events. He has toured the U.S. giving concerts for children and their families, combining his talents as a singer, songwriter and puppeteer. Over the years, he has worked one-on-one with countless children and adults, teaching them puppet making and performance through such organizations as the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Mark Taper Forum/Music Center, California Youth Theatre, L.A.'s Best, Puppeteers of America, L.A. Inner City Arts, Beverly Hills Parks & Recreation, The Sycamores, L.A. Unified School District, Art Share L.A., Hollywood Arts Council and the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. In 2002, Michael created the "Puppet Power!" program through California Youth Theatre, where he taught, designed, co-built, directed and produced the first (and 2nd) annual Ivar Puppet Festival, involving 150 L.A. Unified School District teens from two different high schools building dozens of giant 15-foot puppets they performed at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood. The event was a sold-out success and covered by the L.A. Times and the L.A. Daily News.

Michael Earl lives in Los Angeles, California, where he continues to create entertainment designed to encourage, instruct and strengthen children of all ages through the imaginative use of music and puppetry.

Filmography

Anime Roles

• Digimon Tamers - Mr. Akiyama

Non-Anime Roles

• Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? - Ira Gation, Additional Voices

Live Action Roles

• Sesame Street - Voices of Mr. Snuffleupagus, Forgetful Jones, Slimy Worm (1978-1980), Additional Muppets (1979-1984)
• The Adventures of Timmy the Tooth - Ms. Flossy (voice)

Movie Roles

• The Muppet Movie - Muppet Performer (voice)
• The Muppets Take Manhatten - Additional Muppet Performer
• Theodore Rex - The Reverend
• The Phantom Tollbooth - Milo's Friend (uncredited)

External Links

• Michael Earl at the Internet Movie Database