Annie Sue (Muppet)

Annie Sue Pig is a puppet character on The Muppet Show. Annie Sue first appeared in the background during the second season, where she appeared in a group of hip Muppets. At the time, she had a pink wig instead of the yellow curls that she later wore. Annie Sue is a young pig whom Kermit the Frog hired as a chorus girl, and her interactions are usually with Kermit and Miss Piggy, the latter whom considered Annie a threat to her career and romantic interest in Kermit. She gained prominence in the third season, interacting with Kermit and Fozzie, and performing her own solo musical number "Carbon Paper". Annie Sue took a supporting role a couple of episodes later, singing "The Rhyming Song" with Fozzie, Scooter and Link Hogthrob. In subsequent episodes, Annie Sue became a background character, though she was briefly featured in the last Muppet Show episode, featuring Roger Moore, where she was his date.

Annie Sue was puppeted and voiced by British actress (and puppeteer) Louise Gold, who also played other characters on the show and participated in several Muppet movies and specials. Muppet chronicler Christopher Finch wrote that Gold was "the most versatile female puppeteer to work on The Muppet Show the only British member of the cast." Annie Sue was the first puppet character to be specifically designed for Gold to perform. As Gold is left-handed, Annie Sue is one of the few right-handed Muppet characters. An exception was in the "Carbon Paper" performance, when Frank Oz took over the role for that one number. Gold performed Annie Sue in the Muppeteers' tribute at Jim Henson's memorial service. Annie Sue also made an appearance in The Great Muppet Caper, and can be seen in the audience on Muppets Tonight. Because she is Gold's character, Annie Sue was also featured in clips from The Muppet Show in the BBC Television documentary 'The Wonderful World of Puppets' (screened in 3 January 2000, which covered the history of British TV puppetry from Muffin The Mule to Flat Eric).