Frank Oz is an American puppeteer, film director and actor. His track record includes several Emmy and Grammy awards. He voiced Star Wars, Monsters, Inc., and Puzzle.
Biography and career
The real name of the star is Richard Frank Oznovich. He was born on May 25, 1944 in Hereford, UK. Frank grew up in a family of puppet theater actors. When Oz was young, his parents emigrated to the United States. Frank's talents were noticed by the famous puppeteer Jim Henson. At one time he created "Sesame Street". As soon as Frank was educated in high school, he joined the Muppets team.
Oz developed his directing skills and made several films since the 1980s. As a director, Frank made his debut with The Dark Crystal. Together with Jim, he himself created the dolls for the painting.
Then there was the 1986 musical "The Horror Shop". This is a parody of Corman's black and white horror movie. Oz invited Bill Murray and Steve Martin to his project. The director showed a great sense of humor and shot a stylish retro film.
Personal life
Frank is in his second marriage. His wife is actress and producer Victoria Labalme. The wife is much nicer than Oz. The couple's wedding took place in 2011. Prior to that, Frank was married to Robin Oz. Their marriage lasted from 1979 to 2005.
Creativity and selected filmography
As an actor, Oz contributed to the 1986 musical Labyrinth. His partners on the set were David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Froud, Shelley Thompson, Christopher Malcolm, Natalie Finland, Shari Weiser, Brian Henson, Ron Mueck and Rob Mills. This adventure fantasy tells the story of a magical land, the kingdom of the goblins, where a little boy finds himself. His sister will try to save her brother. To do this, she needs to go through a maze. Frank Oz played a wise man in this family film.
In 1980 he played a cameo role in the musical crime comedy Blues Brothers. He worked on this film with renowned actor John Belushi, Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd, composer James Brown, Cab Calloway, screenwriter Ray Charles, producer Aretha Franklin, composer Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, composer Murphy Holly Dunn and Willie.
In 1983, Oz could be seen in the comedy Trading Places. He got a cameo role. The film tells about an experiment that millionaires, the owners of the corporation, are undertaking for fun. They put the first person they meet in the director's chair. Two years earlier, Oz had starred in the horror comedy American Werewolf in London. This time he got one of the main roles. The film also features David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunn, John Woodwine, David Scofield, Brian Glover and Leela Kaye. As a performer and voice actor, Frank has worked in hundreds of films. Oz directed 16 films, including 1988's Dirty Swindlers and What About Bob? 1991, Housewife 1992, Bear House 2001, and Death at a Funeral 2007.
