Eren Özker

Eren Ozker (25 July 1948 – 25 February 1993) was a Turkish-American puppeteer and Muppet performer. She was one of the original performers during the first season of Jim Henson's popular television series The Muppet Show. Biography Ozker was born in Ankara, Turkey, and grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA. She received a bachelor's degree in drama from the University of Michigan in 1970. Right after graduating, she toured with the National Shakespeare Company, appearing in Hamlet (Ophelia) and The Merchant of Venice (Jessica). She moved to New York City shortly afterward to perform in numerous off-Broadway productions, such as The Master Builder, in which she portrayed Kaia Fosli. Reviews described her as "an Off-Broadway favorite" and as "a fire-cracker burning at both ends." In 1975, she joined the Hartman Theater Company for its first production, The Government Inspector, meeting her future husband, William Bogert, in the process during the original production of The Runner Stumbles. In 1976, Ozker went to England and joined the cast of The Muppet Show. As the only full-time female Muppeteer on the show at the time, she performed most of the female characters. These included: Wanda - one-half of the singing duo Wayne and Wanda. Their "wholesome, uplifting and decent" acts, as described by Sam the Eagle, were always cut short in disastrous circumstances. Hilda - mostly restricted to backstage appearances, Hilda was the wardrobe lady for the show with a Slavic accent. Janice - Ozker's most famous character, Janice is the guitarist for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, as taken over from Fran Brill.