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| PERFORMER | Mak Wilson |
| DEBUT | 1993 |
Achilles the Shark is a character in The Animal Show, appearing in the season one episode "Shark & Sea Lion".
Achilles told Stinky the Skunk and Jake the Polar Bear all about sharks. Before Achilles was brought out in a water-filled tanks with wheels, Stinky was a bit wary about a shark as a guest, even scaring Ollie the Tapir and Armstrong the Chicken Hawk. However, Jake told them that Achilles is a nice shark.
The puppet was later used in the Mopatop's Shop episode "Surprises", and for Shula the Shark in "Sea Tree House."
The Muppets[]
Performances by the shark with "The Muppets" family of characters present alternate features, most notably with its eyelids. One early appearance was in The Jim Henson Hour episode "Oceans", singing "Maneater" with The Extremes. The shark later appeared on the cover of the Muppet Beach Party CD and subsequent music video for "Kokomo" (from the same album).
In the Muppet Treasure Island sing-along video, the shark is performed by Martin P. Robinson, singing "I'm a Rock" with Bad Polly.
On Muppets Tonight, the shark first appeared in episode 101, spooked by Miss Piggy in a Bay of Pigswatch sketch. Another segment of that series from episode 204, featured the shark attached to Randy Pig's head (which he has mistaken for a goldfish). In episode 107, the predator appears when Johnny Fiama sings "Mack the Knife", responding to the lyrics, "the shark has pointy teeth, dear." Sal Minella, justifying his role as Johnny's body guard, chases after the shark, calling him Jaws 3-D. Sal is still trying to pull the shark off of Johnny's tail in the following number, which consists of Bill the Bubble Guy blowing a deuce during "Flight of the Bumblebee".
Several years later, in "Kermit's Party: Gonzo Stunt Spectacular", one of several commercials for Bounty, Gonzo balances the shark swimming in a bucket of fingerpaint on top of a pole on his head. When a chicken distracts him, Gonzo drops the shark who (covered in yellow paint) bites him and Statler on the bum.
The shark next appeared in a trailer for Muppets Most Wanted chasing The Swedish Chef on the Muppets' tour train, but didn't make the final cut of the film. He is seen on the Gulag 38B wall, however, during the "Together Again" finale.
In July 2015, Kermit the Frog appeared in a video on Facebook to remind his followers that it was Shark Week. Wondering why it's called that, Kermit is chased through a park by the shark. In the end, the shark turns on the camera to attack the viewer. video
The shark cut short Wayne and Wanda's performance of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" in The Muppets Take the Bowl and The O2 by eating them.
See also[]
- other sharks