Mark Zeszotek

Mark Zeszotek was a puppet designer and builder who has worked for The Jim Henson Company for two decades. He was the Muppet Supervisor for Sesame Street between the years 1995 and 1999, that ended up winning four Emmy Awards for his work on the show. During the late 1980's Mark had also been a puppeteer on Sesame Street, although he was never credited. However he did receive puppetry credit for many home videos. For films, Zeszotek served as Muppet Workshop project supervisor for The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, & The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. It also said that he also designed and built the Muppets when they made a special at Walt Disney World, and in The Muppet Show: On Tour and in the 2nd Edition. I wonder why Mark left both The Henson Company and Sesame Street after 1999. Something must have been wrong with his health and he had to retire to preserve it. Why hasn't Zeszotek received credit for puppeteering on Sesame Street? Even though he received puppeteering credit in the home videos, he should received credit on the show too so it would make everything fair. Mark even attended the 85th birthday of the puppet designer/builder Kermit Love, along with Martin P. Robinson, Pam Arciero, Carmen Osbahr, and Rick Lyon. He must have heard that he was famous for the original build of many Muppet characters. Sadly Zeszotek has passed away on October 2004 in New York. It's a shame that he died, he was doing such an awesome job supervising the Muppet Workshop for the Muppets and Sesame Street. As a native of Ohio, Mark was a graduate of Miami University and I'm guessing he studied puppet design there. I sure wish that he was still alive so he could continue working with The Jim Henson Company and remain a Muppet Supervisor for both the Muppets and Sesame Street. Unfortunately that is not how life works, people have to die sometime so the people they've known can remember them always. That goes for Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, and of course Jim Henson. But the important thing is that the people that worked with Zeszotek will always remember him for his hard work and incredible puppet designs. Unless of course they have forgotten him after years of his death. Mark Zeszotek, you were fantastic when you were with The Jim Henson Company and on Sesame Street too. I'm sorry you didn't receive puppetry credit on the show itself, but home videos are better than nothing if you ask me. Just be sure that even if people forget about you, you'll always be remembered for my blog. Rest in peace Mark Zeszotek!