Elmo Voice - The Man Behind The Muppet

Kevin Clash is a American puppeteer who is the voice behind Elmo and other puppet characters such as: Clifford, Splinter and Hoots the Owl. He currently serves as Sesame Street Muppet Captain and co-executive producer.

Clash began building puppets at the age of ten. Clash's parents were supportive of his interest in puppetry, driving him to puppet shows, allowing for his love of television and craft, and not urging him to attend college when he announced he was pursuing puppetry professionally. As a tribute, Elmo's parents were named George and Gladys in an Elmo's World segment; their names have since changed.

Kevin officially became a puppeteer on Sesame Street in 1984. Some of his earliest characters included Hoots the Owl, Baby Natasha, and Dr. Nobel Price, but it was Elmo who became his main character.

Clash has also sung in voice-over in a variety of film and animation songs on Sesame Street, including "In My Animal Book" and "Take Care of That Smile". During the late 1980s, He also performed the title character in the Muppet Sing-Along video Billy Bunny's Animal Songs.

Clash was co-executive producer for Elmopalooza, co-producer for The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, and co-executive producer for CinderElmo and "Elmo's World".