Gonzo from The Muppets

Q: What kind of animal is Gonzo from The Muppets?

Angela, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  

A [Dave Smith]: His is not supposed to be based on any recognizable animal; he has been called a “whatever.”

 [Wikipedia]

Gonzo the Great (or simply Gonzo) is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" (or a "Weirdo" on Muppet Babies), he is considered one of The Frackles. Since his character lived in a cigar box, he was called the "Cigar Box Frackle". Originally a minor figure on The Muppet Show, he soon evolved into one of the franchise's principal characters.

He is voiced by Russi Taylor in Jim Henson's Muppet Babies and by Hal Rayle in the ill-fated Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters. He appeared in the premiere episode of Studio DC: Almost Live in 2008. In the 1999 film Muppets from Space, it is revealed that he is an alien from a distant planet in space and he meets his alien family for the first time.