Kevin Clash was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the third of four children born to George Clash and Gladys Clash. Kevin grew up in the Baltimore suburb of Turner Station and from an early age developed an interest in puppetry inspired by children’s shows Fran & Ollie and Sesame Street.
By the time Kevin was a teenager, he had become known in Turner Station as the kid with the puppets and performed at venues throughout Baltimore. While appearing at a neighborhood festival, Kevin was discovered by Baltimore television personality Stu Kerr, who hired him to perform on the children’s show Caboose at Channel 2 in Baltimore.
When Kevin was 17, he was able to contacted and meet famed muppet designer Kermit Love, after seeing Love featured in an episode of the Call It Macaroni. Kevin would meet Love briefly on a class trip to New York and a year later on Love’s recommendation, Kevin would appeared as Cookie Monster on the Sesame Street float during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
After high school with the help of Stu Kerr, Kevin would become a puppeteer for the Captain Kangaroo show which would lead to Kermit Love recommending Kevin for a new show called The Great Space Coaster. Kevin would land the roles of Goriddle Gorilla, Rory, Scruffy and Big Jock Ox on The Great Space Coaster which ran for five seasons.
After The Great Space Coaster ended, Kevin would go to work for the Jim Henson Company and Sesame Street where he would bring to life a little red muppet named elmo.
Awards
Sesame Street (PBS)
- Received 1990 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2007 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2011 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2012 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
- Received 2013 Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series
Career Highlights
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey
- Documentary
My Life as a Furry Red Monster
- Autobiography
Muppets Tonight (ABC)
- Clifford
- Craniac
- Mulch
Dog City (FOX)
- Eliot Shag
Dinosaurs (ABC)
- Baby Sinclair
- Howard Handupme
The Jim Henson Hour (NBC)
- Clifford
- Leon
Labyrinth (The Jim Henson Company)
- Fiery
Sesame Street (PBS)
- Dr. Nobel Price
- Elmo
- Hoots the Owl
- Kingston Livingston III
The Great Space Coaster (syndicated)
- Big Jock Ox
- Goriddle Gorilla
- Rory
- Scruffy
Captain Kangaroo (CBS)
- Artie
- Kevin The College Student