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United States Noel MacNeal is an Emmy Award-winning puppeteer, director, and writer known for bringing various characters to life across television and film.
Noel MacNeal has an extensive history of working with The Jim Henson Company, where he trained with puppetry legends Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and has portrayed numerous characters across their productions.
Noel MacNeal launched his career performing on PBS's award-winning "Sesame Street" and has been involved with many of their television productions.
Noel MacNeal is well-known for portraying Bear from "Bear in the Big Blue House," a Disney Channel preschool series. He also portrayed Bear in video games, a spin-off show, and a live show at Disney theme parks.
Noel MacNeal serves as the resident puppeteer for the HBO series "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver."
Noel MacNeal is represented by The Leudtke Agency for his work as a puppeteer and performer.
Noel MacNeal has collaborated on projects with the Philadelphia Zoo, including auditioning and training puppeteers for a joint venture between the Henson Company and the zoo.
Noel MacNeal has authored a puppet-making book titled '10-Minute Puppets with Noel MacNeal'. He also wrote 'Box' and his autobiography 'Hey, This Was Really Fun: Life Lessons from Sesame Street to The Big Blue House & Beyond'.
Noel MacNeal is a swing puppeteer and swing voice for 'Audrey 2' in the Off-Broadway production of 'Little Shop of Horrors'.
Noel MacNeal began his professional puppetry career in 1982, performing on the acclaimed children’s television series, “Sesame Street.” During this period, he trained alongside puppetry pioneers Jim Henson and Frank Oz, developing skills vital to his future work. He expanded his repertoire by taking on roles such as Knock-Knock the Woodpecker on “The Great Space Coaster” from 1983 to 1986, and puppeteering for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” in 1993, where he served as a facial assistant for Raphael. He also contributed to “Follow That Bird” in 1985 as a muppet designer on the Toronto unit.
His career advanced significantly in 1997 when he became widely recognized as the performer of Bear in the Disney Channel preschool series “Bear in the Big Blue House,” a role he reprised for video games, a spin-off show, and live performances at Disney theme parks. This role earned him a Daytime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series in 2003. MacNeal’s versatility extended to other prominent children’s programs, including performing as Kako on “Oobi,” Magellan on “Eureeka’s Castle,” and Leon MacNeal on “The Puzzle Place” from 1994 to 1996. He has also directed episodes of “Between the Lions” and, in 2023, an episode for season 53 of “Sesame Street.”
Beyond performing, MacNeal has contributed as a writer to shows like “Eureeka’s Castle,” “The Puzzle Place,” “The Magic School Bus,” “Cyberchase,” “Gullah Gullah Island,” and “Salty’s Lighthouse.” Since 2014, he has been involved with “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” as a resident puppeteer, embodying characters such as Mr. Nutterbutter. His work has also included roles like Waggoo in “The Characters” (2016) and puppeteer #1 in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (2015), demonstrating a wide range of engagements across various media.
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