Labyrinth

Louise Gold appeared as a Ballroom Dancer in the Ballroom scene, in 1986

As Ms Gold only appeared in the Ballroom scene, this webpage will not go into much detail about Labyrinth as a film, although some general details are given below, it is suggested that those readers looking for comprehensive information should try some of the links given towards the end of this page. 

An attempt has been made to divide the cast into actors who appear in the ballroom scene, other actors, puppeteers, and voice-artistes, although such divisions are a bit indistinct.

 

Cast

Characters who appear in The Ballroom Scene

Jareth (The Goblin King) - David Bowie

Sarah - Jennifer Connelly

Ballroom Dancers (Women) - Elfrida Ashworth, Margaret Foyer, Elizabeth A. Gilbert, Louise Gold, Moira Grant, San Lee, Janis Mackintosh, Penny Marsden, Kim Mendez, Wendy Millward, Leonie Pallete, Caroline Pope, Sharon White

Ballroom dancers (Men) - John Aron, Terry Dane, Derek Hartley, Douglas Howes, Christopher Preston, Peter Salmon, Peter Sim, Graeme Sneddon, Graham Tudor-Phillips, David Turner, Barrie J. Wilkinson

Other Actors

Toby - Toby Froud, Stepmother - Shelley Thompson, Father - Christopher Malcom, Fairy - Natalie Finland

Goblin Corps - Marc Antonia, Kenny Baker, Danny Blackner, Peter Burroughs, Toby Clark, Tessa Crockett, Warwick Davis, Malcolm Dixon, Anthony Georghiou, Paul Grant, Michael Henbury Ballan, Andrew Herd, Richard Jones, John Key, Mark Lisle, Peter Mandell, Jack Purvis, Katie Purvis, Nicholas Read, Linda Springs, Penny Stead, and, Albert Wilkinson

Sarah’s stunt doubles - Sue Crossland and Tracy Eddon, Jareth’s stunt doubles - Nick Gillard and Tim Condren

Crystal Ball manipulation and performance -Michael Moschen

Puppeteers

Hoggle - Shari Weisner with Brian Henson, Hoggle mime-doube - Linda Spriggs, Hoggle Stunt double - Paul Grant, Ludo, Ron Mueck and Ron Mills, Didymus - Dave Goelz and David Barclay, The Worm - Karen Prell, The Wiseman - Frank Oz, The Hat - Dave Goelz, The Junk Lady - Karen Prell, The Four Guards - Steve Whitmire, Kevin Clash, Anthony Asbury, and Dave Goelz, Right Door Knocker - Anthony Asbury, Left Door Knocker - Dave Goelz, Fiery 1 - Kevin Clash with David Barclay and Toby Philpott, Firey 2 - Karen Prell with Ron Mueck and Ian Thom, Firey 3 - Dave Goelz with Ron Mills and Sherry Amott, Firey 4 - Steve Whitmire with Cheryl Henson and Kevin Bradshaw, Firey 5 - Anthony Asbury with Alistair Fullarton and Rollin Krewson, Ambrosius - Steve Whitmire and Kevin Clash

Goblins - Donald Austen, Michael Bayliss, Fiona Beynor Brown, Martin Brindle, Simon Buckley, David Bulbeck, Sue Dacre, Geoff Felix, Trevor Freeborn, Christine Glanville, David Greenaway, Brian James, Jan King, Ronnie Le Drew, Terry Lee, Christopher Leith, Kathryn Mullen, Angie Passmore, Michael Petersen, Nigel Plaskitt, Judy Preece, Michael Quinn, Gillie Robic, David Rudman, David Showler, Robin Stevens, Ian Tregonning, Mary Turner, Robert Tygner, and, Mak Wilson.

Voice - Artistes

Hoggle - Brian Henson, Ludo - Ron Mueck, Didymus - David Shaughnessy, The worm - Timothy Bateson, The Wiseman - Michael Hordern, The Hat  - David Shaughnessy, The Junk Lady - Denise Bryer, The Four Guards - Anthony Jackson, Douglas Blackwell, David Shaughnessy, Timothy Bateson, Right Door Knocker - David Healy, Left Door Knocker - Robert Beatty, Firey 1 - Kevin Clash, Firey 2 - Charles Augins, Firey 3 - Danny John-Jules, Firey 4  - Danny John-Jules, Firey 5 - Richard Bodkin, Ambrosis - Percy Edwards

Goblines - Michael Attwell, Sean Barrett, John Bluthel, Timothy Bateson, Anthony Jackson, Ron Mueck, Brian Henson, David Shaughnessy, Douglas Blackwell, Peter Marinker, and Kerry Shale

 

Production Team

 Director - Jim Henson

Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement  -Cheryl McFadden

Puppet Co-ordinator - Brian Henson

Assistant Puppet Co-ordinator - Kevin Clash

Assistant Producer - Martin Baker

Assistant Director - Ken Baker

Script - Dennis Lee, Jim Henson, and, Terry Jones

Costumes designed by - Brian Froud and Ellis Flyte

Casting directors UK - Debbie McWilliams and Michelle Guish

 

Louise Gold’s appearance in this film is so difficult to spot that even the webmaster of this site hasn’t yet managed to spot the actress, at least not in the actually film. She is, however, rather easier to spot in the making of documentary Inside The Labyrinth.

It seems surprising that Louise Gold, one of Britain’s foremost female puppeteers worked on Labyrinth only in her “actress” guise, not least because the film did have many well known puppeteers puppeteering on it, including many notable woman: What with such notable American puppeteers as Rollin Krewson, Karen Prell, and of course (Louise’s longstanding Muppet Show and Dark Crystal colleague) Kathryn Mullen. The film did, however, also have some notable British female puppeteers, namely Christine Glanville, Mary Turner and Sue Dacre.

Labyrinth is not the only Jim Henson’s Creature Shop venture where the puppeteer Louise Gold  turned up in a non-puppeteering role, some years later she was a voice-artiste only on the TV Film Animal Farm. She has also worked in her capacity as a puppeteer on other Creature Shop ventures, notably: The Dark Crystal, Alice In Wonderland, and, the TV series The Ghost Of Faffner Hall (where she puppeteered the title character).

Many of the puppeteers on this film were well known members of The Muppet gang.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kathryn Mullen, Rollin Krewson, and, Karen Prell had all puppeteered on The Muppet Show itself; on which Cheryl Henson, and, Sherry Amott had worked as puppet builders, and with which Martin Baker was also involved.

Labyrinth was the second major feature film for which Jim Henson’s Creature Shop built puppets, the first being The Dark Crystal.

Puppeters: Jim Henson, Franz Oz, Dave Goelz, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, Mike Quinn, Toby Philpot, David Greenaway, Peter Burroughs, Malcolm Dixon, Jack Purvis, and, David Barclay; Voice-Artistes: Percy Edwards, and, Shaun Barrett; Other personnel such as: Brian Froud, Martin Baker, Terry Jones, and Cheryl Gates McFadden; And many of the puppet-builders including: Shelley Amott, Rollin Krewson, and, Cheryl Henson had previously worked on The Dark Crystal.

David Barclay, and, Mike Quinn had appeared together as puppeteers in an item about The Dark Crystal on Blue Peter.

Puppeteers: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kathryn Mullen, Brian Henson, and, Mike Quinn, along with Louise Gold had previously puppeteered on The Great Muppet Caper, on which Danny John-Jules had acted and the crew included Martin Baker.

Puppeteers: Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, David Rudman, Mike Quinn, Karen Prell, Rob Tygner, Donald Austen, David Barclay, Mike Bayliss, Simon Buckley, Dave Bulbeck, Sue Dacre, Geoff Felix, Ronnie Le Drew, Christopher Leith, Nigel Plaskitt, Judy Preece, Gilly Robic, Dave Showler, Ian Thom, and, Ian Tregonning, along with Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on The Muppet Christmas Carol, which was directed by Brian Henson. Another film involving Jim Henson’s Creature ShopTM, the puppet builders included Rollin Krewson: Other Personnel included Martin Baker, and, Ellis Flyte.

Puppeteers: Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kevin Clash, Nigel Plaskitt, Simon Buckley, Mike Bayliss, Dave Bulbeck, Sue Dacre, Geoff Felix, Christopher Leith, Angie Passmore, Mike Quinn, Gilly Robic, Ian Tregonning, Rob Tygner, Brian Henson, Ronnie Le Drew, Dave Showler, and, Mak Wilson, along with Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on Muppet Treasure Island, which was directed by Brian Henson. Another film involving Jim Henson’s Creature ShopTM, the puppet builders included Rollin Krewson; Other personnel included actor Danny Blackner, as well as Martin Baker and Ellis Flyte.

Puppeteers: Nigel Plaskitt, Robert Tygner, David Barclay, and, Sue Dacre, along with Louise Gold went on to puppeteer on Alice In Wonderland, which also involved Jim Henson’s Creature ShopTM.

Jim Henson, Steve Whitmire, and, Kathryn Mullen appeared in “a burlesque show with some of the Muppet-company”

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kathryn Mullen, and, Mike Quinn, along with Rollin Krewson, and, Louise Gold had previously puppeteered on The Muppets Go To The Movies.

Several of the Labyrinth puppeteers had also puppeteered (with Louise Gold) on Spitting Image, they include: Anthony Asbury, Donald Austen, Kevin Bradshaw, Simon Buckley, Sue Dacre, Alistair Fullarton, Nigel Plaskitt, Ian Thom, Robert Tygner, and, Mak Wilson.

Anthony Asbury, and, Alistair Fullarton can be heard on the album Spit In Your Ear ( and Nigel Plaskitt puppeteered on some of the album’s promotional video footage)

Nigel Plaskit went on to direct Louise Gold in that lady’s own cabaret act Louise Gold ... By Appointment which included one sketch involving Louise Gold very much in her Spitting Image puppeteer’s guise.

Voice-artiste Kerry Shale went on to appear in One Touch Of Venus (2000 Production)

Debbie McWilliams was also involved in casting the Pirates Of Penzance (Film)

Michelle Guish went on to become the casting director for Crush

John Aron went on to appear in Will-Aid

Choreographer Cheryl Gates McFadden went on to choreograph the dance routines in the “Data’s Day” episode of Star Trek The Next Generation, in which she also played Data’s dancing teacher

It is not quite clear whether Goblin Corp actor Kenny Baker and Assistant Director Ken Baker are different people or not.

It is not quite clear, though quite possible that Ballroom Dancer Janis Mackintosh may also have been the Janis Mackintosh who previously choreographed a production of Godspell that fellow Ballroom Dancer Louise Gold appeared in.

David Barclay and Mike Quinn had previously puppeteered on the UK Co-Production of Fraggle Rock, for which Dave Goelz (besides puppeteering on the main show) did some voice-work.

Martin G Baker was involved with the German Co-Production of  Fraggle Rock.

Simon Buckley, Kevin Clash, Geoff Felix, Jim Henson, Ron Mueck, Nigel Plaskitt, Karen Prell, Mike Quinn, David Rudman, David Showler, and, Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer on Tale Of The Bunny Picnic; for which Cheryl Henson, and, Rollin Krewson also built puppets; and on which Martin G. Baker also worked.

Dave Goelz, and, Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer on The Animal Show, to which Nigel Plaskitt, Mak Wilson, and, Frank Oz also made puppeteering contributions; and for which The Creature Shop made some important developments in it’s use of Computer Gramhics.

Sue Dacre, and, Nigel Plaskitt went on to puppeteer, as did Simon Buckley on The Spooks Of Bottle Bay.

Nigel Plaskitt went on to work on Space Sprogs.

Nigel Plaskitt, and Mak Wilson went on to puppeteer on Mopatop’s Shop, which Brian Henson produced.

Kevin Clash, Dave Goelz, Brian Henson, Cheryl Henson, Kathy Mullen, Frank Oz, Karen Prell, Mike Quinn, David Rudman, and, Steve Whitmire went on to take part in Jim Henson’s Memorial Service.

Dave Goelz, Karen Prell, Mike Quinn, David Rudman, and, Steve Whitmire’s recording credits include A Green And Red Christmas.

Mak Wilson, Karen Prell, and, Mike Quinn went on to puppeteer on The Ghost Of Faffner Hall, with which The Creature Shop was also involved, and Steve Donald also did some animatronics.

Dave Goelz, Nigel Plaskitt, and, Mike Quinn went on to puppeteer on The Secret Life Of Toys.

Kevin Clash, Dave Goelz, Kathryn Mullen, Frank Oz, David Rudman, and, Steve Whitmire went on to puppeteer together on Sesame Street.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, and, Kathryn Mullen, along with David Lazer, and, Louise Gold featured on the television documentary Of Muppets And Men, on which Karen Prell also appeared.

Brian Henson, and, Ronnie Le Drew appeared on the documentary The Wonderful World Of Puppets.

 

Links about Labyrinth

Internet Movie Database entry: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0091369

Labyrinth Behind The Scenes, A fan-site about Labyrinth built and maintained by Monica J Roxburgh, one of the film’s biggest fans: http://www.geocities.com/goblinmaze/behind/index.html

Think Labyrinth The Movie, a fascinating Labyrinth Fansite, contains some quite hard to find info, that you probably won’t find anywhere else on the web: http://www.astrolog.org/labyrnth.htm

Muppet Wiki’s page for the film: http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth

BFI Database Entry for the film: http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/258433

Movie Credits - text, very clear and readable, prints out well too: http://www.astrolog.org/labyrnth/credits.txt

The Labyrinth Within The Labyrinth, one of the Labyrinth Fansites, quite a useful one for finding more info: http://www.marysia.com/labyrinth/

Muppet Central/Tibby's Bowl Interview with Louise Gold (Labyrinth is mentioned, briefly) http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/gold.shtml

Do You remember.co.uk’s page for the film: http://www.doyouremember.co.uk/memory.asp?memID=524

 

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