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ABOUT ME

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actor/comedian/puppeteer/TV producer


Marc was born in Queens, NY and grew up in the northern suburb of Mahopac, NY. Marc went to Monmouth College, and then he went to work on the Clearwater Sloop, the environmental sloop started by folk singer Peter Seeger. Marc was the cook for two years and then became the first mate. It was on the Clearwater that Marc got his captain's license and learned to juggle and entertain kids. He moved to Boston, where he studied clowning and mime and became a street performer known as Marco the Clown; it was here that he met his clown partner Sunshine Sean (a.k.a. Sean Morey). Marc and Sean performed on the Bicentennial Barge, touring the waterways of New York State. From 1977 through 1979, Marc lent a smile to the streets of New York City, where he performed outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twice working with Robin Williams. To get out of the cold, Marc auditioned at the Improvisation comedy club and immediately became a regular there, as well as at clubs like The Comic Strip, Catch A Rising Star, and The Comedy Cellar. In 1981, he made his national network television debut as a regular on Saturday Night Live. The Secret Life of Milton (1984) (Showtime) A series of four delightful short films showing the vivid fantasies of a Hasidic Jew named Milton (played by Marc Weiner), who imagines himself the hero of popular movies. In the following years Marc appeared on many top-rated television shows. (See TV credits for complete list). Marc created and hosted the popular daily children's show Nickelodeon Weinerville, which ran on Nickelodeon from 1993-1996. Marc created and starred in a series of educational interstitial for Nick Jr. called Wordville with Marc Weiner and Friends. In the UK, Marc starred in Trebor Mighty Mints commercials. Currently, Marc is providing the voices of the "Map", "Swiper" - the fox, "Fiesta Trio" and a few other characters on Nick Jr's hit animated series Dora the Explorer. Marc also tours the US and Canada performing his one man comedy shows.

In 2004, Marc developed the Empathy Labyrinth, a tool to teach empathy skills and Nonviolent Communication. www.theempathylabyrinth.com

Marc Weiner

Television and Film Credits

  1. Pinwheel (The cube cable system) (1978) Marc Weiner made his first TV appearance on this Ohio based cable show.

  2. The Big Laff-Off (Showtime) (1979) Marc and his puppets Rocko and Tony compete against comedians George Wallace, Jerry Seinfeld, and Marc Schiff.

  3. Saturday Night Live (NBC) (February 1981) Marc is on 3 weeks in a row with his boxing puppets Rocko Weineretto and Weindulah. Joe Piscapo, gets producer, Jean Doumanian, to hire Marc to appear in five more shows. Subsequently, Jean is fired but new SNL producer, Dick Ebersol, hires Marc back but the writers' strike of 1981 put an early end to that season.

  4. House of God (1980) (United Artist film) Marc Weiner appears (for a few seconds) in his first major motion picture.

  5. Saturday Night Live (NBC) (February 1982) Special guest appearance. Marc performed his character "Captain Bob."

  6. Kids Are People Too (ABC) (1982) Marc, Rocko & Tony performed their lion (kitten) trainer routine.

  7. Laughs (1983) (HBO) Comedy Special starring Marc Weiner, Rick Overton, Mark Schiff, & Charles Barnett.

  8. Rocko-Billy-Rocko (1983) Second music video produced by Marc starring Rocko Weineretto.

  9. New Wave Comedy (Home Video release) (1985)

  10. Welcome to the Funzone (NBC) (1984) Marc Weiner performed his hand puppets Rocko & Tony along with his Rolling Stones puppets.

  11. Atlantic City Live (TNT)

  12. Sesame Street (PBS) Marc Weiner makes a cameo appearance as a telephone repairman.

  13. The Secret Life of Milton (1984) (Showtime) A series of four delightful short films showing the vivid fantasies of a Hasidic Jew named Milton (played by Marc Weiner), who imagines himself the hero of popular movies.

  14. Evening At The Improv (A&E) Marc and hand puppets Rocko & Tony make several guest appearances including one with Andy Kaufman and Weiner's female mud wrestler hand puppets.

  15. MTV Half Hour Comedy Hour (MTV) Marc & Rocko perform stand-up, magic trick, and sword fight routine.

  16. The Beach Boys' Endless Summer (TV Series) (1989) 8 appearances with Marc and his puppets Rocko and Tony.

  17. The Jim Henson Hour (ABC) (1989) Marc and Rocko & Tony appear with Muppets.

  18. Bizarre (Showtime) Three appearances with Marc and his puppets Rocko and Tony, as well as performing Captain Bob and his Superman hand puppet.

  19. Encyclopedia (HBO) (1987) Marc makes cameo appearance in show "A".

  20. Short Attention Span (Comedy Central) (1990) Marc as his trademark head puppet makes first TV appearance as a Hillbilly character.

  21. The Tommy Sledge Show (Comedy Central) (1990)

  22. Friday Night Video (NBC) (1991) Marc appears as head puppet stand-up comedian character.

  23. Caroline's Comedy Hour (many appearances) Marc Weiner introduces his head puppet character, General Weiner, and The Weinerman routines as well as others.

  24. America's Funniest People(ABC)(1991) Marc made a few appearances with Rocko & Tony and some head puppet characters.

  25. Joey Delux Presents (Comedy Central) (1992) 10-2 minute interstitials starring Marc Weiner in head puppet form as many different show business characters.

  26. Random Acts of Variety (HA-comedy network) (1990) 7 appearances with Marc and his head puppets.

  27. Comedy Tonight (Fox) Many appearances.

  28. Comic Strip Live (Fox) (1990-93) Marc, Rocko, Tony and many Weinerville head puppet characters make several guest appearances.

  29. That's Not Fair (1991)(Comedy Central  - Pilot only)

  30. Nickelodeon Weinerville (Nickelodeon) (1993-96) (62 episodes) Marc Weiner teamed up with the highest rated cable network, Nickelodeon, to bring audiences the premiere of Nickelodeon Weinerville on July 11, 1993. The show, a totally outrageous half-hour variety show, uses classic elements of kid's programming, which include puppeteering and interaction with a live studio audience, to entertain kids and their parents. Since its premiere, Weinerville has commanded the attention of such shows as "Entertainment Tonight", "Good Morning America" and "CBS This Morning" for being television's first and only half-man/half-puppet variety show where kids are transformed into puppet citizens. The show has also received numerous award nominations, including two Cable ACE nominations, and has received critical acclaim from: The New York Times, New York Times Magazine, The Daily News, The New York Post, Newsday, TV Guide, The LA Times, and many more.

  31. Nickelodeon Weinerville New Year’s Eve Special (Nickelodeon) (1995)

  32. Weinerville Election Special (Nickelodeon) (1996) (guest appearances by Bill Maher, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Melissa Joan Hart and Marc Summers).

  33. Weinerville Chanukah Special (Nickelodeon) (1996)

  34. Space Ghost (Cartoon Network) (1997)

  35. Figure It Out (Nickelodeon) (1997) 6 episodes

  36. Make Me Laugh (Comedy Central) (1998) 5 episodes

  37. Wordville with Marc Weiner and Friends (Nick Jr.) (1998) a series of 5 educational interstitials on Nick Jr. to teach kids vocabulary. Marc hosts and plays a variety of head puppet characters. Marc’s son, Max Weiner, designed Sara, the Weinerette-style hand puppet, and the sun.

  38. Pat Bullard Show (Marc gets Pat and 3 other TV celebrities to join him in a five-person head puppet set).

  39. Good Morning America (ABC)

  40. CBS This Morning (CBS) Marc makes two appearances with host Harry Smith who is Weinerized.

  41. Entertainment Tonight (CBS) John Tesh and Mary Hart are Weinerized.

  42. Disney's Brotherly Love (WB & Disney Channel) (1998-2001) Marc Weiner makes guest appearance as himself along with puppet Boney. The Lawrence brothers get Weinerized and become head puppets.

  43. Dora The Explorer (Nick Jr.) (2000-) Marc Weiner provides the voices of the "Map", "Swiper"-the fox, "Fiesta Trio" and a few other characters for this Nick Jr. animated series.

  44. Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, episode #22. Substitute Teacher .  Started airing in 2006. Marc is featured in this episode written by Scott Fellow, creator of Ned's, who got his TV start working on  Weinerville. 

  45. CBS Early Show (CBS) (2009) Marc is interviewed by old friend Harry Smith about Marc's Empathy Labyrinth.
     

  46. Dora and Friends (All seasons)

  47. Dora The Explorer - Movie (2019)

Wordville: with Marc Weiner and Friends

A preschool spinoff of Weinerville, which aired on Nick Jr. on weekday mornings in 1998-1999 Marc used his unique hand puppets and his well known Weinerville style head puppets to teach kids new words. Wordville: with Marc Weiner and Friends contained only (4) 3 minute episodes that ran in between other programs.

Weinerville Productions is the production company founded and owned by Marc Weiner. In addition to creating and producing TV shows for Nickelodeon, Weinerville Productions has also created two shows for Comedy Central, and has co-written award-winning educational videos starring Marc Weiner for the National Dairy Council and St. Jude Hospital. Weinerville Productions also produces live nationally touring stage shows. Weinerville specializes only in clean and wholesome humor which is safe and enjoyable for the entire family. Marc Weiner developed two unique forms of puppetry, The Weinerettes - hand puppets - and The Weinerville style head puppets - human heads on puppet bodies.

Articles about 

'Nickelodeon Weinerville,' Inside a Cardboard-Box World

 

 

By Shira Dicker

  • Dec. 26, 1993

THE Building and Design Center on Route 202 is a tribute to suburban consumerism. Featuring everything to furnish or decorate one's home under one roof, the mall is suitable for one-stop shopping. During store hours, a steady stream of shoppers shuttle from store to store, caught up in that most suburban of activities -- home improvement.

But behind a heavy metal door marked "Employees Only," one's preconceptions are likely to peel away like paint beneath a heat gun. Contained within the cavernous confines of what used to be a wallpaper emporium is the antidote to that which is mass-produced and predictable: Marc Weiner's Weinerville Studios.

With its scores of neon-colored puppet sets littering the floor amid the neo-Gothic pink arches and columns built by the previous tenant, Weinerville Studios has a distinctly surrealistic appearance. The fun-house feeling is enhanced by the Pop Deco style of the sets and by the locales they evoke: the inside of a diner, the office of a washed-up movie agent, a Manhattan newspaper kiosk -- miniature stages that are urbane and sophisticated yet playful and reminiscent of childhood. Individualistic and likable 

In the former wallpaper shop, Mr. Weiner creates the cardboard-box world that has brought him success as the hyperkinetic star and host of "Nickelodeon Weinerville," a half-hour comedy and game show, broadcast Mondays through Fridays from 3 to 3:30 P.M. and on Sundays from 2 to 4 P.M. (when four half-hour shows can be seen back to back) on the Nickelodeon cable television channel.

Having premiered in July, with 28 pretaped episodes running initially in two-hour blocks on Sunday afternoons, the show went into reruns within a matter of weeks and has proved so popular with its audience of children 2 through 11 that Nickelodeon ordered 40 more episodes.

Like his sets and stable of puppet personalities, which include Dottie, the frazzled yet kind-hearted Mayor of Weinerville; Boney, the cantankerous dinosaur skeleton; Joey Deluxe, a Hollywood agent gone to seed, and Cocktail Frank, an ultra-hip rock-and-roll musician, Mr. Weiner is off-beat, individualistic, instantly likable.

Yet he does not project his personality when not performing, and the initial impression one receives is of a shy, deceptively nondescript man. Of medium stature with brown hair, dressed in jeans and a neat, button-down shirt, Mr. Weiner looked one day recently like any number of husbands being dragged by their wives through the Building and Design Center on a Sunday afternoon.

But if Mr. Weiner's manner and dress pronounce him normal, it is his eyes that give him away. They bulge slightly and broadcast wise-guy wackiness and the guilty gaze of a compulsive mischief maker. It is the eyes that undoubtedly aroused suspicion in the hearts of his elementary school teachers. It is the eyes that now command the attention of young cable television viewers and their parents every afternoon but Saturday. Comedic Alchemy 

Literally, Mr. Weiner lends his eyes -- and his head -- to his puppets. Bearing the disproportionate dimensions of caricature sketches -- tiny bodies and oversize heads -- the Weinerville puppets are fashioned out of foam rubber, glue, Magic Marker, Barbie Doll clothes and Mr. Weiner's actual face.

To accomplish this comedic alchemy, Mr. Weiner carves a half-moon shape out of each elaborately decorated set to accommodate his head. Mr. Weiner, donning either dark glasses or any number of guises, slips into his characters as he slides his head into his sets, positioning his chin above their stationary bodies while manipulating their arms from behind the set with wires. 

The sheer weirdness of Mr. Weiner's concept accounts for much of its charm. The inimitable art form, perfected over the course of nearly two decades, has been greatly aided by his wife, Sandy, an artist and comedy writer who is, Mr. Weiner said, "an integral part of the whole process."

The unstated yet explicit gag of "Nickelodeon Weinerville" is Marc Weiner's name, which he exploits to the fullest. Hot dogs are constantly mentioned, as prizes that contestants win (the Silver Weiner and the Golden Hot Dog), as names of puppets (Cocktail Frank and the Weenies) and even as the decor (pictures of hot dogs). Mr. Weiner has managed to turn what might have been a great liability into his greatest asset and marketing tool.'Tent-Show Behavior' 

The recent rise to fame comes on the heels of nearly a decade of relative obscurity for Mr. Weiner, who is 41 and a resident of Katonah. As he sat behind his desk in his private office at the Viacom Conference Center in midtown Manhattan (Viacom owns Nickelodeon, a division of MTV Networks), he spoke about his artistic development.

A self-described former "class clown," Mr. Weiner said that as a young child he was "an obnoxious person who didn't have many friends."

Recounting the futile efforts of his second-grade teacher to get him to behave, Mr. Weiner recalled a note the teacher had written on his report card. "She wrote, 'If Marc's tent- show behavior is not checked, he will end up in a circus or side show,' " he said with a poker face.

Mr. Weiner's unremarkable school career led him to Monmouth College in New Jersey, where, as a major in history and sociology, he dropped out after two years. "When college didn't work out, that's when I started painting," he said. "I ran a coffeehouse on campus and started making candles. This artistic feeling happened after I left school."

Afternoon With Robin Williams 

Saying he was interested in "doing something helpful to society," Mr. Weiner joined Clearwater Sloop, an environmental boat, and worked as a vegetarian cook. After a few years on the boat, he took a clown course in Boston and started working there as a street performer. In 1976, he traveled with the Bicentennial Barge as a deckhand, entertaining people as they came aboard.

After that, Mr. Weiner began working as a street performer in Manhattan and started going to comedy clubs with his act. An oft-told tale is how, performing for a crowd on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he was joined by Robin Williams. The synergy was instantaneous, and the two performed improvisational comedy for the enthusiastic onlookers all afternoon.

Finding a niche for his puppets and his stand-up style at such clubs as the Improv, the Comedy Cellar and Stand-Up New York, Mr. Weiner also found a rapt audience in college students. Soon, he was opening for acts like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and the singer Debbie Harry. His comic style and puppetry eventually caught the attention of the producers of "Saturday Night Live," who hired him to do regular segments for the show, featuring "Rocko," a hand puppet, during the late 1970's.

Mr. Weiner's star continued to rise until the mid-80's, when he decided to take a break from performing to devote more time to his family. A few years spent out of the limelight, however, is severely handicaping to a comic's career, he found.Executives Saw a Prototype 

There were years of nominal recognition as Mr. Weiner played clubs and the college circuit, his elaborate puppet sets all but gathering dust in his former Mount Kisco studio. His stand-up work was still fetching laughs, but the heady early success he had enjoyed became elusive.

A pilot show he taped for Comedy Central in the early 90's called "That's Not Fair" failed to make it onto the air, but the prototype caught the attention of Nickelodeon executives.

Herb Scannel, senior vice president of programming for Nickelodeon, recalled: "I saw the pilot Marc had done and thought that it was very funny. Marc is very physical; his comedy is very slapstick, and the program tested well with kids. We asked him if he would be interested in developing the idea further. What we had in mind was a Soupy Sales for the 90's, a character comedian who could entertain, a likable one-man show."

Mr. Scannel is enthusiastic about "Nickelodeon Weinerville," calling it the type of television that "kids haven't seen for 30 years."Laced With Cartoons 

Indeed, "Nickelodeon Weinerville" is a show with a format unlike any other. Featuring Mr. Weiner as the star and host, the show combines his puppetry -- both live and prerecorded -- with his gags and audience participation. A highlight of each episode is watching children from the audience get "Weinerized," or placed within a large rumbling machine only to emerge as puppets in a Weinerville set. Parents might scream at the sight of their children's heads appearing over tiny puppet bodies, but the young audience loves the transformation.

Divided into short segments, the program also offers vintage cartoons, like Honey Half-Witch, Gerald McBoing Boing, Sir Blur and Mr. Magoo, which were retrieved from Paramount and Columbia video archives. While the cartoons are well received, the aim is to devote more time to "Weinerville".

On Nov. 29, Mr. Weiner flew to Florida to work on the 40 shows being taped over the next three months. Before leaving New York -- which entailed packing the puppet sets in crates, closing his Katonah home, taking his 5-year-old daughter, Rebecca, out of kindergarten and his 3-year-old son, Max, out of preschool -- Mr. Weiner, his wife and his writing staff worked at a feverish pitch.

At the Nickelodeon studios in Orlando, they are editing and reworking scripts, pretaping puppet segments, building sets and rehearsing routines. Celebrities at School 

Mr. Weiner concedes that his children enjoy star status among schoolmates. Teachers and parents at Max's preschool in Mount Kisco have requested autographed photographs, and Sandy Weiner recalls how the butcher recently predicted that her husband will make $20 million and offered to serve as the couple's financial adviser.

So well known is "Nickelodeon Weinerville" among schoolchildren that the Weiner offspring are sometimes accused of padding their resumes.

"Recently, Rebecca came off the school bus, highly upset because some older kids did not believe that Marc was her father," Sandy Weiner said. "We had to send her with a picture the following day to prove that she was telling the truth -- and now she is a star."

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