Ernie

Ernie was originally performed by the legendary Jim Henson, who voiced the character from his debut in 1969 until Henson's death in 1990. Following Henson's passing, the role was assumed by Steve Whitmire for nearly three decades. The role is currently performed by Peter Linz, who took over officially in 2017.

Ernie's beloved bath toy is simply named Rubber Duckie. The character famously sang a song dedicated to the toy, aptly titled 'Rubber Duckie,' which reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970. The rubber duck is widely considered Ernie's most treasured possession and best inanimate friend.

Ernie lives in the basement apartment of 123 Sesame Street with his long-suffering roommate, Bert. The duo serves as a comedic contrast, with the exuberant, easily distracted Ernie constantly annoying the serious, pigeon-loving Bert. Their dynamic is one of the oldest and most recognizable relationships in the history of children's television.

While Ernie is not known for being a virtuoso, he is famous for playing the saxophone, specifically a soprano sax. He often annoys Bert by playing loud, repetitive honks on the instrument in their apartment. Jim Henson's voicing of the character was closely tied to the specific, chaotic saxophone lines performed by Sesame Street's musical crew.