Hoggle
A cowardly dwarf who betrays then befriends Sarah in the Labyrinth.
Hoggle is a character from the 1986 fantasy film *Labyrinth*. He is a cowardly, irritable dwarf who initially works for King Jareth but later becomes a friend to the main character, Sarah Williams. Brian Henson provided the voice, while Shari Weiser handled the body movements inside a radio-controlled animatronic puppet. The character was conceived by director Jim Henson and writer Dennis Lee, with design work by Brian Froud. Hoggle plays a key role as a morally conflicted figure: though tasked with sabotaging Sarah’s journey through the Labyrinth, he grows loyal to her and eventually helps her reach Jareth’s castle to rescue her baby brother, whom she had wished away to the goblins. Critics generally responded well to the character.
The film began as a partnership between Jim Henson and Brian Froud, following their earlier work on *The Dark Crystal*. Henson wanted *Labyrinth* to blend fairy-tale and classical story elements for a modern audience, and unlike *The Dark Crystal*—which used only puppets—this film would mix puppet creatures with human actors, aiming for a feel similar to *The Muppet Show* but with more focus on character relationships. Froud first suggested a journey through a labyrinth, and early ideas included a king and his jester, Snotweed. Writer Dennis Lee’s first draft shifted the protagonist to a teenage girl and turned Snotweed into “Hoggle, the warty dwarf,” who serves as her guide. Froud designed Hoggle to look “storybook,” describing him as “part goblin, and maybe a dwarf from ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.’” The swirls on his costume nod to the Mystics in *The Dark Crystal*, and Froud also added a hidden face on Hoggle’s back, inspired by medieval manuscripts and gothic architecture where faces seem to peek out.
Like all non-human characters in the film, Hoggle was brought to life through puppetry and animatronics from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Five people worked together to operate him: Shari Weiser inside the costume for body movement, and four puppeteers controlling the animatronic face by radio. Brian Henson coordinated the team, controlled the jaw movements, and provided the voice. Mak Wilson, David Greenaway, and Robert Tygner each handled specific parts of the face—nose, eyebrows, eyes, and lips. Biographer Christopher Finch noted that Hoggle evolved from Henson’s earlier concept of “humans with Muppet heads,” first s
- First appearance
- 1986 film Labyrinth
- Voiced by
- Brian Henson
- Performed by
- Shari Weiser (body), Brian Henson (voice and jaw), Mak Wilson, David Greenaway, Robert Tygner (face controls)
- Created by
- Jim Henson and Dennis Lee
- Designed by
- Brian Froud
- Species
- Dwarf (part goblin, part dwarf from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves)
- Role
- Servant of King Jareth, guide and friend to Sarah Williams
Lore & Background
Hoggle was developed from early story concepts for Labyrinth, which began as a collaboration between Jim Henson and Brian Froud after The Dark Crystal. Writer Dennis Lee's first treatment changed the protagonist to a teenage girl and introduced Hoggle as her companion. Froud designed Hoggle to appear 'storybook', with swirls in his costume referencing the Mystics from The Dark Crystal, and a hidden face on his back inspired by medieval manuscripts. The character required five performers: Shari Weiser inside the costume, Brian Henson controlling the jaw and providing the voice, and three others controlling nose, eyebrows, eyes, and lips via radio controls. The puppet was the first fully wireless character made by the Jim Henson Company and the most technically complex puppet used in film at the time, with 18 motors for facial movements. Brian Henson created a 'somewhat-kinda cockney New York type voice' for Hoggle, which was kept after Jim Henson attempted to record a new voice in post production. The character's frequent grunting and moaning was developed to allow Weiser to see out through the puppet's open mouth.
Reader's Guide
Hoggle's significance lies in his role as a morally ambiguous double agent who drives the central narrative of Labyrinth. Critics have described him as a 'Sméagol-esque character' whose shifting allegiances between Jareth and Sarah create tension and thematic depth. He functions as Sarah's 'white rabbit' guide through the maze, while the face on his back invokes the two-faced Roman god Janus, emphasizing his deceitful nature. Some commentators identify Hoggle as a Judas figure due to his betrayal with the enchanted peach. The character received generally positive reception from film critics. The technical achievement of the Hoggle puppet—the first wireless animatronic character and the most complex of its time—represents a milestone in puppetry and animatronics. The puppet was lost in transit after the film, resurfaced in 1997 at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama, and has been restored twice, most recently in 2022, now displayed at the Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
Did You Know?
- Hoggle required five performers working in sync: Shari Weiser inside the costume and four puppeteers controlling the animatronic face via radio controls.
- The Hoggle puppet was the first fully wireless character made by the Jim Henson Company and the most technically complex puppet used in film at the time, with 18 motors.
- After the film, the Hoggle puppet was lost in a suitcase during transit and resurfaced in 1997 at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama.
- Brian Henson created Hoggle's voice as a 'somewhat-kinda cockney New York type voice' after initial plans for a British accent proved difficult.
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