Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Bill, Gil, & Jill

Written by Mitchell Stein.

BILL, GIL, & JILL

Performed by…
Dave Goelz (Bill)
Steve Whitmire (Gil)
Kathryn Mullen (Jill)

First appearance…
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1983)

Most recent appearance…
The Muppets at Walt Disney World (all three together) (1990)
Muppet RaceMania Video Game (2000)
Muppets Most Wanted (Bill & Gil only) (2014)

Best known role…
Trio of frogs are marketing executives at Mad Ave Advertising; struggling advertising representatives for Ocean Breeze Soap

WHO ARE BILL, GIL, & JILL?
Bill, Gill and Jill are three frogs working at Mad Ave Advertising trying to come up with a new slogan for Ocean Breeze Soap. After the amnesiac Kermit (whom they call Phil) accidentally wanders into their office, they recruit Kermit after he helps them come up with a new slogan, “Ocean Breeze Soap will get you clean.”

This trio of frogs make their first appearance during the third act of The Muppets Take Manhattan and become a pretty big part of the story for a short time. After losing his memory and looking for a job, they hire Kermit, who comes to work for them as their new advertising marketer and analyst. Kermit continues to work with Bill, Gil, and Jill until he is rediscovered by the rest of the Muppets and his memory is restored.

The characters made miscellaneous minor appearances in The Muppets at Walt Disney World and the Heath Locklear episode of Muppets Tonight. The trio also appeared as bosses in The Muppets Take Manhattan level of the Playstation video game Muppets RaceMania. Most recently, Bill and Gil (sans Jill) appeared in the wedding scene of Muppets Most Wanted.

WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED BILL, GIL AND JILL?
Bill, Gil, and Jill are an integral part of Muppets Take Manhattan, despite their small role. Their rhyming names become a running gag in the third act of the movie and they provide Kermit a new occupation when he loses his memory, thus moving the story along rather nicely. Beyond The Muppets Take Manhattan, other productions have proven that Bill, Gil and Jill are certainly not needed, except when a group of frogs are necessary.