Marc Weiner

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Marc Weiner
Born1952 (age 71–72)
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • puppeteer
  • television producer
Years active1970s–present
SpouseSandra Rosenblatt
Children4

Marc Weiner (/ˈwnər/; born 1952)[1] is an American comedian, puppeteer, and actor. He is best known for performing with his "head puppets", small puppet bodies in which an actor would stick their hand through a hole at the top of the puppets head. He hosted the Nickelodeon show Weinerville from 1993 to 1997. Weiner is also known for his roles as the Map and Swiper on the Nick Jr. show Dora the Explorer.

Early and personal life[edit]

Weiner was born and raised in Putnam County, New York, to a Conservative Jewish family.[2][3] His father owned a plumbing supplies company in Yorktown Heights, New York. He went to Hebrew school as a child and would often entertain his classmates by doing slapstick which would get him in trouble. Weiner struggled with dyslexia in school, which made him feel isolated. As a child, Weiner was diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, affecting his bones, requiring him to use crutches. He had missed many days of school due to the condition. When he was nine years old, his family took a trip to Disneyland and volunteered to assist a magician performing. Weiner attended Monmouth College, where he opened a coffeeshop, dropping out in 1971. He later became a weekend cook's mate on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, where he would entertain children, eventually earning his captain's license. Weiner later moved to Maine, where he studied at the Celebration Mime School. He lived in New Jersey at one point.[4][5]

Weiner became Orthodox Jewish in the 1980s after having an epiphany about his Jewish identity. He would study Judaism and attend Lincoln Square Synagogue.[6] He is married to Sandra (née Rosenblatt). He identifies as Modern Orthodox. They have 4 children, one of whom is deceased.[7]

Career[edit]

Weiner began his career as a street performer, collaborating with Robin Williams, and an improv comic who performed at Comic Strip Live, Catch A Rising Star, and the Comedy Cellar in the late-1970s.[8] In 1981, he was a writer and occasional actor on Saturday Night Live. Around this time, he made an appearance on the Bizarre show with his puppet show Rockin Rocko and Tony.[9]

Weiner wrote and hosted a children's television show called Weinerville, which ran on Nickelodeon from 1993 to 1997 and co-hosted the east-coast portion of the 1994 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

In 1998, Weiner made a guest appearance as himself in "Terminal", an episode of Cartoon Network/Adult Swim's Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Since the cancellation of Weinerville, he has provided the voices of several characters on the Nick Jr. shows Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, and Dora and Friends: Into the City!, including Map, Fiesta Trio and Swiper the Fox, and starred in the show Wordville, also on Nick Jr. In the UK, he starred in "Trebor Mighty Mints" commercials. Weiner also provided the voice of “The Map” in the 2019 film adaptation Dora and the Lost City of Gold.

On an episode of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Weiner appeared as Ned's substitute teacher from elementary school. On an episode of Brotherly Love, he appeared (as himself) as a client needing the Romans to customize his truck while putting on a small show with his puppets.

Weiner is the founder of the Empathy Labyrinth organization which runs workshops emphasizing empathy. It is based out of Stamford, Connecticut.[10]

After becoming Orthodox, for stand up comedy sets, Weiner performs exclusively for Jewish organizations, synagogues, private parties and fundraisers. He also does not perform on Shabbat.

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Nick Jr. Holiday The Map / Swiper / Fiesta Trio Direct-to-video; voice
2005 Dora the Explorer: Dance to the Rescue Map / Swiper / Fiesta Trio
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold Map Voice
2023 Dora and the Fantastical Creatures Swiper Short film; voice

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1981 Saturday Night Live Rocko Weineretto / Weindulah 3 episodes
1993 The Weinerville New Year's Eve Party Dotty Television film
1995 The Weinerville Chanukah Special Boney / Cocktail Frank / Dotty
1996 The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big Apple Boney / Captain Bob / Cocktail Frank
1996 The Weinerville Election Special: From Washington B.C. Dottie / Boney / Socko
2000–2019 Dora the Explorer Swiper / Map / Fiesta Trio 140 episodes
2006 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Mr. Weiner Episode: "Substitute Teachers and the New Kid"
2006–2009 Go, Diego, Go! Map / Booby Birds / Animals 3 episodes
2007–2009 The Naked Brothers Band Captain Woodchucksword 42 episodes
2008 Dora Saves the Snow Princess Map / Swiper / Fiesta Trio Television film
2014 Dora and Friends: Into the City! Map App 9 episodes
2024 Dora Swiper[11]

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role
2003 Dora the Explorer: Barnyard Buddies Swiper the Fox / Map
2005 Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet Flinky / Map / Swiper
2007 Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids Map / Swiper
2008 Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess
2009 Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom Map
2010 Dora the Explorer: Dora's Big Birthday Adventure Map / Wizzle 2

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pall, Ellen (1995-12-10). "Of God and Weinerville". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  2. ^ Magazine, Ami (2023-05-17). "Marc Weiner's Cosmic Joke // With a mic in one hand and a prop in the other, he draws laughter and meaning from pain. | Ami Magazine". Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  3. ^ Chabad Five Towns: "MARC WEINER is back with his all-new one-man show!" retrieved September 5, 2017
  4. ^ "WHEN PUPPETEER & COMIC MARC WEINER DECIDED TO BECOME AN ORTHODOX JEW HIS DAD SIMPLY SAID ... MARC MY WORDS". New York Daily News. 1996-01-28. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  5. ^ Magazine, Ami (2023-05-17). "Marc Weiner's Cosmic Joke // With a mic in one hand and a prop in the other, he draws laughter and meaning from pain. | Ami Magazine". Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  6. ^ https://aish.com/48943731/
  7. ^ "Meet 7 Orthodox Comics Who Are Making Comedy Kosher Again". The Forward. 2016-10-31. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  8. ^ Abady, Tova (2017-12-14). "Interview with Comedian Marc Weiner". JEWISH HOME LA. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  9. ^ Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Guest Performance - Marc Weiner - NBC.com, 2011-08-31, retrieved 2023-05-03
  10. ^ http://www.theempathylabyrinth.com/about_us
  11. ^ "Paramount+ | Dora | About". paramountpressexpress.com. Retrieved February 29, 2024.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]