Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Toby Towson is a gymnast and dancer, who did a stint as the puppeteer who first performed the larger-than-life Muppet dog Barkley, starting in A Special Sesame Street Christmas. (Bruce Connelly later took over the role.) Towson has had a career in gymnastics, acrobatics, and dance, and was a 1968 and 1969 NCAA Gymnastics Champion. He is a graduate of Michigan State University. Following a personal friendship with the Henson family, Towson was tapped to model for the building of a new Sesame Street character which would debut for the tenth anniversary season of Sesame Street. At first the costume was going to be an ape-like creature which could do acrobatics, so as a professional gymnast and dancer, Towson was a natural pick.