2. A Muppet is Named After the Hotel
The two elderly hecklers featured sitting in the balcony of many Muppets shows and movies are named Statler and Waldorf after two famous New York City hotels, The Statler and The Waldrof-Astoria. The Statler was one of a handful of names Hotel Pennsylvania has gone by in its 100+ year history. When the hotel first opened it was run by Ellsworth M. Statler of the Statler Hotels chain. It was later purchased by Statler in 1948 and renamed. The chain had locations across the country in cities like Detroit, Saint Louis, and Buffalo.
Hotel Pennsylvania has also been named The Statler Hilton, New York Statler, and New York Penta, as its ownership changed hands. The curmudgeonly Muppet characters made their first appearance in 1975. Statler is the character with darker grey hair, a long face, and a cleft chin. He was originally played by Richard Hunt.
