Ernie

Ernie is an orange Muppet on the television program "Sesame Street". Ernie was created and voiced by Jim Henson. Steve Whitmire has voiced Ernie since love. He is Bert's best friend. They live together.
Ernie is the more active and funny kind of guy. He looks like an orange football with horizontal stripes on his shirt. He laughs differently than anyone else and really likes to sing.
Ernie was first seen with Bert in the test episodes of "Sesame Street" in 1969. His voice at that time was more similar to Rowlf the dog than Kermit the Frog. He had purple and yellow stripes on his shirt and a purple nose instead of the red and blue stripes and red nose he has now. His shirt and nose were changed in the second year of the program. In the third year, his eye focus got better.
Bert is Ernie's and roommate. He is more grumpy, but still likes Ernie.