During the climax of the 1991 sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, the Turtles drop in a dockside night club where Vanilla Ice happens to be performing live. As if by some Divine Reptilian Intervention, the Miami rapper starts to freestyle lyrics about the heroes in green party crashers immediately upon seeing their bodacious ninjutsu flow. And, thus, "Ninja Rap" was born. "Ninja Rap" became one of Van Winkle's most enduring songs, even being featured in a KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese commercial years later. More than that, the track captured the pure outrageousness of the Ninja Turtles franchise at the very peak of its popularity. According to Myrna Gawryn, who choreographed "Ninja Rap," director Michael Pressman originally only hired her to create a little movement for the song. "He said he didn't want any 'real' choreography, just some loose dancing around the club," Gawryn said. "I had created a whole piece and was kind of disappointed." Instead of taking no for an answer, the first night that she arrived on the set, she took the four Turtle actors aside and stayed up late, secretly teaching them the dance that she had choreographed. The next day, they showed the fully rehearsed routine to Pressman, who fell in love with their moves and decided to put the choreography in the film. "When Vanilla Ice arrived, I taught it to him and his two dancers," Gawryn added, "and we shot it a couple of days later." This website chronicles one fan's mission to track down and preserve the last surviving artifacts from the glory days of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The following listed original movie props, production material, artwork, and prototypes are the result of tireless years of research and determination. Through the help of crew members, actors, artists, and private owners, a collection of these treasures and their stories grew. NinjaRap.com was created to share this collected cultural history with the world, and is dedicated to everyone whose lives were somehow touched by those four ordinary pet turtles who went on to do some truly extraordinary things. Cowabunga! The Shredder's (James Saito, François Chau) Helmet

This is Shredder's (James Saito, François Chau) screen-worn helmet from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). The inner brown rubber section was used in the first movie before serving as the base for the sequel's modified helmet. The gold-painted squares that adorn the sides are plastic, while the straps that wrap around the helmet are metal, and the blades on top are resin. The mouthpiece, which is separate from the helmet, is also made of resin, and was secured to the actor's face with temple tips and a mask string. The costume pieces can be screen-matched throughout Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) by comparing the helmet's golden squares and the mouthpiece's distinct wear and markings. According to Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master, only two helmets were ever made for the original films. This particular one is labeled #2, while the stocking cap on the inside is marked #1. The other helmet was in need of repairs and has since disappeared. This item came with a letter of authenticity from Richard "Petie" Waldrop. Michaelangelo's (Michelan Sisti) Hero Nunchaku

This is an original hero pair of nunchaku from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). Each nunchaku measures 12" in length. They are made of solid wood, and the cords are leather. Michaelangelo's (Michelan Sisti) weapon of choice, aside from his pizza cutter, he can be seen carrying them throughout the movie. It is possible that the weapons were used again for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), although Mikey didn't twirl them around as much in the sequel due to complaints received from parent groups. These nunchaku show an incredible amount of wear, including several scars on the wood and scattered splotches of white paint, evidence that they had quite the Foot workout. According to Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master, only three weapon sets were created for the first two Ninja Turtles movies, and Planet Hollywood has one. In his own words, he referred to these particular weapons as "the best" of them all. These items came with a letter of authenticity from Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master. Leonardo's (Mark Caso) Hero Katana

This is an original hero pair of katana from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). Each sword measures 33" in length. The blades and hand guards are made of a heavily-built aluminum, while the hilts are wooden and wrapped in leather. The blade edges, although dulled, are substantial enough in weight to still cause injury. These katana can be seen at the beginning of the film when Leonardo (Mark Caso) brandishes them at the crooks robbing the mall. According to Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master, only three weapon sets were created for the first two Ninja Turtles movies, and Planet Hollywood has one. In his own words, he referred to these particular weapons as "the best" of them all. These items came with a letter of authenticity from Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master. “A” Camera Clapperboard

This is a one-of-a-kind “A” camera clapperboard from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). Normally clappers would display the names of the director and the cinematographer, but this clapboard shows the prop master of the movie, Richard “Petie” Waldrop, because it was presented to him by director Michael Pressman after filming wrapped on December 4, 1990. There are hidden magnets on the wooden arm to prevent bouncing after clapping. Similar style slates can be seen in The Making of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Behind the Shells (1991) documentary. This item was originally obtained from Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master. Donatello's (Leif Tilden) Bandana Knot

This purple fabric knot is part of Donatello's bandana that was worn by Leif Tilden in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). The knot was salvaged by one of the Turtle dressers after filming wrapped. The eye mask part would have been glued onto the foam latex head. (That's a fact, Jack!) According to The Sunday Mail, an Australian tabloid owned by News Corp, Donatello's voice changed in the sequel due to Corey Feldman's drug conviction. He was replaced by Adam Carl. This item was originally obtained from a former EUE/Screen Gems Studios executive assistant. The first two live-action Ninja Turtle movies were shot at EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina. Set-Ready, Stuffed Ninja Rap Is Born! Newspaper

This is an original Ninja Rap Is Born! newspaper from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). The prop master on the film confirmed its authenticity, recognizing it as one of three set-ready, stuffed versions. The newspaper measures 10 x 14.5". And "stuffed" this newspaper certainly is! There are pages and pages of fake news stories, even a sports page on the back. The newspaper was printed in Wilmington at The Star News, a real local paper. Splinter holds up this newspaper and chastises the Turtles at the very end of the movie, making them do ten back flips as punishment for their very un-ninja-like behavior of showing up on the front page of the Daily News after getting down and busting some radical dance moves with Vanilla Ice the previous night. "Ten flips now!" commands Splinter. "And remember: Go, ninja! Go, ninja! Go! I made another funny! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..." A prop newspaper using a similar template as this one can be seen in the 1990 Saved by the Bell episode "Save the Max." The school's student newspaper, The Bayside Breeze, features the same sports page section on the back. Another version of the newspaper can be seen in the Full House episode entitled "The King and I." Obtained from a private collector, this particular newspaper was originally loaned to the stills photographer but was never returned. There are production stills of this exact paper in Splinter's hands. Kevin Eastman's TCRI Ooze Canister

This is a production-made TCRI ooze canister from the set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). Measuring 13” in height and 3” in width, the canister is made entirely of aluminum and comes from the personal collection of Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman. This example retains the comic book name TCRI (short for “Techno Cosmic Research Institute”) with a “Warning: Hazardous Material” cautionary caption underneath the lettering. According to Todd Langen, the sequel's screenwriter, the acronym was later changed to TGRI due to the existence of a real laboratory with that name in California. A radioactivity symbol appears on each of the end caps, just like the canister seen in the original movie when Splinter recounts his and his sons' origin story to April O'Neil. However, perhaps due to the fact that the first film does not delve much into the back story of the ooze like the sequel does, the TCRI name is not shown on screen. Instead, the screen-used canister simply displays a generic “Radioactive Material” label. When this prop was made, the canister design was still undergoing several cosmetic changes. For example, it appears that the vinyl lettering was originally a dark burgundy before being colored black. Also, the “R” on one side shows evidence of font style experimentation, with an extra piece of vinyl tape producing a different downward slope. This canister is slightly shorter than the ones used in the second movie, but is much more substantial and sturdier due to the heavy-duty metal material (the canisters in the sequel were made of either PVC or foam, depending on whether they were hero/background or stunt versions). Interestingly enough, a similar-looking TCRI canister was discovered in a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) props from an Azalea Auction event, which was held in Castle Hayne, North Carolina on January 24, 2004, where the Turtles II prop master sold hundreds of props that were previously in storage. This item was obtained directly from Kevin Eastman Studios. Hero TGRI Canister with Mutagen Ooze

This is an original hero TGRI canister from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). The prop master on the film authenticated this canister as one of about 200 canisters used in the film, mostly as background props in the lab. Only one canister used during filming contained any real "ooze," while the others were painted a bright green inside the tubes to simulate the slime. Unfortunately, any hopes of re-animating Tokka and Rahzar are dashed because this is one such green-ooze-painted canister. The canister's tube is made of acrylic, and the side plates and end caps are of a hard plastic. (Stunt canisters contained foam rubber end caps as a safety precaution.) The canister measures approximately 13.5". Ooze canisters are key props in the movie, as they explain the origins of the Turtles and their dramatic transformation from common household pets to lean, mean, green fighting machines. This item was originally acquired from an Azalea Auction event, which was held in Castle Hayne, North Carolina on January 24, 2004, where the Turtles II prop master sold hundreds of props that were previously in storage. Background TGRI Canister with Mutagen Ooze

This is a production-made TGRI canister that was designed for background use in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). The canister is missing its TGRI decal due to heavy production use. Traces of the lettering can still be seen, however. The prop master on the film authenticated this canister as one of about 200 canisters used in the film, mostly as background props in the lab. This item was originally acquired from an Azalea Auction event, which was held in Castle Hayne, North Carolina on January 24, 2004, where the Turtles II prop master sold hundreds of props that were previously in storage. Foot Soldier (Daniel Pesina) Mask and Bandana

This mask and bandana make up part of the Foot Soldier costume that was worn by actor and Wushu Master Daniel Pesina in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). Although similar to the Foot Clan masks seen in the first movie, the sequel's mask eye holes are slightly smaller. The patch is a bolder red than the rest of the bandana to stand out better in the film. The black on the wire frame of the eyes was hand-painted. Daniel Pesina appeared as a Foot Soldier in the majority of the film's fighting scenes, getting kicked, punched, or thrown, including in the infamous night club scene with Vanilla Ice near the end of the movie. At one point during that scene, the actor who played Donatello was supposed to roll Pesina and then do a side kick, but he decided to do a roundhouse kick instead without giving a warning, and as a result, Pesina almost lost his two front teeth. The Foot Soldier actors could barely see where to move in front of whatever technique was being thrown, and the Turtle actors were just as visibly impaired with their giant reptile heads. During the cuts, a few of the Foot would run around and get hit again. In one instance, Pesina was taken down four different times in the same fight. "It was a bloody mess," he admitted. But the fighting didn't end when the cameras stopped rolling. On the first day that Vanilla Ice showed up on set, Michelan Sisti, the actor who played Michaelangelo, went up to the rapper to give him a hug and welcome him aboard. That's when Ice's large bodyguard coldly stiff armed himeven with the full Turtle suit on. About 18 of the actors nearby, including Pesina, stepped forward to pounce until Pat Johnson, the stunt coordinator, who used to work under Chuck Norris (and was the mustached ref in The Karate Kid), stopped them from brawling right then and there. "[Vanilla Ice's] bodyguards almost got their butt kicked," Pesina laughed. This item was obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Foot Soldier (Daniel Pesina) Mask and Bandana (#2)

This mask and bandana make up part of the Foot Soldier costume that was worn by actor and Wushu Master Daniel Pesina in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). Multiple props and costumes were made for back-up purposes. This is Daniel's second mask, and it saw much more action than the first. Daniel loaned the rest of his Foot costume to someone, and it was never returned. This item was obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Foot Soldier (Daniel Pesina) Arm Guards

These arm guards make up part of the Foot Soldier costume that was worn by actor and Wushu Master Daniel Pesina in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). These items were obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Foot Soldier (Daniel Pesina) Belt

This belt makes up part of the Foot Soldier costume that was worn by actor and Wushu Master Daniel Pesina in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). This item was obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Foot Soldier (Daniel Pesina) Wrist Bands

These wrist bands make up part of the Foot Soldier costume that was worn by actor and Wushu Master Daniel Pesina in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). These items were obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Michaelangelo's (Michelan Sisti) Right Knee Pad

This right knee pad makes up part of the 60-pound latex Turtle costume that was worn by Michelan Sisti as Michaelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). There were four acting Turtles and about six stunt Turtles by the end of the movie. A musician, Broadway actor, and later puppeteer for the Jim Henson Company, Sisti played Mikey in the first two Turtle movies, as well as the Domino's Pizza delivery guy who slides the pizza down the sewer grates in the first film and April's overly friendly neighbor in the sequel. He would later play Charlene Sinclair in the Jim Henson television series Dinosaurs. This pad was saved by one of the British prop girls who gifted it to Daniel Pesina on the last day of filming. The Turtle costumes were to be destroyed after shooting wrapped. Pesina was also given a Turtle arm, which was later presented to Ho Sung Pak, who played Raphael. This item was obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Donatello's (Leif Tilden) Elbow Pad

This elbow pad makes up part of the 60-pound latex Turtle costume that was worn by Leif Tilden as Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). Tilden is credited as playing Donnie in the first two Turtle movies, and also a Foot Soldier in both films. He would later play Robbie Sinclair in the Jim Henson television series Dinosaurs. This pad was saved by one of the British prop girls who gifted it to Daniel Pesina on the last day of filming. The Turtle costumes were to be destroyed after shooting wrapped. Pesina was also given a Turtle arm, which was later presented to Ho Sung Pak, who played Raphael. This item was obtained directly from Daniel Pesina, who played one of the Foot Soldiers in the movie and starred in the Mortal Kombat games as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Venus de Milo's (Nicole Parker) Hero Belt

This turquoise-colored leather belt with resin emblem buckle was worn by actress Nicole Parker in her role as Venus de Milo in the short-lived 1997 FOX television series Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation. One of only three made, this particular belt is marked "hero" on the inside. Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman came up with the idea of introducing a fifth Turtle in 1994, sketching out designs for a male character called Kirby, as a homage to a personal inspiration of his, comic book legend Jack "King" Kirby. Kirby would have featured prominently in a fourth live-action movie as a mutant from a parallel dimension who meets up with Leonardo, Raphael, Michaelangelo, and Donatello. Although that film ultimately went unproduced, Eastman brought his work over to Saban Entertainment, the production company behind the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, to brainstorm a television program. At the last minute, FOX Kids President and CEO Margaret Loesch requested that the newest Turtle become female, revising the origins story to include an extra Turtle in the glass jar that Splinter neglects to pick up. As a baby, this lone female Turtle floats down to Chinatown, where a Shaman adopts her with the name Mei Pieh Chi (Chinese for "Beautiful Turtle of Energy"). Together, they travel to Shanghai, where the girl Turtle trains in the internal arts of Shinobi mysticism for 17 years, until she finally learns of her American roots. Returning to the sewers of New York City, she joins the rest of the Turtles under a new alias, "Venus de Milo," using her powers of the mind and heart to battle against the dreadful Dragon Lord and his Rank Dragons. Based on promotional material, which emphasizes the Turtles are not biologically related, it is thought that she would have developed into a love interest for one of the green teens had The Next Mutation continued for a second season. One of the most controversial characters in the history of the franchise, Peter Laird, the other co-creator of the Turtles, has called Venus the epitome of "all that is stupid and shallow about Hollywood," and reportedly barred TMNT (2007) director Kevin Munroe from even acknowledging her existence. This item was originally obtained from Chiodo Brothers Productions Inc., which created all of the show's Turtle costumes.

Michaelangelo’s Coming Out of Their Shells Tour Rhinestone-Encrusted Bandana Eye Star

This unassuming rhinestone-encrusted piece of fabric used to make up part of Michaelangelo's flashy outfit as seen in The Making of The Coming Out of Their Shells Tour direct-to-video mockumentary. It would have been glued onto Mikey's bandana (in fact, some glue residue still remains). The bandana eye star can be seen when the Turtles perform outdoors on top of the marquee at Radio City Music Hall. After Jim Henson’s Creature Shop decided not to make the Coming Out of Their Shells Tour costumes, the suits were quickly put together by another studio in five weeks' time. Later touring costumes ditched the eye star and used running shoes and spandex pads to help the actors move around during the two-hour-long live show. (The original costumes also had bulky shells, but were later replaced with light jean vests after rehearsals.) In 1990, Pizza Hut put up $20 million of its own money to sponsor The Coming Out of Their Shells Tour, a 40-city concert that launched at Radio City Music Hall. Sweaty performers pretended to play instruments through exaggerated movements in their rubber suits to crowds of screaming Turtle fans. Over 2 million cassette tapes of the show’s soundtrack were sold that year with the purchase of a personal pan pizza at Pizza Hut. The official Turtles Tour video made no attempt to hide that Pizza Hut was the real captain behind the wheel. Even Senior Vice President of Marketing for Pizza Hut, David Novack, appeared midway through to deliver a press statement on the pizza chain's behalf: "We're just absolutely thrilled to get the world's most famous pizza eaters to hook up with the number one pizza company in the world. Pizza Hut will launch the most aggressive promotion ever done in the record industry to support the Turtles' new music, which I'm sure all of America will love." This item was obtained from the HMS Creative Productions Prop House Garage Sale, which was held in North Hollywood, California. HMS has created props for theme park attractions, television, and movies, including the time travel staff in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993).

Michaelangelo Fight Double's (Nick Palma) On-Set Water Bottle

This lime-green water bottle was used off-camera by Nick Palma, the fight double for Michaelangelo, on the set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991).

“Nick” is written in faded marker on one side of the bottle, while the other side reads: “Michaelangelo.”

Water bottles such as this proved crucial in keeping the stuntmen inside the heavy, suffocating Turtle suits properly hydrated during the long hours of shooting.

According to a Good Morning America report filed in 1991, an average of 16 costumes were beaten up every day during shooting. The foam latex outfits acted like sponges in absorbing the actor's sweat, so they required time in saunas to dry off before the artists at Jim Henson's Creature Shop could make the necessary repairs.

This item was obtained from a former EUE/Screen Gems Studios executive assistant, who acquired the item from one of the Turtle dressers after the film wrapped.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) Department Manager Folder

This production-used department manager folder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) is laid out similar to a press kit, but it was only given to crew members who worked on the film.

The folder, itself, has Kevin Eastman's classic Book II graphic novel cover printed on the front with the logo of the cartoon series and the subtitle "Heroes in a half shell!" The back provides Golden Harvest's head office and world sales contact information, and states that the folder was distributed through Golden Communications. One of the inside flaps lists the movie's credits, which at that time were "preliminary and contractual."

The first set of documents in the folder contains 11 photocopied news clippings and magazine articles touting the Turtles' growing success. The excerpts come from the following publications:

People , April 18, 1988

, April 18, 1988 People , August 15, 1988

, August 15, 1988 Toy and Hobby World's Toy Hit Parade, December 1988

Toy Hit Parade, December 1988 The New York Times , December 25, 1988

, December 25, 1988 Variety , December 28, 1988

, December 28, 1988 The Hollywood Reporter , January 5, 1989

, January 5, 1989 The Hollywood Reporter , March 6, 1989

, March 6, 1989 South China Morning Post , March 17, 1989

, March 17, 1989 The Hollywood Reporter , March 30, 1989

, March 30, 1989 Los Angeles Daily News , April 21, 1989

, April 21, 1989 Billboard Top Kid Video Sales, June 10, 1989

A seven-page list of what appears to be every North American licensee up until that point, from Konami to Colorforms, follows.

An undated "fact sheet" is next, which continues to drum up praise for the Turtles: the cartoon is the highest Neilsen-rated cartoon in the States, over 550,000 comic books are being distributed on a monthly basis, and the toys are the #1 boys' action figure line. The motion picture was then slated for a Christmas 1989 release.

After that is a February 23, 1989 press release from Flaherty/Winters & Partners, which announces Jim Henson's Creature Shop coming on board.

A May 1989 "Turtle Talk" two-page newsletter from Renay and Mark Freedman is the last of the publicity pieces. The film has now been pushed to the summer of 1990. According to the write-up, the producers claimed to have received frantic calls from the likes of Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Roseanne Barr, Pete Rose, and Sammy Davis Jr. who all wanted to "'PUT ON THE SHELL' and get a part."

The focus now shifts entirely on the movie, beginning with Golden Harvest Group's typed bios of director Steve Barron, producer Simon Fields, and producer David Chan.

A studio map is provided, which points out the various stage and backlot locations, as well as where the Creature Shop is situated.

A six-page "Welcome to Wilmington" guide, dated June 9, 1989, reveals that the crew stayed at the Holiday Inn on Market Street. Nearby restaurants are ranked based upon price, from expensive to moderate and "good value," the last of which lists a delivery-only Domino's Pizza. The production company also felt it worth noting that "this is North Carolina and service is slow. The sushi bar... is especially slow." Not as slow: the nightclubs listed at the end.

A hole-punched memorandum sent to all department heads on June 15, 1989 notifies that the principal production meeting schedule has been changed and will take place in the front dining room of the studio commissary. The memo is signed by first assistant director Michael Grossman.

Another hole-punched memorandum from the same day contains the numbers of rented beepers in case a crew member needs to be reached.

The last piece of paperwork explains how to use various telephone call features.

Finally, the folder includes three 8" x 10" glossy photographs. The first shows a group shot of the cast and crew posing outside on the studio lot with some of the pre-mutation Turtle props.

The second gives an eerily empty glimpse of the sewer lair set.

And the last shows the full-size Splinter puppet with his paws around some crew members inside the Foot Warehouse; a P.O. Box address label of the film's stills photographer, Alan Markfield, is affixed to the back.

This item was obtained from a private collector.

Continuity Polaroid Photographs

This is a lot of six original continuity Polaroids from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). These pictures were used by the prop department to maintain continuity in the movie. They depict close-ups of the various Turtle weapons as well as scenes from outside on the farm, inside April O'Neil's place, and around the sewer lair. Most of the Polaroids contain scene numbers, timecodes, and/or other markered writing.

These items were originally obtained from Richard "Petie" Waldrop, the sequel's prop master.