TMS Recording Order

[David French]

I've been attempting to put together the original recording order of all 120 episodes of TMS. Don't know how accurate I am, and I reckon I could be wrong with one or two episodes but here we go, for starters, with the first Season.

Connie Stevens (Jan. 19 – 21, 30; Feb. 1, 1976)
Juliet Prowse (Jan. 29 –31; Feb. 1, 1976)
Joel Grey (May 18 – 20, 1976)
Ruth Buzzi (May 25 – 27, 1976)
Harvey Korman (May 25 – 27, 1976)
Rita Moreno (June 3, 1976)
Jim Nabors (June 8, 1976)
Florence Henderson (June 15 – 16, 1976)
Paul Williams (June 22 – 24, 1976)
Charles Aznavour (June 29 – July 1, 1976)
Lena Horne (July 13 – 15, 1976)
Peter Ustinov (July 20 – 22, 1976)
Bruce Forsyth (July 27 – 28; Aug. 5, 1976)
Sandy Duncan (Aug. 3 – 5, 1976)
Candice Bergen (Aug. 10 – 11, 1976)
Avery Schreiber (Sept. 28, 1976)
Ben Vereen (Oct. 4 – 7, 1976)
Phyllis Diller (Oct. 11 – 14, 1976)
Vincent Price (Oct. 19 – 21, 1976)
Valerie Harper (Oct. 26 – 28, 1976)
Twiggy (Nov. 9 – 11, 1976)
Ethel Merman (Nov. 16 – 18, 1976)
Kaye Ballard (Nov. 23 – 26, 1976)
Mummenschanz (Nov. 23 – 26, 1976)

I'm wondering if I should swap the last two round, as it makes sense to end with the Piano only version of the theme tune. Any thoughts?

 

[Gorgon Heap]

I'm wondering if I should swap the last two round, as it makes sense to end with the Piano only version of the theme tune. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't, because clearly the Kermit intros for the Kaye Ballard episode were taped at the same time as the ones for the Ethel Merman episodes, which indicates that the material for that show was taped first. Sometimes they had two guests come in during the week- Melissa Manchester and Gladys Knight, for example, who taped on Tuesday and Wednesday of their week, respectively. Presumably Kaye taped on the earlier day, probably Tuesday, and Mummenschanz on the day after.

I have a list of all the taping dates- I can post it if you like.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Got this from Karen Falk of the Henson Archives Dept. (she's the one who sends the fanmail email replies):

JHC ARCHIVES 2001

Muppet Show Taping Dates
(according to production files)

Celebrity Date (week of)
Connie Stevens #2 Jan 19 - 21,30, Feb. 1,1976
Juliet Prowse #1 Jan 29 - 31, Feb.1, 1976
Joel Grey #3 May 18 - 20, 1976
Ruth Buzzi #4 May 25 - 27, 1976
Harvey Korman #10 May 27, 1976
Rita Moreno #5 June 3, 1976
Jim Nabors #6 June 8, 1976
Florence Henderson #7 June 15,16, 1976
Paul Williams #8 June 22 - 24, 1976
Charles Aznavour #9 June 29 - July 1, 1976
Lena Horne #11 July13 - 15, 1976
Peter Ustinov #12 July 20 - 22, 1976
Bruce Forsyth #13 July 27 - 28, Aug. 5, 1976
Sandy Duncan #14 August 3 - 5, 1976
Candy Bergen #15 August 10 - 11, 1976
Avery Schreiber #16 September 28, 1976
Ben Vereen #17 October 4 - 7, 1976
Phyllis Diller #18 October 11 - 14, 1976
Vincent Price #19 October 19 - 21, 1976
Valerie Harper #20 October 26- 28, 1976
Twiggy #21 November 9 - 11, 1976
Ethel Merman #22 November 16 - 18, 1976
Kaye Ballard #23 November 23 - 26, 1976
Mummenschanz #24 November 23 - 26, 1976

Year 2
Don Knotts #25 May 23 - 25, 1977
Zero Mostel #26 May 31 - June 2, 1977
Milton Berle #27 June 9 -11, 1977
Rich Little #28 June 14 - 16, 1977
Nancy Walker #30 June 28 - 30, 1977
Teresa Brewer #46 July 12, 1977
Edgar Bergen #31 July 12 -15, 1977
Steve Martin #32 July 19 - 21, 1977
Madeline Kahn #33 July 26 - 28, 1977
George Burns #34 August 2 - 5, 1977
Dom Deluise #35 August 9 - 11, 1977
John Cleese #47 August 9 - 11, 1977
Bernadette Peters #36 August 16 - 18, 1977
Rudi Nureyev #37 October 18 - 21, 1977
Judy Collins #29 June 21-23, October 19, 1977
Elton John #38 October 25 - 27, 1977
Lou Rawls #39 November 1 - 4, 1977
Cleo Lane #40 November 8 - 10, 1977
Bob Hope #45 November 22, 1977
Julie Andrews #41 November 23 - 25, 1977
Jaye P. Morgan #42 November 29 - Dec. 2, 1977
Peter Sellers #43 December 6 - 9, 1977
Cloris Leachman #48 December 6 - 9, 1977
Petula Clark #44 December 13 - 16, 1977

Year 3
Kris Kristoferson/ Rita Coolidge #49 February 14 -16, 1978
Leo Sayer #50 February 21-23, 1978
Roy Clark #51 Feb. 28 - Mar. 02, 1978
Gilda Radner #52 March 7 - 9, 1978
Pearl Bailey #53 March 14 - 16, 1978
Jean Stapleton #54 March 21 - 23, 1978
Alice Cooper #55 March 28 - 30, 1978
Loretta Lynn #56 April 4 - 7, 1978
Liberace #57 April 11 - 13, 1978
Marisa Berenson #58 April 18 - 20, 1978
Raquel Welch #59 April 25 - 27, 1978
James Coco #60 May 2 -5, 1978
Helen Reddy #61 May 9 - 12, 1978
Cheryl Ladd #72 May 9 - 12, 1978
Harry Belafonte #62 November 8 -10, 1978
Lesley Ann Warren #63 November 14 -16, 1978
Danny Kaye # 64 November 21 - 23, 1978
Leslie Uggams #66 December 5 - 7, 12, 1978
Spike Milligan #65 December 12 -14, 1978
Elke Sommer #67 December 12 - 14, 1978
Sylvester Stallone #68 January 9 - 11, 1979
Roger Miller #69 January 16 - 18, 1979
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans #70 January 23 - 25, 1979
Lynn Redgrave #71 January 30 - February 1, 1979

Year 4
John Denver #73 April 24 - 26, 1979
Crystal Gale #74 May 1 - 4, 1979
Shields & Yarnell #75 May 8 - 11, 1979
Dyan Cannon #76 May 15 - 17, 1979
Victor Borge #77 May 22 - 24, 1979
Linda Lavin #78 May 29 - 31, 1979
Dudley Moore #79 June 12 - 14, 1979
Arlo Guthrie #80 June 19 - 21, 1979
Beverly Sills #81 June 26 - 28, 1979
Kenny Rogers #82 July 3 - 5, 1979
Lola Falona #83 July 10 - 12, 1979
Phyllis George #84 July 17 - 19, 1979
Dizzy Gillespie #85 July 24, October 29 - 31, November 1, 1979
Liza Minelli #86 July 30 - August 2, 1979
Anne Murray # 87 January 8 - 11, 1980
Jonathan Winters #88 January 15 -18, 1980
Mark Hamill # 89 January 15 - 18, 1980
Christopher Reeves #90 January 22 - 25, 1980
Lynda Carter #91 January 29 - 31, 1980
Andy Williams #94 January 29 - 31, February 1, 1980
Doug Henning #93 February 4 - 8, 1980
Carol Channing #92 February 11 - 16, 1980
Alan Arkin #95 February 11 - 16, 1980
Diana Ross #96 February 18 - 22, 1980

Year 5
Loretta Swit #98 March 10 - 13, 1980
Joan Baez #99 March 17 - 20, 1980
Shirley Bassey #100 March 24 - 27, 1980
James Coburn #101 April 1 - 3, 1980
Brooke Shields #102 April 7 - 10, 1980
Glenda Jackson #103 April 21 - 24, 1980
Senor Wences #104 April 28 - May 2, 1980
Roger Moore #120 April 29 - 30, May 1 - 2, 1980
Jean Pierre Rampal #106 May 12 - 15, 1980
Paul Simon #107 May 19 - 23, 1980
Linda Ronstadt #119 May 27 - 30, 1980
Tony Randall #109 June 3 - 5, 1980
Mac Davis #110 June 16 -19, 1980
Carol Burnett #111 June 23 - 27, 1980
Melissa Manchester #108 July 1 - 4, 1980
Gladys Knight #112 July 3 -7, 1980
Hal Linden #113 July 8 - 10, 1980
Marty Feldman #114 July 14 - 17, 1980
Wally Boag #116 July 28 - 31, August 1, 1980
Debbie Harry #105 August 4 - 6, 1980
Chris Langham #115 August 5 - 8, 1980
Johnny Cash #117 August 11- 15, 1980
Buddy Rich #118 August 11 - 15, 1980
Gene Kelly #97 August 19 - 21, 1980

I made a couple of fixes to the list they sent me, as in the first one, they listed Judy Collins as October, and in the second, they listed her as June, when clearly parts of the show were taped earlier and Judy's material was taped later (probably was supposed to tape in June but something came up and they had to reschedule her scenes). Also in the original list Helen Reddy was listed before Cheryl Ladd, May 9 and May 11 respectively, but in the revised list they were reversed, with the same taping block. Presumably Cheryl taped after Helen (though I don't know if we'll ever know for sure).

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Ernie101]

Will you? Please.

I was told it doesn't matter what order you watch them in, but I would still like to watch them in the taping order anyways.

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Will you? Please.

I was told it doesn't matter what order you watch them in, but I would still like to watch them in the taping order anyways.

Me too.

That's why when I made that tape of Season Two uncut (yes, A tape- one 10 hour tape which took me three months to make) I put them in guest star taping order. They actually flow much better in that order and visually things make more sense (i.e. the lighting/design changes that took place periodically, the different 'feel' of certain blocks of episodes compared with certain others. The first half dozen of Season Two is one of my fave sets of episodes, in terms of content, look and feel).

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Ernie101]

Thank you a lot Gordon! I was also interested in watching the episodes in order.. So I could see how the episodes progressed and how they get better and the feel gets more comfortable.

I've been looking for this list for about a day, so I really must thank you.

 

[Gorgon Heap]

You're welcome.

I actually got the list four years ago, I emailed the Henson Company fanmail link. I had posted a thread for it back then but of course finding a four-year-old thread is a pain in the keyster.

Like I said, Season Two is best in taping order. Come to think of it, Season Five is better that way too, esp. considering that the Gene Kelly episode was taped as the series finale.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Ernie101]

Cool, I haven't seen season 2 or 5 actually.

but, yeah .. I usually think things go better watching them this way.

 

[minor muppetz]

Looking at the list, I'm surprised that there aren't extra recording dates for the Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens episodes, considering they had scenes reshot later, which I assume would be after more episoes had been made.

 

[anathema]

Andy Williams #94 January 29 - 31, February 1, 1980
Carol Channing #92 February 11 - 16, 1980
Alan Arkin #95 February 11 - 16, 1980

Quick question - are the episode numbers for these correct? I ask because I've seen (including this one) three different orders now, and I'm wondering if there is in fact an 'official' order!

Tapes dubbed from the masters back in '83 put the shows in this order:

#92 Andy Williams
#94 Alan Arkin
#95 Carol Channing

...whereas tapes dubbed off in '98 have them thus:

#92 Alan Arkin
#94 Andy Williams
#95 Carol Channing