How Long Did This Last?

[D'Snowth]

While watching Sesame Street Old School, I noticed that before each episode, there was a short little animated bit that featured the episode number (like the first episode had that claymation bit with those two creatures entering Sesame Street, or for season four and five having that woodpecker pecking "Sesame Street" on the tree trunk), and at the end of each episode there's still-shot of a character (or two) holding the Sesame Street sign, and then another one of a different character (or two) holding a funky Children's Television Workshop sign when the disclaimer is head "Sesame Street is a production of the Children's Television Workshop". How long did those last? Because apparently they were long gone when I was first introduced to Sesame Street in the very early 90s.

 

[minor muppetz]

I read somewhere that the epsidoe number sequences were used during the firs tsix seasons, and then the show started having the episode number during the opening. I might need an alibi, as I could be wrong on the exact seasons. But if you check the pages on each season at Muppet Wiki, the page for the last season to have those still shots makes a note of it being the last season to show stills of the cast holdign Sesame Street sign and the CTW logo. I forget which season it is, but I think it was the twelth season.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well I've never seem in the '80s episodes so that gives some idea.

 

[wiley207]

The still shot closings was used until 1982, ending in the Season 13

 

[sesameguy]

I read somewhere that the epsidoe number sequences were used during the firs tsix seasons, and then the show started having the episode number during the opening. I might need an alibi, as I could be wrong on the exact seasons.

That sounds about right - my earliest Sesame memories are from 1975 or so, and I don't recall seeing the opening cartoons back then. The first time I recall seeing one was when they showed it in an "Unpaved" episode.

 

[minor muppetz]

One thing that I would like to know is what year the show stopped showing the same segments multiple times in the same episode.

 

[D'Snowth]

One thing that I would like to know is what year the show stopped showing the same segments multiple times in the same episode.

After watching Old School, I'd say that either only lasted for the first couple of seasons or so.

 

[minor muppetz]

After watching Old School, I'd say that either only lasted for the first couple of seasons or so.

I can't remember if episode 536 repeated any segments, but episode 406 showed Two Song (Song of Two) twice. So it was at least until the fourth season. Maybe I should go to Muppet Wiki and look at the episode pages that use the episode guide-style format and see what the last-known episode was to include a certain sketch two different times.

 

[JLG]

The first episode to not have an animated title sequence was #926, the seventh season premiere.

In fact, from 1976 to 2002, Sesame Street had no on-screen title at all.

I'm too young to have seen those as a kid. I remember when I went the the Museum of Television and Radio for the first time and watched #536. My reaction was "Whoa, this show used to have a title!"
The only other children's show I can think of that had no title was the 1992 "Batman, the Animated Series".

Also, about the repeating segments thing---#560 is also in the museum, and the Bud Luckey "Fiddle Player" cartoon with the Four Lions is played twice. So it lasted at least until the fifth season.

 

[minor muppetz]

Do you remember what the official title for episode 536 was? And do you know any other early titles? I have a book about television, which has an emmy awards section, and one winner from 1969 is listed as Sally sees Sesame Street. I wonder if that was the title for the first episode. And if they don't have official titles, I wonder if the scripts are still titled. I am surprised that episode 536 would have a title, since it hardly even has a plot (the closest thing to a plot would be Luis building somethign with metal objects).

I read at Muppet Wiki that the unaired episdoe where Snuffy's parents got a divorce was titled Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce.

Of course, if the early episodes had titles, then I wonder why they weren't written in the Old School booklet and DVD menus.