70`s Sesame Street Questions...

[pkcckp]

Why did they have Big Bird look so funny in the first season?
Big Bird looked much much better after the 1st year.
Also, why was Oscar orange during these early shows & who decided to make him green?

I was finally able to get Sesame Street: 1/22/70, 4/4/70, 3/15/76, 8/21/73 and a 1983 show from Noggin. I enjoyed all the memories they brought back.

I remember the song "People in your Neighborhood" as a kid in the 70`s but suprisingly that tune wasen`t on any of these shows.
Does anyone recall any shows where Bob sang the number.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[superfan]

Why did they have Big Bird look so funny in the first season?
Big Bird looked much much better after the 1st year.
Also, why was Oscar orange during these early shows & who decided to make him green?

I was finally able to get Sesame Street: 1/22/70, 4/4/70, 3/15/76, 8/21/73 and a 1983 show from Noggin. I enjoyed all the memories they brought back.

I remember the song "People in your Neighborhood" as a kid in the 70`s but suprisingly that tune wasen`t on any of these shows.
Does anyone recall any shows where Bob sang the number.

Thanks,
Chris

Hi!
I'll answer these as best as I'm able.

#1. Big Bird looked funny because that was Jim's original design. BB's look evolved over the years as many other characters do. Carrol Spinney (BB's performer) mentioned in the A&E Biography that BB looked "not too keen" in the beginning.
#2. Again, a character design that evolved. Orange may not have looked particularly pleasing on screen perhaps. Carrol Spinney also performs Oscar.
#3. I don't know details of episodes and their assigned numbers, but if it's the early 70's there has to be Bob singing the "People in Your Neighborhood" sketch somewhere. I'm sure there are others here who can be more specific for you on that one.

Welcome to the boards by the way!

 

[pkcckp]

Re:

Thanks for the info.

Perhaps, Noggin edited out some of the music numbers.

-Chris-

 

[minor muppetz]

It was Jim Hensons idea to have oscar be green. I don't know why he wanted him to be green.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Green Oscar

According to Carroll Spinney's book, Oscar was originally purple!! When Sesame Street premiered, Jim decided to dye him orange. Green Oscar actually made his debut on the Flip Wilson show shortly before Season 2 was to begin, so grown-ups watching prime-time tv saw him first. The myth was that Oscar went on vacation to his favorite swamp (Swamp Mushymuddy, perhaps?) and the mold and moss turned him green, so the color stayed. Jim thought green showed up better on the tv screen. For the first few years, Oscar was actually a brighter shade of green than he is today, but such is evolution.

 

[Rosewood]

Big Birds lack of feathers

I have just started watching some of the earlier episodes I've been able to get copies of, and my kids watch them also, and love them! I will say, though, that seeing Big Bird the way he was in episode 1 (compared to the way he looks today), was a little confusing for my 3 yr old. When she asked me "Mommy, what happened to his head?" I really had to think fast! The explination I decided to stick with was this: I explained to her that "these were some of the first Sesame Street programs ever filmed and, back then, big bird was just a baby! And since many baby birds, like robins and such,are born without feathers, back then Big Bird still had some major feather growing to do!" She seemed to accept this with no problem, but now, when she wants to see early SS she still says "Mom, can we watch the SS where Big Bird has no head?" LOL!
Also, as an afterthought, I think I know why I never remember Oscar being orange even though I watched SS from day one; and thats because, back then, most T.V.'s owned by middle class familys were black and white, like ours was. So when Oscars color changed, people like me probably didn't even notice it!

 

[minor muppetz]

For the first few years, Oscar was actually a brighter shade of green than he is today, but such is evolution.

I think that the first green oscar also looked furrier (or at least had longer fur).

 

[Rosewood]

Baby Bear & HarryA

If you happen to watch the video or DVD of "Learning the Alphabet" you will notice that the first muppet of Baby Bear was much more furry and also had a lower and gruffer voice.

And I just saw a very early version of Harry Monster, and did you know the early version of Harry had a hairy nose? LOL!

 

[BooberFraggless]

Yeah I remember the original Baby Bear was a Darker Brown Color and didn't have that spikey hair on his head that he has in the newer episodes. I don't remember exactly when he got hair on his head, but I think it was sometime between the mid and late 90's.

 

[Rosewood]

Baby Bear

Actually he used to have hair all over. The way he looks today, (compared to how he used to look), makes him look like he's become one of the latest casualties of early-age hair loss! (How em-bear-asing!)