Early Cookie Monster

[Daffyfan4ever]

Since we discussed the early Grover in the other thread. I was wondering about the early Cookie Monster. I asked this before, but I didn't get a response, so I thought I'd start a new thread on this:

Did Cookie Monster have a different voice once? ( I know that he's shared by Frank Oz and David Rudman now, but I'm talking about his early appearances) I heard that "Everybody Likes Ice Cream" song on Muppet Central Radio and I remember somebody mentioned before was that was the first time Cookie Monster spoke. I did hear a monster's voice, but it didn't sound like him, unless that was an early appearance and the voice was different. Could someone give me some info on this?

 

[Drtooth]

I am not sure. By then, he may have just been a walk on character, an "anything monster" if you will.

Joe Raposo did the voice of Cookie (just a monster) for "Everyone likes Ice Cream."

Sorry If I could not be more help!

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Reply

Yeah. It was probably Joe's Cookie Monster I heard there. (It's hard to tell for sure when you don't actually see it.) Anyway, thanks for that info. Everyone else here seems to be ignoring me. Lol.

 

[jeffkjoe]

I have an answer to this Cookie Monster question.

Originally, in the early years of Sesame Street (we're talking 1969), Cookie Monster (who was blue-ish green) was just addressed as "Monster" and didn't speak. If he did, he made incoherent grunts. And I believe Carroll Spinney actually handled this silent Cookie first, then Frank Oz.

Check out the first episode of SESAME STREET, if you can, and see that "Monster," in his one and only appearance with Kermit, doesn't speak. (He's just an eating machine...He eats a W)

In the early Time-Life SESAME STREET books from 1970, there are color photographs of early Cookie Monster had him labelled as just "Monster" as well.

There are a couple Ernie/Cookie skits from 1969 where Ernie calls him just "Monster".

Cookie Monster also looks slightly different as well. His lower lip portruded out more in those days...

Hope this helps.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Reply

Check out the first episode of SESAME STREET, if you can, and see that "Monster," in his one and only appearance with Kermit, doesn't speak. (He's just an eating machine...He eats a W)

Note the key phrase "If you can." But maybe I'll check with Timelife about those books, since I do have an account with them.

 

[ScottMonster]

Actually, I think Cookie Monster predates Sesame Street. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the first incarnation of Cookie was during the early 60s and he was originally designed by Jim Henson and Don Sahlin for an IBM commercial. My source of information for this might have been "Jim Henson: The Works", now that I think of it, with a paragraph of explanation beside a black and white photo. And I think this early CM might have had fangs, if you can believe that!

 

[Splurge]

Originally posted by jeffkjoe
I have an answer to this Cookie Monster question.

Originally, in the early years of Sesame Street (we're talking 1969), Cookie Monster (who was blue-ish green) was just addressed as "Monster" and didn't speak. If he did, he made incoherent grunts. And I believe Carroll Spinney actually handled this silent Cookie first, then Frank Oz.

Check out the first episode of SESAME STREET, if you can, and see that "Monster," in his one and only appearance with Kermit, doesn't speak. (He's just an eating machine...He eats a W)

I'm pretty sure in the "W" bit in Show #1, Frank Oz was operating Cook... er, "The Monster". Judging from the monster sounds he was making. And the physical way that monster moved.

 

[muppet_dk]

My source of information for this might have been "Jim Henson: The Works"

You can alos read it on the henson website under featured creature http://www.henson.com/fun//fcreature//cookiemonster_fcreature.html

Theres a drawing of the early cokie monster on the 2nd page.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Reply

Wow. He looked freaky back then!

 

[jeffkjoe]

Re: Reply

Originally posted by Daffyfan2003
Note the key phrase "If you can." But maybe I'll check with Timelife about those books, since I do have an account with them.

Actually, the SESAME STREET books from TIME-LIFE that I am referring to are loonnnng out of print. (They're copyrighted 1970!)

But you can still find them on Ebay.

They came in a set of five:

THE SESAME STREET BOOK OF PEOPLE AND THINGS
THE SESAME STREET BOOK OF LETTERS
THE SESAME STREET BOOK OF NUMBERS
THE SESAME STREET BOOK OF PUZZLERS
THE SESAME STREET BOOK OF SHAPES

and if you want to see lots of photos of early Sesame Street from 1969, including "Monster," aka the early Cookie Monster, then search for them on Ebay.

Here's one going on right now (not mine, of course):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3514896042&category=2226