Muppet SNL Land of Gorch Skits coming to DVD

[Lone Wolf]

Oz appears as the police officer who gives John Belushi back his personal items at the beginning of "The Blues Brothers." Then they turned the role around as he plays an officer who checks in Aykroyds personal items in "Trading Places." Oz of course reprised his Blues Brothers role in "Blues Brothers 2000" also. He's also a test monitor in "Spies Like Us." I think I've heard he has a cameo in "Into the Night," but I havent' seen it. And of course, the Muppets appear on TV in "An American Werewolf in London."

Oz also had another small part in "An American Werewolf In London". He played the American ambassador who comes to see David (the guy who survived the werewolf attack, thus later becoming one himself) in the hospital.

 

[Lone Wolf]

All of the skits were performed live -- the only exception was Peter Cook/Dudley Moore episode that sketch was pre-taped on January 10th during the pre-shoot of the Elliot Gould episode. All of the other 15 Gorch segments were all filmed live!

This is especially obvious in two of them: The first one (Peuta's darts) where Vazh gives Ploobis a chicken drumstick and he tries to take it and it seems to be stuck to her wrist. He fumbles with it and says "Let go of it, would ya?"

Then there was the one where Ploobis and Scred get drunk. After Ploobis forces the wine down Scred's throat, the rags round Scred's arm get caught on the rings of Ploobis' finger and he says "Yer caught on me there, Scred..." and at the same time Scred says "No...you have it...I don't want anymore!"

 

[Lone Wolf]

I wonder if the original casts opinions of the Muppets improved after The Muppet Show.

Probably. After all, they did make an appearance on the Christmas episode of 2004 hosted by Robert DeNiro, in which they offered to sing a Christmas song with Horatio Sanz. And then they were out on stage with the rest of the cast at the end, hamming it up with them as the credits rolled. Quite a change from and ending credits scene thirty years earlier, when Jane Curtain had to restrain Belushi, who was making slashing motions with a pen knife in their direction.

A sure sign that old wounds have healed.

 

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

I'd like to get these if that darned SNL material wasn't all over the discs.

Nothin' against SNL, but when it comes to the Land of Gorch, I'd like to have Gorch skits and nothin' else.

 

[Gorgon Heap]

ToughPigs has transcripts and articles on the Gorch sketches.

It's also interesting to note their interactions with the guests on SNL. Lily Tomlin clearly loved the Muppets, and while she never appeared on TMS (amazingly), she was in the TV special "The Muppets go to the Movies" with Dudley Moore. Candice Bergen we know liked the Muppets and was friends with Jim Henson. Anthony Perkins seemed to like them when he appeared with Ploobis & Scred- at first I didn't think so, but re-watching it I noticed how often he broke into a smile or a laugh. Raquel Welch appeared with Ploobis & Scred as well.

I wonder if Belushi would've liked the Muppets better if they had never been on SNL or if they had left sooner.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[travellingpat]

Wow...i bought the set today...one word...AWESOME!!!!!!!

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Yeah, the Gorch skits are the best thing on the whole set. Cantankerous old Ploobis shows another side of the usually genial Jim, and Scred has a face that only a mother (and Lily Tomlin) could love. And you've got Favog ("talk ta me") and Wisss the crater head and the others.

I don't know if Belushi would have liked the Muppets either way; he had a real temper. Sometimes I wonder if he ever lashed out at the Muppeteers, as in, stormed onto their set and started cursing them all out.

 

[Mr Devco]

was there any episodes in season two?

 

[Winslow Leach]

was there any episodes in season two?

The Muppets appear in the Season Two opener of SNL, originally broadcast September 18, 1976, with host Lily Tomlin. They are in a "morgue," all but forgotten (although they say they are on their way to England to work in "children's entertainment"). Lily cheers them up by singing "Whistle a Happy Tune."

 

[Winslow Leach]

Wow...i bought the set today...one word...AWESOME!

Yes, SNL Season 1 is indeed an awesome set! I plan on picking up season 2 next week! (Dec. 4)