My Version of Behind the Scenes of "The Muppet Movie"

[hare krishna]

this is incredible stuff

 

[Jrogers51375]

Tim,

Did you work on any more projects for Jim? Did you persue your puppetry career?

 

[Chris Casino]

Yeah, I was SO dissappointed with the so-called "50th" Edition of TMM since it had less extras than the regular one. In 2004 the film turned 25 years old, and it would have been so cool had they done a big 2-disk set with conceptual art, new and vintage interviews and "The Muppets Go Hollywood" special (the director of which, Stan Harris also directed me in my televison pilot a few year later).

I agree. Those people at Disney put more effort into the three seasons of the Muppet Show DVDs than they did for the movies and I think that's unfair because the early movies, IMO anyway, were just as good as the show.

 

[Rugby]

Tim, how is it that you came to work for Jim on the Muppet Movie? Did you audition? Or was it through a letter writing campaign? You didn't really make that clear at the beginning of this thread. Thanks.

 

[muppet maniac]

You know, I have a sneaking suspicion that some people didn't hold their puppets up for every take. The girl who had Oscar was right behind me and I can't see Oscar in any of the pictures. Maybe "Jim Frawley" didn't make the take that was actually used.

Don't worry. Oscar did in fact make it into the film, but he's just kinda blurry to see (as was Uncle Deadly and a few others). I'm watching the scene on my computer as I'm typing this. If you look behind Ernie and Bert, and just behind Bert's shoulder and Ernie's hand, you'll see him with his left arm moving.

I also noticed that all the SNL Muppets except for the Mighty Favog was used. I'm guessing it's either they couldn't find anybody to operate him, or (maybe this is a more logical reason) that he's made out of latex foam, and I've heard that latex can be bad especially under the heat.

 

[dietrich]

Thanks for giving up fans such intimate backstage. It's really amazing.

Tell me were the main Muppeteers (Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz) acting as generals for the other less experienced puppeteers?

 

[Tim]

Well, since no one else as said it....


HAPPY 30TH ANNIVERSARY TO "THE MUPPET MOVIE"!

June 22, 1979

To answer questions, I never did get to work for Jim again (since he and the Company got so big, and I was so young), but spoke with him briefly on the phone when he was on the set of "The Tonight Show" the night Kermit hosted to promote the film.

Jim and I were corresponding for a few years when he still had time to personally write letters and cards. Lynn Klugman handled all his mail, and when I heard they were shooting the film in Studio City I just called and managed to get her on the phone. She talked to Jim who "would LOVE to meet you", and after he let me do a couple of little blocking and rehearsal things I guess he decided he I was good enough to do the shot, and I got the call a couple of weeks later.

I don know about Richard or Jerry, but Dave came through the crowd of pupeteers as we got comfortable with our characters, and just glanced as us all quickly saying something like "that's fine" and moved on.

I got a lot of local press from doing the film and lots of opportunities after that, including a pilot the Dick Clark created for me for my own late-night talk show. (The host was a puppet character I did.).

BTW-I'm on Facebook if anyone cares! {8>-D

 

[Nick22]

it's the 30th anniversary? i didnt know that! awesome! i have to watch it in honor of 30 years!

 

[tutter_fan]

Man, it probably would've been hilarious to try out Count Von Count!

 

[muppetsliveon]

there are reprints of the script on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Muppet-Movi...66:2|39:1|72:1205|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50