Playhouse Muppet Videos

Oscarfan

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
7,528
Reaction score
3,961
Maybe it's due to the window being dirty from explosions combined with Beaker in smoke and perhaps the quality of the video that was uploaded, but it seems like during the credits Beakers pupils get smaller or missing. Might just be me.

And the times when we hear Dr. Teeth introduce a segment via voice-over does make it hard to hear the beginning of the songs. So radio DJs do talk over the beginning of songs (though they usually stop when the singing begins), but did music video VJs do this as well? I'm a little surprised Country Music with the Muppets didn't have Rowlf introduce clips via voice over.

It's an alternate puppet (I think of the ones they made for the Mac Davis episode) that they just dirtied and singed.

Video DJs don't usually do that. And it's really distracting in this video and rather unnecessary, despite the format.
 

minor muppetz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
16,072
Reaction score
2,660
Video DJs don't usually do that. And it's really distracting in this video and rather unnecessary, despite the format.
The good thing is that all of those clips can be viewed online without Dr. Teeth's voice-over (as most Muppet Show clips on YouTube re taken from the episodes they originated in as opposed to the compilations), but back then viewers didn't have that option (though the show was more widely available in reruns at the time).
 

minor muppetz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
16,072
Reaction score
2,660
One thing that's interesting is that the three videos that don't feature Kermit in the linking footage also have the least amount of Kermit content (in fact I recently realized that Muppet Treasures only has two clips with Kermit, both of which have him in a minor role, but at least he hosts the linking footage there).

Rock Music only has Kermit in Disco Frog, Country Music only has Kermit in backstage scenes from the Roger Miller episode, and Muppet Wiki notes that Kermit doesn't appear at all (though I know that the Rambling Guy segment does have an audience shot where Kermit can be seen, but as I haven't seen that video I don't know whether that shot might be edited out or not). Of course those videos are hosted by other Jim Henson characters, which is likely why he doesn't show up in linking footage (though I've read that Fozzie and Miss Piggy interact in Fozzie's Muppet Scrapbook, so they could have tried to work in a Kermit appearance in linking footage), but the other videos that Kermit doesn't host do have plenty of Kermit, in both the linking footage and existing clips.

Of course, there's also a genre issue. Kermit didn't appear in many rock or country numbers on the show (and I don't think he ever sung any country songs). But Kermit did do a lot of numbers that would have been great for Rowlf's Rhapsodies ("Any Old Iron", "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life?", "Waiting at the Church", "Do a Deer"). But maybe there were music rights issues preventing them from being included.
 

sesamemuppetfan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,479
Reaction score
1,157
@minor muppetz In case you didn't see my previous post in this thread, I found an uploaded copy of Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff. The only downside is that this person's DVR was acting when he/she uploaded the video, so there are a good number of skips and whatnot throughout the video and it cuts off right after the Koozbanian Mating Ritual.

https://archive.org/details/VintageCartoonsAndRareShows
 

minor muppetz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
16,072
Reaction score
2,660
One thing about these videos that has been on my mind: So I can never find used copies of these anywhere, and don't really want to order online. A handful of these can be viewed on YouTube or Daily Motion (and a few others were online but taken offline within a short time frame). But one thing I want as much as seeing them is the packaging, the back covers and inside cover info.

Now, I often Google search these titles looking to see if images are online. It's always a joy to see the images. But at the same time I wonder, in the case that I ever find a used copy for sale or if I cave in and order a used copy online, would they feel less special if all of them are uploaded online somewhere and if I find all of the back/inside covers (there's three I haven't watched, I've found six back covers online - in addition to having seen the back cover to The Muppet Revue in person when I was younger, and I've found images from five inside covers online, in addition to having seen two others in person but can't remember what info was there)?

Heck, sometimes I wonder if I would buy one if I found a used copy without the packaging or if I'd hold out until I find one with packaging (whether it's as it was sold or a "video store altered" packaging). Though whenever I do go to flea markets/Goodwill stores/used video stores and see used VHS tapes with no packaging I rarely actually look at what's there anyway.
 

sesamemuppetfan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,479
Reaction score
1,157
One thing about these videos that has been on my mind: So I can never find used copies of these anywhere, and don't really want to order online. A handful of these can be viewed on YouTube or Daily Motion (and a few others were online but taken offline within a short time frame). But one thing I want as much as seeing them is the packaging, the back covers and inside cover info.

Now, I often Google search these titles looking to see if images are online. It's always a joy to see the images. But at the same time I wonder, in the case that I ever find a used copy for sale or if I cave in and order a used copy online, would they feel less special if all of them are uploaded online somewhere and if I find all of the back/inside covers (there's three I haven't watched, I've found six back covers online - in addition to having seen the back cover to The Muppet Revue in person when I was younger, and I've found images from five inside covers online, in addition to having seen two others in person but can't remember what info was there)?

Heck, sometimes I wonder if I would buy one if I found a used copy without the packaging or if I'd hold out until I find one with packaging (whether it's as it was sold or a "video store altered" packaging). Though whenever I do go to flea markets/Goodwill stores/used video stores and see used VHS tapes with no packaging I rarely actually look at what's there anyway.
I see what you mean about ordering them online. Those tapes are so rare, that people choose to sell them at such a high price! Occasionally if you're lucky enough, people will sell them at a good price (last year, I was lucky enough to purchase Muppet Treasures and Rock Music for decent prices on eBay).

Which other videos are seen on YouTube and Dailymotion? I know that The Muppet Revue and Children's Songs and Stories are on YouTube, and Rock Music is on Dailymotion. What else is online?
 

minor muppetz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
16,072
Reaction score
2,660
I see what you mean about ordering them online. Those tapes are so rare, that people choose to sell them at such a high price! Occasionally if you're lucky enough, people will sell them at a good price (last year, I was lucky enough to purchase Muppet Treasures and Rock Music for decent prices on eBay).
Well, for me, part of it is more ordering online than the cost. I tend to prefer to do things by actually going out and doing them over doing things online or by phone. I have looked at Amazon's pages for them a few years ago and saw that the average one was in the $20 range (which I would have been willing to pay, if only it was in an actual shop), but then there are some where the high prices are unacceptable (I recall seeing one in the $80 price range, and recall seeing Muppet Moments priced at over 120 dollars). I wonder how much these videos originally cost (I know that at the time the average home video was very pricey, I could see the original price being maybe over the $20 range that's charged on Amazon).

Which other videos are seen on YouTube and Dailymotion? I know that The Muppet Revue and Children's Songs and Stories are on YouTube, and Rock Music is on Dailymotion. What else is online?
Those are the only ones that are online now (that I know of). But in the past, The Kermit and Piggy Story, Muppet Weird Stuff, and Country Music with the Muppets have all been on YouTube. I don't know whether any of the others have been on DailyMotion (or if any others have been on YouTube and I was just never lucky enough to have known that they were online).
 

sesamemuppetfan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,479
Reaction score
1,157
Well, for me, part of it is more ordering online than the cost. I tend to prefer to do things by actually going out and doing them over doing things online or by phone. I have looked at Amazon's pages for them a few years ago and saw that the average one was in the $20 range (which I would have been willing to pay, if only it was in an actual shop), but then there are some where the high prices are unacceptable (I recall seeing one in the $80 price range, and recall seeing Muppet Moments priced at over 120 dollars). I wonder how much these videos originally cost (I know that at the time the average home video was very pricey, I could see the original price being maybe over the $20 range that's charged on Amazon).



Those are the only ones that are online now (that I know of). But in the past, The Kermit and Piggy Story, Muppet Weird Stuff, and Country Music with the Muppets have all been on YouTube. I don't know whether any of the others have been on DailyMotion (or if any others have been on YouTube and I was just never lucky enough to have known that they were online).
Yeah, again, those tapes are so rare that people just choose to sell them at high prices. Occasionally, they'll pop up online for a cheap price- a couple months ago someone was selling Fozzie's Muppet Scrapbook for $5+free shipping on eBay, and just when I was able to get a hold of some spare money to put on my ATM card, the tape got sold! Plus, since May, someone has been trying to give away his/her copy of Muppet Weird Stuff on eBay, starting at $99.95. Every time he/she re-lists it, he/she lowers the price by $5 or $10 less than the last time. Quite ridiculous- to think that when I was in 1st grade, I borrowed that tape (along with The Muppet Revue and The Kermit and Piggy Story) from Tower Video (remember that place?) for just $2 or so!

I do recall seeing those 3 tapes you mentioned (The Kermit and Piggy Story, Muppet Weird Stuff, and Country Music) on YouTube, definitely, but I don't think they lasted long.

Also, in case you keep missing my posts about this, I found an uploaded copy of Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff. The only downside is that this person's DVR was acting when he/she uploaded the video, so there are a good number of skips and whatnot throughout the video and it cuts off right after the Koozbanian Mating Ritual. I hope you don't miss the link this time!

https://archive.org/details/VintageCartoonsAndRareShows
 
Top