Sesame Street films

[SesameMike]

"Cats.... have kittens.
Dogies... have pups.
Horses....have pretty foals.
Cows have calfs; and I bet you didn't know...
that elephants have calfs, too!

Way back in the 70s, as the original Star Trek series reruns were waxing in cult-like popularity, my sister and I made up our own version of the above ditty (the last verse I added years later):

"Starship Enterprises... have tribbles.
Captain Kirks... have Mr. Spocks.
Dr. McCoys... have sick people; such as the flu, and the fever, common cold.
Klingons have birds; and I bet you didn't know...
that Romulans have birds, too!"

("Birds" (of prey) refers to the type of vessels used by Klingons and Romulans at the time)

 

[SesameMike]

Birthday party with a piñata

In yet another installment from what seems to and endless repository of films (amazing how Sesame Street managed to produce so many in a short time), does anyone remember a film of a kid's birthday party that featured a piñata? I think 1974 was the year.

The film began with guests arriving at some kid's birthday party and giving presents -- one kid actually handed the celebrant a bouquet of flowers, though I can't remember the gender of the birthday child. Most of the film's action focused on the (what appeared to me at the time) huge pinata, a Mexican-themed tissue paper/paper mache donkey or some other animal. First it showed the parent hanging up the pinata from the ceiling. Then it showed the kids taking turns hitting the paper animal with a long stick. One kid dislodged the pinata from the ceiling. Finally, one kid hit the thing hard enough to sufficiently gouge it, so that the pinata's contents -- an assortment of toys and candy -- came cascading down on the floor. The film ended with the kids walking off with the spoils, which included some toy watches.

While this film may sound pretty simple (though I had never heard of a pinata beforehand and only learned the word later), it was the music that made this one incredibly exciting. There were three musical pieces used, each of which seemed to seamlessly follow the other.

1. A bold musical score with a definite 1812-Overture feel to it. This played as the guests entered and the pinata was set up.
2. A score that screamed "and now things are getting exciting", early in the "goreing" part. It went "da-da-da-DA, da-da-da-dum. da-da-da-DA, da-da-da-dum. da-da-DA da-da-DA da-da-DA da-da-DA da-da-DA, da-da-da-dum."
3. Probably a continuation of (2), the final "DA"s were held to the end of each measure. This played as the pinata met its demise.

The music then made a return to (1), and I think an epilogue score played as the kids walked off with the booty. Note that you could hear the kids in the background of the music, though few if any intelligible words could be deciphered.

I was actually slightly jealous of the fun the kids were having in this film, similar to how I felt about the kids on the farm with the combine harvester I described a few posts ago.

 

[mikebennidict]

it was a girl who was having the Bithday party and the music was Mexican sounding. I don't recall seeing it till the late 70s but then again as I once mentioned the film where Joe Raposo's singing It Takes a Lot of Little Nuts To Make a Jar of Peanut Butter I was told was an early film but I din't see it till the 80s.

 

[FragglettesMom]

Need address of CTW in New YORK City

This is where SS is taped,right? I have a relative in NYC for a couple of days , two more days. She is staying in Manhatten,would it be difficult for her to locate it if I get her the address tonight. Could she possibly get in the building, or just take a photo outside ?

 

[mikebennidict]

why are you posting this here?

 

[Ziffel]

Just wanted to say I've really been enjoying those lyrics to the "chicken and the egg" song, Rosewood. I printed them out a few days ago and now I have them memorized. Today I was singing them at times while mopping, etc.
I sang it while walking down the hallway with a fellow custodian and he said, "Where did you hear that song from? It's pretty goofy!". Hee hee hee!

 

[Rosewood]

I've been singing it, too!

Just wanted to say I've really been enjoying those lyrics to the "chicken and the egg" song, Rosewood. I printed them out a few days ago and now I have them memorized. Today I was singing them at times while mopping, etc.
I sang it while walking down the hallway with a fellow custodian and he said, "Where did you hear that song from? It's pretty goofy!". Hee hee hee!

I've been singing it, off and on, for a while as well. My kids love it, but I will admit the first time I sang it in front of my husband, I think he thought I was crazy! But all I had to do was remind him that this is what happens when you wed a SS fanatic. Once he remembered that, he just shook his head and walked over to his desk-smiling!

 

[fuzzygobo]

This is where SS is taped,right? I have a relative in NYC for a couple of days , two more days. She is staying in Manhatten,would it be difficult for her to locate it if I get her the address tonight. Could she possibly get in the building, or just take a photo outside ?

I hope you get this in time. Sesame Street is taped at the Kaufman Astoria Studios, which is located in Queens, not Manhattan. The address is 34-12
36th Street, Astoria, (Queens) NY 11106. Their phone # is (718)-392-5600.

I believe there is a lobby open to the general public, but not to the studio itself.

Sesame Street was taped at the Teletape Studio from 1969 to 1992 on the corner of Broadway and 81st Street, but it's a private residence now.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ziffel]

Remember one time a little girl was chewing bubblegum? Can't recall if it was a segment about blowing bubbles (not the classic 'b is for bubble' sketch). At the end though, this girl kept opening gum wrappers and putting the gum in her mouth. Someone off screen said something like, "If she puts any more gum in her mouth she's going to (blow up?) " LOL Not sure about those last two words but that's what it sounded like.

 

[mikebennidict]

that person says POW! when i was young I thought it was the bubble gum itself saying that.