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Sam and Friends BookWould anyone happen to remember these PBS segments?
One I seem to remember seeing only once years ago (perhaps in 1994) had been haunting for me ever since, only because my memory sees it as somewhat unusual. I don't know if anyone would remember this one in particular, but here's how I remember it-
The segment starts out with the camera zooming up close very quickly into a human's eye. All we see on the screen is just a close-up of an eye, ALTHOUGH we can also see within the pupil (or else the iris) reflections of a TV screen displaying various examples of PBS programs. I can never remember what the first few programs were that we could see (probably some of the "prime-time" shows like NOVA, for instance), but I do distinctly recall seeing scenes of Big Bird, Kermit the Frog, Mister Rogers, and I believe Levar Burton. I know that this sounds kind of creepy, but that's exactly how I remember it. I also remember seeing this during the daytime, so this spot was very likely shown in between the children's programs, as well as those in prime-time. I think this segment just ended with a black screen with the PBS logo in the center, and some phrase written below.
Another one I had seen regularly before or after shows like "The Puzzle Place" or "Arthur", and have come across on home video recordings. This one may ring a bell.
This one is titled "PBS-Educator". It starts off with the camera panning slowly past a front porch of a house-turned daycare or preschool center with toys all around. A TV set in an upright black cabinet is standing in an open doorway with footage of the Count saying that he's "here to count people" (this is from the 25th anniversary musical celebration), followed by a scene of Herry Monster suggesting to John-John that they count together. Other scenes involve the TV set displayed in other locations, such as in back of the house (a school bus is seen parked on the opposite side) on top of a playground slide, or else in rooms with really nice murals of Cookie Monster (with a candy cane), Oscar, and Ernie painted on the walls. Kermit is singing his "alphabet in the swamp" song on the TV, as various segments involving letters of the alphabet are played in between (one of them is the Monsterpiece Theater parody of "The King and I"). A brief portion of the opening title for a Super Grover segment is shown on the TV placed in a sun-filled room with a wooden rocking horse moving by itself. The segment ends with the TV in the backyard of the house (with the school bus taking off in the distance) and Big Bird saying that "putting on a show can drive a bird batty" (also from that 25th anniversary show), and then Oscar says "The end" and laughs before going into his can (and getting hit on the head with the lid). It ends with a black screen with the PBS logo and their phrase "If PBS doesn't do it, who will?", while the calypso version of the Sesame Street theme song plays.
There was also a similar segment like this that I had seen quite often, as well, except this one included other PBS kids' shows.
This one is titled "PBS-Safe Haven". It starts off with a footage of two children swinging on a tire swing beneath a tree. Off in the distance is that same TV set (from the other segment previously mentioned) in front of a lake with Ernie saying "Hi there, you wanna play a game with me?" (not quite sure what segment this was). Cut to the next scene where the TV is in a field with Big Bird on it saying that he'd like to play a game, while children are running in the field carrying balloons on ribbons. This whole segment is accompanied with a lovely-sounding and very soothing piece of acoustic guitar and piano music that really sets an innocent mood for children seen playing. Other portions of this segment involve scenes from "The Magic School Bus", "Lamb Chop's Play Along", "The Puzzle Place", and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" shown on the TV. With the exception of the what's playing on the TV, which is in full color, everything else in this spot had a golden, almost sepia, tint to it. Incidentally, there were other PBS spots like this representing other genres of programs based off what's playing on that "upright TV set" placed in unusual (and mostly outdoor) locations. Many of these segments had that "golden tint" throughout.
The other segment I VAGUELY recall was just a promo displaying the scheduled time for the upcoming programs in the mid-afternoon.
It was on a pinkish-peach hued background similar to the PBS identification used around this time (1993 or else 1994). It showed a scene of Mister Rogers in the top left corner with the series' title and its time slot (3:30 pm) adjacent to it. Below that in the bottom right corner was, I believe, a scene of that singing orange clay ball with lips (Cecile) from "Sesame Street" with the series' title and its time slot (4:00 pm). I'm guessing variations of these were shown throughout the day referencing different programs at other times (although, the times may vary, depending on the PBS station).
As I had stated, the one with the close-up of a human eye sounds very strange, but that's how I remember it (both vaguely and clearly at the same time), but the "Educator" and "Safe-Haven" ones I had seen multiple times in between shows.
One I seem to remember seeing only once years ago (perhaps in 1994) had been haunting for me ever since, only because my memory sees it as somewhat unusual. I don't know if anyone would remember this one in particular, but here's how I remember it-
The segment starts out with the camera zooming up close very quickly into a human's eye. All we see on the screen is just a close-up of an eye, ALTHOUGH we can also see within the pupil (or else the iris) reflections of a TV screen displaying various examples of PBS programs. I can never remember what the first few programs were that we could see (probably some of the "prime-time" shows like NOVA, for instance), but I do distinctly recall seeing scenes of Big Bird, Kermit the Frog, Mister Rogers, and I believe Levar Burton. I know that this sounds kind of creepy, but that's exactly how I remember it. I also remember seeing this during the daytime, so this spot was very likely shown in between the children's programs, as well as those in prime-time. I think this segment just ended with a black screen with the PBS logo in the center, and some phrase written below.
Another one I had seen regularly before or after shows like "The Puzzle Place" or "Arthur", and have come across on home video recordings. This one may ring a bell.
This one is titled "PBS-Educator". It starts off with the camera panning slowly past a front porch of a house-turned daycare or preschool center with toys all around. A TV set in an upright black cabinet is standing in an open doorway with footage of the Count saying that he's "here to count people" (this is from the 25th anniversary musical celebration), followed by a scene of Herry Monster suggesting to John-John that they count together. Other scenes involve the TV set displayed in other locations, such as in back of the house (a school bus is seen parked on the opposite side) on top of a playground slide, or else in rooms with really nice murals of Cookie Monster (with a candy cane), Oscar, and Ernie painted on the walls. Kermit is singing his "alphabet in the swamp" song on the TV, as various segments involving letters of the alphabet are played in between (one of them is the Monsterpiece Theater parody of "The King and I"). A brief portion of the opening title for a Super Grover segment is shown on the TV placed in a sun-filled room with a wooden rocking horse moving by itself. The segment ends with the TV in the backyard of the house (with the school bus taking off in the distance) and Big Bird saying that "putting on a show can drive a bird batty" (also from that 25th anniversary show), and then Oscar says "The end" and laughs before going into his can (and getting hit on the head with the lid). It ends with a black screen with the PBS logo and their phrase "If PBS doesn't do it, who will?", while the calypso version of the Sesame Street theme song plays.
There was also a similar segment like this that I had seen quite often, as well, except this one included other PBS kids' shows.
This one is titled "PBS-Safe Haven". It starts off with a footage of two children swinging on a tire swing beneath a tree. Off in the distance is that same TV set (from the other segment previously mentioned) in front of a lake with Ernie saying "Hi there, you wanna play a game with me?" (not quite sure what segment this was). Cut to the next scene where the TV is in a field with Big Bird on it saying that he'd like to play a game, while children are running in the field carrying balloons on ribbons. This whole segment is accompanied with a lovely-sounding and very soothing piece of acoustic guitar and piano music that really sets an innocent mood for children seen playing. Other portions of this segment involve scenes from "The Magic School Bus", "Lamb Chop's Play Along", "The Puzzle Place", and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" shown on the TV. With the exception of the what's playing on the TV, which is in full color, everything else in this spot had a golden, almost sepia, tint to it. Incidentally, there were other PBS spots like this representing other genres of programs based off what's playing on that "upright TV set" placed in unusual (and mostly outdoor) locations. Many of these segments had that "golden tint" throughout.
The other segment I VAGUELY recall was just a promo displaying the scheduled time for the upcoming programs in the mid-afternoon.
It was on a pinkish-peach hued background similar to the PBS identification used around this time (1993 or else 1994). It showed a scene of Mister Rogers in the top left corner with the series' title and its time slot (3:30 pm) adjacent to it. Below that in the bottom right corner was, I believe, a scene of that singing orange clay ball with lips (Cecile) from "Sesame Street" with the series' title and its time slot (4:00 pm). I'm guessing variations of these were shown throughout the day referencing different programs at other times (although, the times may vary, depending on the PBS station).
As I had stated, the one with the close-up of a human eye sounds very strange, but that's how I remember it (both vaguely and clearly at the same time), but the "Educator" and "Safe-Haven" ones I had seen multiple times in between shows.
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