The Brothers Quay

[Mary Louise]

Remember the short films made by the Brothers Quay? Here's one I found on YouTube.

I'm trying to remember one that involves some kids. I think one of them may have been named Rachel. As I recall, they were riding something, maybe bicycles or skateboards. Or maybe one of them was on skates. And I think Rachel was having trouble keeping up with the unnamed kids. All I remember after that was that Rachel somehow got way ahead of the others, and one of them was calling, "Hey, Rachel! Wait for us!"

 

[YellowYahooey]

Did the girl in the red striped shirt also appear in the segment where she is at the beach and gathering various sea creatures in her pail and looking at a book about marine life? Was that also produced by the Brothers Quay?

I wouldn't be shocked if the girl in the red striped shirt was the one named Rachel.

I find that some of the animated segments that aired on "Sesame Street" were likely produced in England. Particularly the one where a hand builds a zoo cage, and eventually a city using building blocks, as there is a double-decker bus seen towards the end, implying it was produced in
England. Quay sounds more reminiscent of a surname from England.

If any voiceovers from the UK were used in animation produced in the UK, I bet they were redubbed with the work of US voice actors for the US "Sesame Street" series.

 

[Mary Louise]

Yeah, the girl at the beach was in a red-and-white striped shirt. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Rachel had a shirt like that, and braids. I've been looking for this film on Muppet Wiki, but I haven't had any luck.

 

[Mary Louise]

Bump.

I found the film on Muppet Wiki. Apparently Rachel is going skating with her friends but is nervous about going down a large hill. She attaches her skates to a crate and rolls down in it.

 

[YellowYahooey]

I never, ever saw that film segment before. Having been a die-hard fan of the show from 1979 until 1985, I do not recall seeing that particular segment on the show. It was shown only two times, so it does make sense. The original airing was in Season 11, but unless it aired on the CBC in 1981, I never got to see it (PBS was not available on my cable provider full-time until later in 1981). Plus, I do not recall seeing Episode 1645 (when the segment was last aired) ever in the February 1982 airing nor the repeat in August that year (I was on a road trip when the repeat aired).

I was also amazed to learn that the person who animated the segments with Rachel in them, Peter Wallach, also animated Peter Gabriel's 1986 music video "Big Time". Wallach is reportedly still alive at this point.

 

[Mary Louise]

Wow! I just watched “Big Time.” Impressive animation. Wallach has talent, all right.

I think I saw the segment with Rachel just once. I don’t know why it wasn’t shown more often. I liked the animation and found the music memorable.

 

[YellowYahooey]

I think that is the only Rachel segment that is not on YouTube. And it makes sense, since that segment was shown such a small number of times.

I do know the "rain dance" segment was shown in Episode 2542, according to Muppet Wiki. That episode was aired in 1989. I wouldn't be shocked if the "rain dance" segment was shown in the 1990s too.

I am wondering what episode had the final airing of the "Rachel on the beach" segment?