The many closing credits of Muppet Babies

[wiley207]

I've noticed that over the years of the "Muppet Babies," one thing that has evolved was the closing credit sequence. There were many differences, and I will post the versions I know:

SEASON ONE:
The shortest of the closing sequences, it starts on the shot of Baby Kermit and Piggy as astronauts in space with the "CREATED FOR TELEVISION BY Jim Henson" text already there, and other stills include earlier designs of the babies, such as one with Bunsen in a laboratory and the babies looking at the Mona Lisa (Gonzo seems to be smitten by it) and one with them all running away from a slimy monster on TV and the babies sitting and dancing on Rowlf's piano in front of a large yellow circle and the babies building a live-action sand castle, ending with silhouettes of them holding hands on an island at sunset. The font has the staff names in lowercase and the job titles of them in uppercase. The theme accompanying it is an instrumental version of the "Muppet Babies" opening theme. It then cuts to the "Marvel Productions" and "ha! Henson Associates" logos, which both have "shining" effects on them.

SEASON TWO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLepvM0-rao
Identical to the previous credits, but with quite a few differences. When the credits begin, it fades up on the Astronaut Kermit and Piggy picture, and then a second later, the "Created for Television by JIM HENSON" credit fades up, and it uses most of the same stills as last time, but with background art from various episodes of the time added as well. The final still used in the credits is, of course, the babies holding hands in silhouette on an island. The font is now different, with the staff names in uppercase and job titles in lowercase (standard for most shows' closing credits) and usually centered in the middle of the screen as well. The closing theme is now an instrumental version of the "Muppets Babies and Monsters" opening theme, which will be used for the remainder of the series. The Marvel and Henson logos are nearly the same, except the Marvel logo fades away as the green "ha!" zooms out and plasters itself to the center and the Henson Associates text fades up underneath.

SEASON THREE:
Unknown as of this time.

SEASONS FOUR AND FIVE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzIPV8cilx4
This is the closing I mostly remember seeing on Nickelodeon. At the beginning, it zooms out on the still of Baby Kermit and Piggy in space. There are lots of different stills now used here, including a couple of shots of Baby Fozzie in a prison uniform, Nanny turning on a radio for the babies, Piggy and Fozzie flying on a sofa with books in the background, Baby Fozzie in some kind of computer, Baby Rowlf playing a piano dressed as a saloon piano player with a shocked expression on his face, Scooter and Skeeter as Peter Pan falling on Piggy as Tinker Bell with Kermit and Rowlf and Fozzie with dazed looks, Baby Gonzo in costume on a stool with microphones, Baby Kermit messing up a painting of Piggy, and of course, it ends with the silhouetted babies holding hands (in a tighter shot this time). The font is now back to the kind used in the first season, with the lowercase staff names. The music is the same as the 1985 credits. It then ends with the Marvel logo (with CGI Spiderman) and a Jim Henson Productions logo.

SEASONS SIX AND SEVEN:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvi5VonKh4g
Pretty much the same as the previous credit sequence, but it doesn't zoom out on Baby Kermit and Piggy at the beginning, and the stills are shown in a different order.

 

[Xerus]

Also in seasons, 1 and 2, Howie Mandel was credited for voicing Skeeter, Bunsen, and Animal.

In the rest of the seasons, Howie left and Dave Coulier took over as Bunsen and Animal and Frank Welker voiced Skeeter.

And in the final season's credits, Bean, Waldorf, and Statler were added to Dave Coulier's voice credits.

 

[mjb1124]

Here's the Season 1 credits (apparently from the French dubbed version).

And here's a clip of the Season 2 credits with the original logos. Also features the "go bye bye" ending and some vintage commercials.

 

[Andrew T]

I'd just like to fill in some details on the Season 3 credits, judging by a circa-1987 airing of "Fozzie's Family Tree" I happen to have on tape:

The frame does not zoom back on the still of Baby Kermit and Piggy in space.
The background stills are quite similar in selection to those used for season 4, though with a few differences: A couple extra frames with Baby Kermit dressed as Robin Hood, for example. The credits font looks similar to that used in later seasons, with lowercase staff names.
The font is of the style kind used in the first season, with the lowercase staff names. The music is the same as the 1985 credits.
It then ends with the Marvel logo (with CGI Spiderman, though with a grayer background than usual and with no "New World Company" reference) and a Henson Associates "logo" with no "ha!".

 

[Drtooth]

I'd just like to fill in some details on the Season 3 credits, judging by a circa-1987 airing of "Fozzie's Family Tree" I happen to have on tape:

The frame does not zoom back on the still of Baby Kermit and Piggy in space.
The background stills are quite similar in selection to those used for season 4, though with a few differences: A couple extra frames with Baby Kermit dressed as Robin Hood, for example. The credits font looks similar to that used in later seasons, with lowercase staff names.
The font is of the style kind used in the first season, with the lowercase staff names.

As it is Fozzie's Family Tree, is Peter Cullen credited as Additional voices? You see, he played a couple of Fozzie's relatives, and was credited in another episode.

 

[Andrew T]

As it is Fozzie's Family Tree, is Peter Cullen credited as Additional voices? You see, he played a couple of Fozzie's relatives, and was credited in another episode.

Yes: Peter Cullen receives screen credit for "additional voices" in this particular episode.