The Muppet Show Alternate Openings

[anathema]

So he is

 

[34Wrestler]

Does anybody have the show guest starring Alan Arkin? I would like to know the gag when Gonzo blows his trumpet at the end of the Muppet Show Theme opening if anybody knows and has that episode.

 

[HairMetalLives]

Does anybody have the show guest starring Alan Arkin? I would like to know the gag when Gonzo blows his trumpet at the end of the Muppet Show Theme opening if anybody knows and has that episode.

I have the episode in question. A typwritier typing is heard instead of any horn-blowing.

Also, I have a confusing question that I hope someone can answer (I'll give you a gold star if you can comprehend it!) When season one was reran with the alternate openings, did each network use the same one or did they change? I bring this up because someone mentioned that they thought the Juliet Prowse episode used the Milton Berle opening, but on the rerun I have (from TNT) it used the Julie Andrews opening.

 

[34Wrestler]

HairMetalLives,

You are correct in saying that since the early 90's Season 1 episodes would never air with the original opening and would be replaced with a different opener from the later seasons depending on which station would air the reruns. When TNT aired them in late 1991/1992 most would be Season 5 openings, for instance I remember the Paul Williams episode beginning with the opening from the Senor Wences episodes. Later in 1994 when Nickelodeon aired the shows the Paul Williams episode would have the opening from the Milton Berle episode. Then in 1999 most season ones would have the Milton Berle opening where Gonzo's horn squirts water. I'm not sure how they decided which opening to use over the originals, but the theory behind it is that the general public, rather than the real die hard fans, are only really familiar with the opening with the arches used from Season 2 onwards. Therefore when the shows air out of sequence on Nickelodeon, TNT, etc., it gave it more continuity if they all used the same opening. I felt it unnecessary, fortunately which the DVD release of Season 1 all first 24 episodes are preserved with the original opening (despite the several edits due to music licensing, etc. Jim Nabors singing Gone With the Wind, All of Me from the Paul Williams episode, Charles Aznavour singing Dance the Old Fashioned Way, and Vincent Price singing You've Got a Friend with the monsters). Hope that answers your question.

 

[HairMetalLives]

Hope that answers your question.

It sure does! Thanks a lot! I apreciate it. The episodes I taped from TNT were taped in 1990, did they really run it as late as 1992? Where was my VCR when I needed it?! Does anyone know when TNT started airing it?

 

[David French]

You're all waiting for me to respond to this thread, aren't you? ;-)

With regards to the First Season openings - when Television New Zealand played re-runs in the mid-1980's (under the banner The Muppet Show Command Performances) the ONLY first season episode not to have its proper opening was the Rita Moreno episode (this was eventually fixed). When TV 3 (owned by CanWest) re-ran the series in the 1990's they showed all the original first season openings. When TV 3 played re-runs under the banner The Muppet Show Command Performance, all of the first season episodes were replaced with second season openings (as Anathema described they would show the original Kermit intro and then cut to the second season opening...with the exception of the Vincent Price episode which was done the same way as Anathema described).

 

[34Wrestler]

HairMetalLives,

You are very welcome! Thank YOU for the Alan Arkin opening. It shouldn't be too long before the rest of the Muppet Show seasons are released on DVD. I hear at least Seasons 2 and 3 will be released some time this year. Hopefully not with too many edits as well.

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Cleo Laine, yeah - he's in the opening titles. I can't spot him in the Edgar Bergen show, though.

And they re-used that same bit in the Petula Clark opening titles.

Glad to have finally found out what the heck that was supposed to be in the Alan Arkin opening titles, I couldn't really tell. I still can't tell about the Cheryl Ladd opening titles Gonzo horn bit either. Anyone else have an idea what that one was supposed to be?

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[34Wrestler]

GorgonHeap,

In the Cheryl Ladd episode, Gonzo blows the horn and it makes the sound of a telephone ring. Any others you want to know?