The Stuff You Might Have Missed: Elton John/Julie Andrews/Gene Kelly

[UncleMatt'sBack]

ELTON JOHN:

Despite his absence during "Crocodile Rock" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", Zoot is present during "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", singing backup.

This episode is listed as Annie Sue Pig's debut appearance. In a tribute to Elton John, her curly hair is pink as opposed to its regular blonde color.

During the song "Any Old Iron", one of the Whatnots is missing a pupil. When he comes back to dress Sam in his Elton John-style outfit, it's back.

Despite the fact that they interfere in just about everything else in this episode, the Swedish Chef and Camilla don't interrupt any of Elton's numbers.

Puppeteer Change Alert! It has been widely hypothesized that Dave Goelz was performing Animal during "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", allowing Frank Oz to perform Miss Piggy. This is further supported by the fact that Zoot is nowhere to be seen during this number.

Fozzie Bear appears in the 'goodnights', despite the fact that he was only in the UK segment in this episode, so during the show's initial airings in the U.S., audiences wouldn't have seen him until the end.

JULIE ANDREWS:

One of the monsters that 'drops in' during the show's cold opening bears a resemblance to Lothar from "The Great Santa Claus Switch".

Gonzo's love life seems to have taken a turn for the better in this episode. Not only does he seduce Camilla, but manages to score a date with Julie Andrews' cow.

In the ballroom scene, Kermit is dancing with Miss Mousey, and Miss Piggy doesn't seem to object.

At one point when Julie and the gang are watching Sweetums and Thog play badminton with Camilla (interspersed with the Zucchini Bros. cannonball act), Fozzie yells "Foul!".

This episode was referenced twice during the show's run: during Alice Cooper and Carol Burnett's appearances.

GENE KELLY:

Angus MacGonagle is one of the Muppets in the chorus during Gene's closing medley.

Gonzo has no objection to taking Miss Piggy's place when Gene is singing "You Wonderful You", furthering Gonzo's continuing open-mindedness throughout the show's run. (In the Steve Martin episode, he refused to dance with a male cheese, but his mind began to open as the show went on, even going so far as to claim Kermit as his dance partner in the Carol Burnett episode.)

This is the first time we see the "Veterinarian's Hospital/Pigs In Space" announcer.

 

[minor muppetz]

I've noticed a lot of this stuff. Have you noticed that in the Elton John epsiode, Janice is the only member of the Electric Mayhem to speak, and it's only during Veterinarian's Hospital? Of course, I think that Floyd and Janice made some soft "ahhhh" singing sounds in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Did you also notice that in Elton John's cold opening, Scooter wears his regular green jacket, but for the rest of the show, he wears a different jacket?

In the Julie Andrews episode, Thog and Animal are both mentioned by name, but neither appear (I wonder how many people knew who Thog was, and I wonder if people also wondered who Sweetums was... Was Thog ever mentioend by name in any other episodes of The Muppet Show?).

 

[CensoredAlso]

ELTON JOHN:

At one point when Julie and the gang are watching Sweetums and Thog play badminton with Camilla (interspersed with the Zucchini Bros. cannonball act), Fozzie yells "Foul!".

Actually I always took that as they were implying Thog was yelling that out, since he was one of the ones playing badminton, but since it was off screen, they didn't take the time to get the exact voice.

 

[David French]

Actually I always took that as they were implying Thog was yelling that out, since he was one of the ones playing badminton, but since it was off screen, they didn't take the time to get the exact voice.

It's a play-on-words by Fozzie. Foul - foul ball; Fowl - chicken.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I get the joke, I just never thought it was Fozzie saying it.

 

[UncleMatt'sBack]

Something I missed in the Elton John episode: the three smaller crocodiles in the opening number were the same ones (or at least similar) used in the "Baker #3" segment on "Sesame Street".

 

[CensoredAlso]

Ack, correction! It was Fozzie who said "Foul!" I've seen the episode a hundred times and somehow missed that.

I was probably too busy looking at Scooter.

 

[Nyperold]

In the ballroom scene, Kermit is dancing with Miss Mousey, and Miss Piggy doesn't seem to object.

Yeah, well, she had a real boar to deal with.