transporting Mr. Snuffleupagus

[minor muppetz]

In one of the muppet show fan club newsletters, in a small article about big birds appearance in the Leslie Uggums episode, it was said that the big bird suit had to have it's own seat on the airplane to England becaus ethe suit is too fragile to be in airplane storage. However, if this is the case, then it must be harder to get Mr. Snuffleupagus transported to oither parts of the world.

After all, Snuffy was transported to england (for "julie on sesame street"), canada (for "sesame street presents: follow that bird") and hawia (for the Sesame Street episodes where the cast goes to hawia). does anybody know how he gets transported? (and no, I don't think they put him in a net tied to a helicopter like in the hawia episodes).

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I still want to know who funded his trip in the net under the helicopter!! That had to be an expensive ticket!

I'm sure that the balsa wood used to make Big Bird's head is why they have to do that for him; Snuffy is just mechanics (eyelids opening) and skull, so I'm sure that it's no harder to transport him than it is to transport Animal or someone.

 

[Gonzo14]

I'm not sure where they were taking him, but I remember seeing a picture of Snuffy hanging from a Helicopter

 

[Fozzie Bear]

That was his trip to Hawaii.

 

[BEAR]

That was his trip to Hawaii.

You mean on the show Snuffy had to hang from the bottom of the helicopter on the trip? That would be weird. But then again, he would be the only character who would not be able to get on a plan or copter so he had to get there somehow.

Also, I never saw the Hawaii episode, can someone tell me about it please? What characters were in it and what did they do? Thanks.

 

[minor muppetz]

You mean on the show Snuffy had to hang from the bottom of the helicopter on the trip? That would be weird. But then again, he would be the only character who would not be able to get on a plan or copter so he had to get there somehow.

Also, I never saw the Hawaii episode, can someone tell me about it please? What characters were in it and what did they do? Thanks.

I haven't seen the episode either, but I know that in that episode, Big Bird wanted Snuffy to go to hawaii with the others, but the adults refused pay for an airplane ticket for snuffy because they thought that he was imaginary, so Big Bird managed to have Mr. Snuffleupagus travel by hanging from a helicopter (did the pilots know about this? if they did, couldn't Big Bird have gotten them to tell the adults that snuffy was real?). I don't know how that was done in real life. I wonder if the performers were inside the snuffleupagus suit when it was filmed (probably not). I wonder if thats how he does get transported (and yes, in my first post on this thread I said I didn't think that was how it was done)?

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I'm sure that the balsa wood used to make Big Bird's head is why they have to do that for him; Snuffy is just mechanics (eyelids opening) and skull, so I'm sure that it's no harder to transport him than it is to transport Animal or someone.

I don't think it's Big Bird's head that's the problem. They probably have custom made cases for that, as they do with other puppets. It's his body that's so fragile. He sheds feathers all the time. I have one that I picked up off the floor of the studio one time when I was there. I think if they had to fold him up, he would be half-naked by the time they got where they were going. They probably buy him a seat so the body can remain upright inside a suit-type holder, plus, no one else throws him around then, like rough baggage handlers.

This reminds me of a story I read once by Carroll Spinney, I think in The Puppetry Journal. They were doing a personal appearance somewhere and somehow Big Bird was left unattended. When Carroll went to put him on, he had been plucked almost completely clean. Carroll just sat on the floor and wept.

 

[Beauregard]

Oooohhh, Poor Big Bird! *Quick, grab the stuffing! It's Thanksgiving!* I mean, um, who would do that? Collectors of Big Bird's Fethers?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

And the bad thing is: If you just ASK for a Big Bird feather, they give you one! I have one that I asked for with a photo signed by Big Bird.

 

[Beauregard]

Really? Wow! I guess since they are always fallign out, they have pleanty to spare. How they must curse the decision to make it a bird, tehe! At elst they didn't give him reverse kneecaps in the end.