Worst TMS guest stars

[dbarrie]

Zero Mostel

Last night the TMS episode with Zero Mostel aired here, and now that I've watched it with older eyes I must admit that it wasn't as great as I thought it was. Most of the skits were OK, but I could see that Mostel didn't look entirely comfortable interacting with the characters. He hammed it up while on the show, but I have a feeling he might've used that as a way of masking his real feelings about being on the show.

There's a quote of his I found on the Internet Movie Database which may implies that he wasn't fond of the Muppets. In other words, I don't think it was all just an act!

This is the quote:

(Commenting on Jim Henson's Muppets): "He has the best possible actors. If you have a disagreement with them, you can always use them to wash your car."

I wouldn't say Mostel was the worst guest TMS had, because he did have some good comical moments on the show. But I'm beginning to believe that he wasn't one of the show's biggest fans.

So if this is all indeed true, then why did he bother agreeing to appear on the show? He died 3 months before his appearance aired, so I guess we'll never know. Maybe Jim Henson offered him good $ and he just took it.

 

[Whatever]

I have to say that I really did enjoy the Debby Harry episode...well, at least parts of it. I like the duet she does with Kermit. Otherwise, not a big fan of her music. The opening number was cute too.

Jim

I liked the Debbie Harry episode! It was cute!

 

[Whatever]

Sylvester Stallone: I don't really need to explain this, do I? Suffice it to say, his appearance on the show was more of a novelty than a display of his versatility as a performer.

I didn't like this show, but I didn't like "Rocky" either; the punching bag was funny though.

 

[Smy Guiley]

I wouldn't say Mostel was the worst guest TMS had, because he did have some good comical moments on the show. But I'm beginning to believe that he wasn't one of the show's biggest fans.

So if this is all indeed true, then why did he bother agreeing to appear on the show? He died 3 months before his appearance aired, so I guess we'll never know. Maybe Jim Henson offered him good $ and he just took it.

I heard Elton John say in a recent interview that in the 70's, you basically had to do the Muppet Show to be cool! Everyone wanted to be on the show! Maybe it was a stab at a new audience, or industry pressure, like he almost had no choice!

later
eric

 

[dbarrie]

Interesting quote from Elton John you posted. I once saw Elton say on a TV special that he enjoyed being on TMS, and it showed. His ep. is still regarded as one of the best in the series by many fans (myself included).

As for Zero Mostel, maybe he was just so desperate to connect with younger audiences at a late stage in his career that he'd take on anything that was considered "hip," even if it meant having to perform with Muppet or puppet characters.

I heard Elton John say in a recent interview that in the 70's, you basically had to do the Muppet Show to be cool! Everyone wanted to be on the show! Maybe it was a stab at a new audience, or industry pressure, like he almost had no choice!

later
eric

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Last night the TMS episode with Zero Mostel aired here, and now that I've watched it with older eyes I must admit that it wasn't as great as I thought it was. Most of the skits were OK, but I could see that Mostel didn't look entirely comfortable interacting with the characters. He hammed it up while on the show, but I have a feeling he might've used that as a way of masking his real feelings about being on the show.

There's a quote of his I found on the Internet Movie Database which may implies that he wasn't fond of the Muppets. In other words, I don't think it was all just an act!

This is the quote:

(Commenting on Jim Henson's Muppets): "He has the best possible actors. If you have a disagreement with them, you can always use them to wash your car."

I wouldn't say Mostel was the worst guest TMS had, because he did have some good comical moments on the show. But I'm beginning to believe that he wasn't one of the show's biggest fans.

So if this is all indeed true, then why did he bother agreeing to appear on the show? He died 3 months before his appearance aired, so I guess we'll never know. Maybe Jim Henson offered him good $ and he just took it.

Maybe the car washing joke was just that, a joke. He was also in an early Sesame Street book, a book of opposites. I believe he was dressed as a baby, or something along those lines.

He did ham it up, and he did his own thing, but he did that a lot in his other stage work. Zero loved change and challenge- he would 'behave himself' while doing a show on the road, but once he settled into the New York run he'd get bored and do stuff like announce the results of a boxing match, wish the audience a Happy Halloween, and imitate the other actors, at random moments in the play. Considering that, I would think The Muppet Show presented him with challenge enough to keep him in line. He did do lots of little bits of business and shtick, and seemed to act 'at' the Muppets rather than work 'with' them, but he was still entertaining and at some points really threw himself into it, like when he and Muppy licked each other and when he tried to eat Sam's beak. One thing that bothers me- the one and only time he speaks to Kermit, at the end of the show, he looks like he's not making 'eye' contact with him, but rather speaking to Jim Henson underneath. Anyone else notice this?

I think they could've/should've done more with him. A scene with Kermit or maybe one of the other regulars (Fozzie, Piggy, Gonzo) would've really ground the episode, and would've made him more of a presence on the show. He doesn't seem as woven into the whole as a number of other guests- he just shows up in some parts and disappears for other long stretches. A closing number for Mostel also would've helped.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[dbarrie]

Yes, I did notice after seeing it on tape that his eye contact with Kermit was a bit off. I didn't know he appeared in a SS book. I was 4 yrs old when he died, so this book must've appeared earlier in the '70s. Recently I saw him in "The Producers" and thought he was brilliant! I also recall hearing his voiceover cameo for a character in "Watership Down" (also released posthumously w/ his TMS episode).

Maybe the car washing joke was just that, a joke. He was also in an early Sesame Street book, a book of opposites. I believe he was dressed as a baby, or something along those lines.

He did ham it up, and he did his own thing, but he did that a lot in his other stage work. Zero loved change and challenge- he would 'behave himself' while doing a show on the road, but once he settled into the New York run he'd get bored and do stuff like announce the results of a boxing match, wish the audience a Happy Halloween, and imitate the other actors, at random moments in the play. Considering that, I would think The Muppet Show presented him with challenge enough to keep him in line. He did do lots of little bits of business and shtick, and seemed to act 'at' the Muppets rather than work 'with' them, but he was still entertaining and at some points really threw himself into it, like when he and Muppy licked each other and when he tried to eat Sam's beak. One thing that bothers me- the one and only time he speaks to Kermit, at the end of the show, he looks like he's not making 'eye' contact with him, but rather speaking to Jim Henson underneath. Anyone else notice this?

I think they could've/should've done more with him. A scene with Kermit or maybe one of the other regulars (Fozzie, Piggy, Gonzo) would've really ground the episode, and would've made him more of a presence on the show. He doesn't seem as woven into the whole as a number of other guests- he just shows up in some parts and disappears for other long stretches. A closing number for Mostel also would've helped.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Yes, I did notice after seeing it on tape that his eye contact with Kermit was a bit off. I didn't know he appeared in a SS book. I was 4 yrs old when he died, so this book must've appeared earlier in the '70s. Recently I saw him in "The Producers" and thought he was brilliant! I also recall hearing his voiceover cameo for a character in "Watership Down" (also released posthumously w/ his TMS episode).

I believe the book was from 1974.

I love Mostel as a performer, I just wish they had given him more to do on TMS.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[jrhzoot]

Thought I'd bring this back since we're getting Season 1 soon.

Bruce Forsyth- for reasons afore mentioned

Harvey Korman- too choppy of an episode, and it didn't seem like Harvey brought any thing to the show

John Cleese- I don't know, his whole not wanting to be there kind of got old

Diana Ross- just don't personally care for her

James Coburn- playing the piccolo? although he was great with animal

that's all I can think of right now

 

[Vic Romano]

Mumanshans... Moomenshunts... muhmeanshintz... whatever, the episode itself was good, but they were so... words escape me.

Almost everyone else everyone has listed is kinda' surprising to me, especially Mark Hamil! I love that episode! And Sly too, James Coburn, Elton John, all spectacular!

If there was one thing I really truly got sick of though, it was the Steve Martin episode. I loved Steve, but the forced cast laughing made me sick.