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•10/24 - The Muppets Take Manhattan 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with Frank Oz Commentary •10/1 - Supersize Count von Count •10/01 - Sesame Street Action Figures Wave 1: Ernie with Rubber Duckie, Bert with Bernice, Count von Count, Yip Yip Martians •9/1 - Fraggle Rock Action Figures Wave 1: Gobo, Red, Traveling Matt, Architect and Cotterpin, Flange |
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EPISODE NOTES As Kermit discusses with Jaye P. Morgan in the Talk Spot, explosions are indeed a trademark of the Muppet Show...this episode logs 11 of them. Also on the score card this week, two pre-Baby Band appearances of Bobby Benson, two costumes for Floyd, two introductions by characters other than Kermit (while the frog is smoothing things over backstage), and two "modulate" jokes. |
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PRODUCED BY Jim Henson WRITTEN BY Jerry Juhl, Joseph A. Bailey, Jim Henson and Don Hinkley DIRECTED BY Peter Harris THE MUPPET PERFORMERS FEATURING Frank Oz (Animal, Fozzie, whatnots, Miss Piggy, Sam) Jerry Nelson (Crazy Harry, Zelda, Droop, Floyd, announcer, Strangepork, J.P. Grosse) Richard Hunt (Scooter, Youknow Bird, Statler, girl monster, Boppity), Dave Goelz (Gonzo, whatnots) Jim Henson (Kermit, Waldorf, Swedish Chef, Rowlf, Link, Newsman, Dr. Teeth, Marvin, whatnots) PUPPETS AND THEIR COSTUMES BY Caroly Wilcox, Mari Kaestle, Dave Goelz, John Lovelady, Amy Van Gilder, Calista Hendrickson, Faz Fazakas, Larry Jameson and Bonnie Erickson SPECIAL PUPPETS BY Don Sahlin MUPPET CREATIVE CONSULTANTS: Frank Oz, Michael K. Frith MUSIC CONSULTANT: Larry Grossman ART DIRECTOR: Ken Wheatley ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY Jack Parnell MUSICAL ASSOCIATE: Derek Scott LIGHTING DIRECTOR: John Rook AUDIO: Len Penfold VIDEO TAPE EDITOR: Tim Waddell ASSISTANT TO THE PRODUCER: Joan Chaplow SENIOR FLOOR MANAGER: Richard Holloway FLOOR MANAGER: Martin Baker STAGE MANAGER: Sara Paul SENIOR VIDEO ENGINEER: Gerry Taylor SENIOR CAMERAMAN: Bill Brown VISION MIXER: Moyra Bird COSTUMES BY James Dark MAKE UP BY Marion Phillips THEME MUSIC: Sam Pottle EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR HENSON ASSOCIATES, INC.: David Lazer |
Jaye P. Morgan - Episode 42
Taping Dates: Week of November 29, 1977Original Airdates: March 6, 1978 (New York) and March 10, 1978 (LA)
DVD Release: Buena Vista Home Video, 2007
GENERIC INTRO: THE AUDIENCE
Brian Henson: "Hi, I'm Brian Henson. The Muppet Show was originally shot in Elstree just north of London and it was a wonderful process to watch. You'd walk out of these dingy London streets and then you'd go inside the station - this brightly colored crazy, frenetic energy. The way the show was shot, it took three frantic days to shoot each episode."
"One thing that was amazing is the audience for some reason always thought that the show was shot live which always astounded me because if you watch The Muppet Show, every shot is a special effect, there's a little trick going on everywhere and it took a lot of time and a lot of effort to pull that together. Of course the real audience for The Muppet Show as you see in the show is a bunch of Muppet monsters and various creatures. We always knew they would laugh at the right times. The monsters in the audience particularly enjoyed this show and I hope you do too. Enjoy."
DRESSING ROOM
Jaye P. Morgan instantly establishes the tone of the show.
OPENING
The balcony: Waldorf says, "Let's get this turkey on the road!"
Gonzo's horn: Crazy Harry sets off an explosion.
CURTAIN
Kermit announces that the opening number is one of the first pieces the Muppets ever did circa 1954.
OPENING NUMBER - "TWIDDLEY-DEE"
Jaye P. Morgan is dressed up in an outlandish bird outfit and complains about how saccharine the number is and enduring a smelly costume after a long plane flight. A real bird attempts to lighten the mood.
JAYE P.: This is the worst. I mean what are you going to ask me to do next?
BIRD: Modulate, Jaye P., MODULATE!
BALCONY
STATLER: Oh, Jaye P. Morgan is terrific!
WALDORF: Yeah, but that opening number was for the birds.
STATLER: You HAD to do that joke, huh?
WALDORF: Well one of us had to and I lost the toss.
BACKSTAGE
KERMIT: You know I just can't tell you what a thrill it is to have you on the show!
JAYE P.: Ah, thank you Kermit. Nice of you to say so. I'd like to say that I'm really indifferent about being here.
Jaye P. goes on to complain about how she really does not like "cute". Kermit tries to explain not everything is cute around the show as the guest is introduced to Animal.
SWEDISH CHEF
The Swedish Chef struggles to open a coconut. After he finally breaks it open (separating it like a cracked egg!), he discovers a lit bomb inside (did he get it from his recent chicken adversary?)
BALCONY
STATLER: Now wait just a minute, that's the second time tonight they used a bomb joke!
WALDORF: (after holding up an exploding bomb) Heh heh - three's a charm!
BALCONY
Kermit has sent a cake up to Jaye P.'s dressing room to make up for things so far. Unfortunately Crazy Harry baked it.
CURTAIN/BALCONY
Fozzie fills in for Kermit as the frog checks on the guest. Waldorf and Statler take the opportunity to make up for some of their lost time this season heckling him.
FOZZIE: Hey hey, come on you guys, no heckling! I mean, I'm not even out here to tell jokes.
STATLER: Have you ever been?
GREAT
GONZO
Gonzo attempts to show that despite his mishaps in the opening theme, he can play trumpet quite well. Backed by Rowlf on the piano, Gonzo does a trumpet solo of "Flight of the Bumblebee" complete with Animal chasing a bee around with a huge club.
AT THE DANCE
The denizens of the ballroom open up to their dancing partners about their main character flaws.
ZELDA: The trouble with men is that they're all too wishy washy.
DROOP: Well...sometimes yes...and sometimes no.
UK SKIT: MUSICAL NUMBER - "ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN"
Fozzie
joins Rowlf for a piano duet.
ROWLF: Hey, I didn't know you could play the piano.
FOZZIE: I didn't know it either.
[This UK spot is also included on the video Rowlf's Rhapsodies.]
TALK SPOT
While Jaye P. complains about feeling like a moving target, Kermit explains (and demonstrates) how explosions are one of the show's trademarks. Jaye P. goes on to explain how fabulous hats are one of hers.
JAYE P.: I particularly wanted to wear this one on The Muppet Show too.
KERMIT: Ooh, why is that?
JAYE P.: (after hat explodes) I guess you could say I blew my top!
BALCONY
WALDORF: Do you supposed that means we'll never see them again?
STATLER: Well we can always hope!
MUSICAL
NUMBER
Floyd trades in his bass guitar for a bass fiddle while conductor Nigel provides some whistling.
[Nigel will display this other talent of his several more times throughout The Muppet Show.]
PIGS IN SPACE
The Swinetrek is plummeting and needs to throw something overboard to lighten the load...something (or someone) weighing about one pig.
STRANGEPORK: We've lost the Number Three engine!
LINK: Well how long will it take to fix it?
STRANGEPORK: We can't, it's really lost. It fell off.
PIGGY: I'm telling you right now - that is the LAST laundry this pig is doin'!
STRANGEPORK: You can say that again.
NEWSFLASH
A flight is forced to jettison some of its instruments.
BACKSTAGE
Scooter's uncle J.P. Grosse shows up for an inspection and Kermit soon finds having two "J.P.'s" around at the same time can be rather tough.
KERMIT: (after complaining about J.P. Grosse) Oh hi Jaye P., OH! Uh uh um, when I said 'J.P.' just now I didn't mean 'Jaye P.', Jaye P., I meant 'J.P.', Jaye P., ya know what I mean?
JAYE P.: No.
KERMIT: Gulp - uh, right...
JAYE P.: Wrong!
[Jaye P. exits from a different dressing room than she was established being in in act one. But this continuity lapse can be explained by the previous dressing room having been blown up.]
SAM'S
EDITORIAL
Sam the Eagle lectures on crime as a group on bandits steal the scenery among him. [One of the thieves is Bobby Benson!]
BALCONY
STATLER: I now realize television has one major advantage over a live stage show.
WALDORF: Oh, what's that?
STATLER: A television you can turn off.
BACKSTAGE
Kermit discusses with Scooter the final number he has planned for Jaye P. Morgan as J.P. Grosse is delighted to hear he gets the chance to sing!
CURTAIN
Scooter fills in for Kermit who's stuck negotiating a singing contract for J.P. Grosse.
CLOSING NUMBER - "THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC"
Bobby
Benson changes out of his bandit gear to join the Electric Mayhem's
brass section while Dr. Teeth jazzes it up with Jaye P. Morgan.
CURTAIN
Kermit attempts to say goodnight as J.P. Grosse comes bursting onstage with a microphone!
JAYE P.: You know, I've been blown up, beaten up, insulted, everything's happened to me, but I've had a great time! I mean it!
KERMIT: Well, it tends to be like that around here.
CLOSING
STATLER: I wonder if anyone watches this show besides us." (Notices
Waldorf is asleep.) Besides me!
Guide
Written by
D. W. McKim and Phillip Chapman
Video Captures by
Alex Taylor
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