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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 One of the few episodes to have more than one guest star, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge were married at the time they taped this episode. Big Mama appears in the cold opening and the closing number with a bow in her hair and wearing a dress making her stand out as a female Muppet monster. Although Big Mama would still occasionally appear without any feminine embellishments, the updated appearance becomes a regular addition to the puppet as a nod to Louise Gold who would often do the character and as an effort to balance out the male dominated Muppet universe. The beautification of Miss Piggy from her original horrid design continues with a new Piggy puppet with larger eyes and a thinner face with the snout reduced and shaped differently. This puppet is used throughout the first half of the season to later be replaced with a newer puppet that essentially completes the transition into the "standard" Miss Piggy look. A new
set debuts (and is featured throughout) this episode of the
canteen. This new basement set doubles as a green room (rehearsal One of Gonzo's most famous character traits - his thrill with physical pain - debuts this season. Previously, when Gonzo would get hurt, he didn't enjoy it and would complain backstage that Kermit promised he'd wrestle with a welterweight brick or that his next bagpipe would be made of beaver skin. The times when Gonzo would hurt himself were examples of him suffering for his art but not something he actively sought. That changes this year as he discovers he masochistic tendencies. While he still doesn't enjoy the pain he suffers in his piano balancing act, this episode still marks a step forward in that he ends up benefiting from his accident. The Annie Sue puppet debuted last season but the "character" is introduced during this and the next episode as a younger and prettier female pig singer that would be a thorn in Miss Piggy's ego. Interestingly, even though this episode was in production and taped before the subsequent Leo Sayer episode which serves as Annie Sue's "introduction" episode, Miss Piggy and Annie Sue are already aware of each other and sparring here. Annie Sue would become Louise Gold's main character. Louise is finally officially credited this season after making significant contributions to the show throughout the previous year but without being named in the credits. This is
the debut episode for performer Steve Whitmire (who doesn't
yet voice any characters). The 20 year old was initially going
to be both a puppet builder as well, but instead just did
Muppeteering. Steve would go on to become one of the main
Muppet performers, inheriting many of Jim Henson's characters
after his passing. Another significant addition is Chris Langham
to the writing staff, who in addition to providing an even
wackier obscure humor, would also appear on camera as a guest
in season 5, as well as cameos in 1989's "The Jim Henson
Hour" series. |
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PRODUCED BY Jim Henson WRITTEN BY Jerry Juhl, Joseph A. Bailey, Chris Langham, Jim Henson and Don Hinkley DIRECTED BY Peter Harris THE MUPPET PERFORMERS FEATURING Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, stagehand, Sam, Animal, Fozzie Bear) with Jerry Nelson (pig, rose, rock, whatnot) Richard Hunt (Scooter, Sweetums, Statler, Gladys, Beaker, Wayne) Dave Goelz (Gonzo, Bunsen) Louise Gold (Annie Sue) Steve Whitmire Jim Henson (Kermit, Waldorf, Rowlf) THE MUPPET DESIGNERS: Amy Van Gilder, Mari Kaestle, Dave Goelz, Caroly Wilcox, John Lovelady, Sherry Amott, Faz Fazakas, Larry Jameson MUPPET DESIGN CONSULTANT: Michael K. Frith SPECIAL PUPPETS BY Don Sahlin MUPPET COSTUMES BY Calista Hendrickson CREATIVE CONSULTANT: Frank Oz MUSIC CONSULTANT: Larry Grossman ART DIRECTOR: Malcolm Stone ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY Jack Parnell MUSICAL ASSOCIATE: Derek Scott LIGHTING
DIRECTOR: John Rook VIDEO TAPE EDITOR: John Hawkins ASSISTANT TO THE PRODUCER: Sue Taylor SENIOR FLOOR MANAGER: Richard Holloway FLOOR MANAGER: Martin Baker STAGE MANAGER: Claire Sandford SENIOR VIDEO ENGINEER: Jim Reeves SENIOR CAMERAMAN: Dennis Bartlett VISION MIXER: Moyra Bird COSTUMES: Stuart Correll MAKEUP BY Sheila Mann THEME MUSIC BY Sam Pottle EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: David Lazer |
Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge - Episode 49
Taping
Dates: February 14-16, 1978
Original Airdates: Nov. 23, 1978 (New York) and Nov. 23,
1978 (LA)
DVD Release: None
GENERIC INTRO: LEW GRADE
Brian Henson: "Hi, I'm Brian Henson. When people look at the Muppets, they think what a huge phenomenal success. But the truth is my father had to work very hard to get The Muppet Show to really work. In fact they shot two pilots for the series. Both times all the American networks looked at the shows and thought a puppet show can't work for adults. It's all too zany and crazy anyway."
"A very visionary entrepreneur in England contacted my father. His name was Sir Lew Grade and what he did was he invited The Muppets and my father to England to shoot a full season of the show. [Lew Grade:] "All we were doing is taking the chance with 24 episodes. I had no idea it would be such an extraordinary phenomenal success." The show ran five seasons and was seen in a hundred countries by more than 235 million children and adults. Now with special thanks to the late Lew Grade, here's The Muppet Show."
OPENING THEME
Cold Opening: After making sure Kris and Rita are comfortable sharing a dressing room, Scooter ushers in some monsters to share it with the duo.
Balcony: Statler & Waldorf ("singing" along). "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."
Gonzo's horn: Gonzo starts hiccupping before he can blow.
CURTAIN
Miss Piggy peaks through the curtain to check that Kermit won't be jealous that she's doing such a sexy number with Kris...and disappointed that her frog wouldn't be, starts pretending that an anxious Kris is starting to fondle her behind the curtain!
OPENING NUMBER - "HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT"
Kris gets the first musical number backed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and sings a duet with Miss Piggy. Although they sing "Help Me Make It Through the Night", Kris actually needs help making it through the song as he's upstaged by Miss Piggy's hair...which encourages Frank Oz even more to keep messing it up, further cracking Kris up!
BALCONY
STATLER: Wonderful!
WALDORF: Wonderful!
STATLER AND WALDORF: (singing): Copenhagen!
CANTEEN
The canteen set is introduced (see notes) as Gonzo places an order before going onstage.
GONZO: Hey Gladys... what's the soup du jour?
GLADYS: Same as yesterday!
CURTAIN
After checking to make sure he's ready, Kermit brings out Gonzo's latest feat of mathematical dexterity.
[This intro debuts an unseen stagehand gruffly voiced by Frank Oz that Kermit would occasionally ask about conditions behind the curtain throughout the show's run.]
GREAT GONZO
Gonzo recites the 7X multiplication table while standing in a hammock and balancing a piano with one hand! Unfortunately, unsure of his calculations, Gonzo starts counting on both hands causing the piano to fall on him.
BALCONY
WALDORF: That act certainly suited Gonzo.
STATLER: It did?
WALDORF: Yep, it suited him right down to the ground!
MUPPET LABS
This installment of Muppet Labs introduces the atomic elevator shoes, Beaker's famed "stripy socks", and a new set with prominent window on the back wall and clock that malfunctions along with the opening music.
MUSICAL NUMBER: "WILD IRISH ROSE"
After a season's absence, Wayne returns (without Wanda)...but still finds his musical numbers meeting similar premature endings. [Eren Ozker, who used to play Wanda left the show after the first season. Even though it's revealed next year that Kermit had fired Wayne and Wanda, Wayne himself would continue to make appearances each remaining season in the show's run. (Sam no longer introduces him.)]
CANTEEN
MISS PIGGY (passing a fox): Oh...what a nice stole!
After enduring insults from Gladys, Miss Piggy finds young pig Annie Sue doesn't have the same treatment (or metabolism).
GLADYS: What'll it be, one Weight watcher's Special?
MISS PIGGY: I shall see a menu, s'il vous plait!
GLADYS: The name's GLADYS!
NEWSFLASH
A report on the Henderson burglery...the unrecovered silverware appears to have vanished into thin air.
BACKSTAGE
As Kermit tries to go onstage to introduce Rita, Miss Piggy aggressively reminds him of how Kris and Rita perfectly demonstrate how married couples can work well both romantically and professionally.
MISS PIGGY: I just wanted you to think about it.
KERMIT: I don't have time to think about it!
MISS PIGGY: Maybe six months in the hospital I'll give you more time to think!
CURTAIN
Kermit brings on Rita for her solo spot.
MUSICAL NUMBER: "WE'RE ALL ALONE"
Rita croons her song sitting in a forest setting backed by a chorus of woodland animals.
UK SKIT: "A FROG HE WOULD A WOOING GO"
add description
DRESSING ROOM
After Kris observes how weird their latest gig is, Gonzo visits the pair and is excited about how valuable his autograph is after his latest act. ("A lot of people think I'm dead now!")
MUSICAL NUMBER: "NEW YORK STATE OF MIND"
Floyd's famed song. [While it's rare for The Muppet Show to repeat material (aside from reusing opening theme Gonzo gags), this is one of the few reused segments, having originally appeared as the UK sketch in last year's Madeline Kahn episode. Perhaps this was a favorite piece of the Muppet team (evidenced by its inclusion on the "Muppet Show 2" soundtrack and later on the "Rowlf: Ol' Brown Ears Are Back" album as well as its performance on The Tonight Show) and they wanted American audiences to see it.]
BALCONY
WALDORF: Well, I didn't think I'd live to see it but for once they've given us something other than second rate entertainment.
STATLER: What's that?
WALDORF: THIRD rate entertainment!
CHICKEN CHIMES
A running gag throughout a few episodes, a chicken henpecks at some musical chimes, and it hits it back.
CANTEEN
Floyd and Gladys joke around as Animal has a tv dinner.
GLADYS: Hey, you wanna see our apple turnover?...Hey Apple! Turn Over!
APPLE (rolling over): Hiiii yahhh!
FLOYD: Hey I may just slide by later and look at the salad dressing!
[After having seen a Floyd bit from last year less than a minute previously, the new Floyd puppet with a darker purple hue stands out in this scene.]
MUSICAL NUMBER - "AN ACTOR'S LIFE FOR ME"
Fozzie sings and tells jokes in a top hat as Rowlf plays both piano and straight man.
[Speaking of repeated material, this bit happens to be another one that gets reused. Unlike "New York", this number debuts here (and in the regular part of the show) but appears again four episodes later as the UK sketch in the Pearl Bailey episode. The reason for this recycle is less apparent ...perhaps the crew ran out of time to tape that week's extra piece.]
CURTAIN
After seeing both guests perform separately, Kermit beings them on together to see what happens.
CLOSING NUMBER - "A SONG I'D LIKE TO SING"
The pair sings in an intimate bar setting for some Muppet monsters (the same ones that happen to share their dressing room) backed by a mariachi band with Animal keeping the beat on drums...and eyebrows.
CURTAIN
Gonzo fakes being dead to further his autograph markup.
CLOSING THEME
STATLER: You know they could improve the whole show if they just changed the ending.
WALDORF: How?
STATLER: Put it closer to the beginning!
Guide
Written by
D. W. McKim and Phillip Chapman
Video
Captures by
Alex Taylor
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