The Muppet Show is a British television comic starring Jim Henson's puppets, the Muppets . The program takes place in a theater where the most diverse, mostly foreign acts are performed by untrained artists. The performances range from slapstick humor to absurd events and parodies. The program was hosted by Kermit the Frog . Many famous singers and actors were the years as a guest.
The series ran from 1976 to 1981, although there were already two in 1974 and 1975 pilot episodes made. The series has 120 episodes.
History [ edit ][]
Jim Henson's creations were from 1969, the Muppets, the program Sesame Street increasingly stamped 'children's entertainment' printed, something he previously was afraid. Henson himself, the Muppets always seen mainly as entertainment for an older audience and not wanted that he and his creations would only be associated. With children's programs Therefore, he began to make plans for a program for an adult audience. In 1974 and 1975 he presented two specials: The Muppets Valentine Show and The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence . Neither succeeded Henson's idea for the Muppet Show to strike at a major television network. at CBS , however, came up with the idea that the series could produce Henson himself and was able to broadcast between 7:30 and 8:00 in the evening once a week. This time period was in fact by the Federal Communications Commission opened for programs that were not one of the major television networks of the time.
Lew Grade , head of the British commercial television station ATV , offered a deal to Henson to produce the ATV studios in the series Elstree . The series was by ITC Entertainment sold to studios outside the United Kingdom.
For the filming of the series Henson pulled out puppeteers to that had worked, including earlier for him Frank Oz , Jerry Nelson , Richard Hunt , Eren Ozker and John Lovelady , but withdrew in the course of the series, new people, like Steve Whitmire , Louise Gold and Kathy Mullen . Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns were two writers of the series.
Intent [ edit ][]
The series is set in an old vaudeville theater whose glory days are clearly over. In episode 6 Kermit reports that the theater "The Benny Vander Guest Memorial Theater" hot, but usually just talked about "The Muppet Theater." According to the book The Phantom of the Muppet Theater , the theater built in 1802 by an actor named John Stone, most likely a nod toSesame Street director Jon Stone . The theater is owned by JP Grosse , the uncle of Scooter . The theater has several locations in the series play a role, such as dressing rooms, storage space and lobby. However, most parts of the program take place on the stage.
The program consists of a series of skits and other performances. Between these performances one gets to see what goes on behind the scenes of the theater. Some recurring items are:
- Gong or trumpet intro - at the end of the intro song tries Gonzo always replaced by hitting a gong program (season 1) or a trumpet solo (season 2 to 5), where he is the last note of the song must play. However, this is wrong every time. The way his trumpet solo failed otherwise. Every episode Only in episode 47 (with John Cleese ), he manages to successfully play in, to his surprise the note.
- At the Dance - a solid sketch in the first season, but from season 2 used less frequently. This is a dance performed, often with quick one-liner jokes.
- Bear on Patrol - a sketch about Fozzie as a police officer, with Link Hogthrob as his incompetent commissioner.
- Fozzie's Act - Fozzie tries to perform a stand-up comedy act, but his jokes are usually of poor quality. This sketch was used less and less as Fozzie given a greater role in scenes that take place behind the scenes of the theater.
- Muppet Labs - a skit about the latest inventions of Dr.. Bunsen Honeydew . His assistant Beaker is always the victim of the defects that the invention appears to have.
- Muppet News Flash - A news reader tries to read the latest news for but is often a victim of an accident that is related to just read news.
- Pigs in Space - a parody of science fiction shows like Star Trek . Central to the spaceship USS Swine Trek. Fixed characters are Captain Link Hogthrob, First Mate Piggy and Dr.. Julius Strangepork .
- Swedish Cook - a parody cooking show 's. The Swedish Cook is trying to prepare a dish. Every time with great enthusiasm
- Veterinarian's Hospital - a parody of the soap opera General Hospital and other hospital series. Dr.. Bob and sisters Piggy and Janice attempt in the operating room to help a patient every time, but soon lapsed into making lame jokes and puns.
- Wayne and Wanda - a sketch which is usually introduced by Sam the Eagle as being "responsible entertainment". The two try each act singing a song which invariably ends in disaster. They are a slapstick tribute to Nelson Eddyand Jeanette MacDonald .
It is not unusual that two sketches into each other, or characters / events from one sketch to return unexpectedly in the next sketch.
Characters [ edit ][]
Many of Henson creations had a role in the series at least once. Some fixed roles were that of Kermit the Frog , Miss Piggy , Fozzie Bear , Statler and Waldorf , the Swedish Cook , Uncle Deadly , Dr. Teeth , Sam the Eagle and Gonzo.
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See also: List of The Muppets |
Guest Appearances [ edit ][]
In each episode appeared on a famous guest. No star played in more than one episode with it, though had John Denver in addition to his appearance in an episode a role in two specials. In one episode is played instead of a celebrity with a famous duo or trio.
Stars that their appearance in the series have been made:
Prices [ edit ][]
The Muppet Show was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards , four of which were won. The first was in 1978. When the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series. Program won [1]
The program was also nominated 11 times for a BAFTA Award , of which two were won. [2]
In 1978, the series won a Peabody Award . [3]
Spin-offs [ edit ][]
It brought forth several feature films, starting with The Muppet Movie . This was the first time that the Muppets were together with real people to see in locations other than the theater. After the first film was followed by The Great Muppet Caper , The Muppets Take Manhattan , The Muppet Christmas Carol , Muppet Treasure Island , Muppets from Space and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz .
The program The Jim Henson Hour featured many characters that also appeared in The Muppet Show .
The series received two follow-up series:
The Broadway Musical Avenue Q is loosely based on the Muppets and Sesame Street . [4 ][5]
In 2009, the Muppets got their own comic book series, written and drawn by Roger Langridge and published by Boom! Studios .