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| | The Muppet Show is an Anglo-American television comedy program, conceptualised by Jim Henson. The program was telecast between 1976 - 1981. The main characters of the program were puppets called “muppets”.
History:
Puppets - muppets, created by Jim Henson, were originally characters from the children's program "Sesame Street". After deciding to produce how own show, Henson recorded two pilot productions: in 1974 - The Muppets Valentine Show with actress Mia Farrow as guest star and in 1975 – the "Muppet Show: Sex and Violence". The main hero was Kermit the Frog, who was already popular on "Sesame Street".
The first series was run on September 27, 1976. The program showed the life of musical theater, with Kermit as director of the musical theater. Guest celebrities participated in each of the series. Among the guest stars were: Charles Aznavour, Sylvester Stallone, Peter Ustinov, Marisa Berenson, Twiggy, Steve Martin, Rudolf Nureyev, Elton John, Alice Cooper, Christopher Reeve, James Coburn, Roger Moore, Brooke Shields and many others. Five seasons (120 half-hour episode) were produced within a span of five years. The audience watched the last episode on June 1, 1981.
Muppet characters:
Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) - director and manager of the theater. He receives the guests and announces the numbers.
Miss Piggy (first Richard Hunt or Frank Oz and then only Frank Oz) - glamorous and self-centered pig-actress, wanting to achieve fame. Hopelessly in love with Kermit. Miss Piggy possesses great physical strength and knows karate.
Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz) - irrepressible comic loser, acting in "stand-up" comedy. During the performances, Fozzie Bear would be ridiculed by the audience, especially Statler and Waldorf. Fozzie Bear is deputy to Kermit.
Scooter (Richard Hunt) - messenger, nephew of J.P. Grosse, owner of the theater.
Gonzo (Dave Goelz) - a peculiar actor, performing under the name of The Great Gonzo. Gonzo does dangerous stunts. Unlike many muppets, Gonzo is not human or an anthropomorphic animal. Gonzo performs the introduction with a single note on a trumpet, that he, for various reasons cannot perform effectively.
The Swedish Chef (Jim Henson) - chef, cooking food according to incredible recipes. He speaks a pseudo-Swedish language.
Rowlf (Jim Henson) - Dog. Virtuoso pianist and also plays Dr. Bob in the “Veterinarians Hospital".
Dr. Bunsen (Dave Goelz) - head of muppet laboratory, scientist and inventor.
Beaker (Richard Hunt) - deputy to Dr. Bunsen, who constantly gets into trouble while carrying out tests of the most unusual inventions.
Camilla (Jerry Nelson) - chicken, which is a secret love of Gonzo
Sam the Eagle (Frank Oz) - bald eagle. American patriot and self-constituted censor of the theater
The Electric Mayhem - rock band of the muppet theater
Dr. Teeth (Jin Henson) - band leader. Keyboardist with very long hands
Animal (Frank Oz) - crazy drummer
Sgt. Floyd Pepper (Jerry Nelson) - hip person and bass guitarist in the band of Dr. Teeth
Janice (Erin Ozker and then by Richard Hunt) - hippie chicken, lead guitarist and Floyd Pepper's love.
Zoot (Dave Goelz) - slightly drugged saxophonist. Zoot ends each episode with its crowning dense note.
Lips (Steve Whitmire) - trumpet player
Muppet Orchestra - orchestra of Muppet Theater - begins and ends the episodes. Participants are Rowlf, Animal, Zoot, Lips, Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry and additionally:
Nigel ( initially performed by Jim Henson and later by John Lovelady) - orchestra conductor
Lew Zealand (Jerry Nelson) - actor working with fish-boomerang.
Statler and Waldorf (Richard Hunt and Jim Henson) - pair of older audience members, who are seated in a box. The pair comments about the happenings on stage in a sarcastic spirit and finish each comment while laughing: "O-o-ho-ho-ho !".
Annie Sue (Louise Gold) - young pig, involuntary rival of Miss Piggy.
News reader (Jim Henson) - his lively reports are always aborted.
Foo Foo (Steve Whitmire or real dog) - Dog of Miss Piggy.
Sweetums (Richard Hunt) - huge monster.
Link Hogthrob (Jim Henson) - rough laggard. Captain of spaceship "Swinetrek" in "Pigs in space".
Dr. Julius Strangepork (Jerry Nelson) - Officer of Science in the series "Pigs in Space".
Beauregard (Dave Goelz) - stage employee. Just like country bumpkin.
Robin the Frog (Jerry Nelson) - small nephew of Kermit.
Crazy Harry (initially performed by John Lovelady , later on by Jerry Nelson) - obsessed pyro and explosives technician.
Miss Mousey (Jerry Nelson) - Mouse, Miss Piggy's rival with regard to Kermit. Miss Mousey is a dance partner of Kermit.
Gladys (Richard Hunt) - waitress.
Uncle Deadly or ghost of "The Muppet Show" (Jerry Nelson) - dragon and former actor.
Pops (Jerry Nelson) - elderly doorman. Welcomes guests with traditional "Who are you?".
Marvin Suggs (Frank Oz) - slightly crazy bombastic musician with sadistic tendencies. Plays on Muppaphone, musical instrument consisting of live muppaphones, which issue various sounds on hitting.
George (Frank Oz) - elderly janitor.
Mildred Huxtetter (Frank Oz and Richard Hunt) - partner of George in dances and master of arts.
Hilda (Eren Ozker) - elderly wardrobe mistress, speaks with Slavic accent.
Zuchchini Brothers (Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Richard Hunt) - group of acrobats, performing the song "man-core".
Wayne and Wanda (Richard Hunt and Eren Ozker) - vocal duet. Disaster always prevent them from completing the performance, but according to Sam, these are the best artists in the theater.
J.P. Grosse (Jerry Nelson) - businessman, owner of the theater, Uncle of Scooter.
Thog (Jerry Nelson) - 3m friendly blue monster.
Lenny - turquoise lizard. |
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University Park residents celebrated the town's 75th anniversary Sunday by honoring one of the most famous people to call the town home, puppeteer Jim Henson, who would have celebrated his 75th birthday this year. Henson did his earliest creative work while growing up in University Park, including his first sketches of Kermit the Frog and other Muppets characters.
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