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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 The Muppet Show's first (and the debut season's only) theme show. The spookiness and Muppet Monster motif will be reprised in season three's episode starring goth rocker Alice Cooper. This episode largely features some refurbished versions of several puppets...a more polished and deep blue version of Sam Eagle appears along with a more detailed design of Boppity and a more refined Janice. Dismembered body parts are a running gag throughout the episode. In addition to the "let me give you a hand" gag being done twice within five minutes, a lone hand can be seen walking off Kermit's desk earlier in the show and a monster also helps another one "get a head". Thudge McGerk scares Statler out of the balcony in one of the earlier balcony scenes only to be replaced by Statler again throughout the rest of the episode up until the closing scene. Perhaps the first Thudge scene had been initially intended to appear later in the show but got bumped up because it had to follow an onstage piece with Vincent. Out of the four Talking Houses, this is the only episode to focus on the two on the right. For the first time, we see the Muppet Newsflash happening on another character's television screen. Even though this in itself is a significant departure from the norm, more noteworthy is the fact that at the end of the sketch, the Newsman's desk starts to attack him. Up until now, the humor in the News Flashes either derived from the oddness of the stories he was reading (which most likely flew completely over the children in the audiences' heads) or from a chromo-keyed interview the reporter would perform with the guest star playing a character. Beginning in the second season, the News Flashes would typically feature physical comedy with the Newsman often becoming victim of his own story. The Newsman refers to Sheriff David Goelz (performer of Gonzo and Zoot) in his broadcast. Vincent Price would have a reunion with Uncle Deadley and the rest of the Muppets when he appears as one of Kermit's guests during his guest-host stint on "The Tonight Show" in 1979. |
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jim Henson PRODUCED BY Jack Burns WRITTEN BY Jack Burns, Marc London, Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl DIRECTED BY Peter Harris THE MUPPET PERFORMERS FEATURING Frank Oz (Fozzie, Sam, Mildred, George, house) with Jerry Nelson (Tom, Uncle Deadly, Thudge, Pierre, female whatnot, Dracula) Richard Hunt (Behemoth, Statler, Scooter, Wayne, Miss Kitty, ghosts, Sweetums) Dave Goelz (Dick, Gorgon Heap, Boppity) Eren Ozker (Hilda, ghosts, Wanda, house) John Lovelady (Harry, ghosts) Jim Henson (Kermit, Shaky, Waldorf, Newsman, Gloat) PUPPETS BY Bonnie Erickson and Caroly Wilcox, Mari Kaestle, Dave Goelz, John Lovelady, Rollin Krewson, Faz Fazakas, Larry Jameson SPECIAL PUPPETS By Don Sahlin MUPPET COSTUME DESIGNER: Bonnie Erickson MUPPET CREATIVE CONSULTANTS: Frank Oz, Mike Frith ART DIRECTOR: Paul Dean ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY Jack Parnell MUSICAL ASSOCIATE: Derek Scott LIGHTING DIRECTOR: Phil Hawkes ASSISTANT TO PRODUCER: Joan Chaplow MUSIC CONSULTANT: Larry Grossman THEME MUSIC BY Sam Pottle AUDIO: Roger Knight VIDEO TAPE EDITOR: John Hawkins SENIOR VIDEO ENGINEER: John Crane SENIOR CAMERAMAN: Michael Whitcutt VISION MIXER: Moyra Bird COSTUMES BY Ann Hollowood MAKE UP BY Marie Roche SENIOR FLOOR MANAGER: Richard Holloway FLOOR MANAGER: Martin Baker STAGE MANAGER: Caryl Cruickshank EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR HENSON ASSOCIATES, INC: David Lazer |
Vincent Price - Episode 19
Taping
Dates: October 19-21, 1976
Original Airdates: January 31, 1977 (New York) and February 5,
1977 (LA)
DVD Release: Time-Life, 2001; Columbia
Tri-Star (UK HMV Exclusive), 2003;
Buena
Vista Home Video, 2005
GENERIC INTRO: MINOR CHARACTERS
Brian Henson: "The Muppet fans are sometimes really crazy people. It's amazing. Every crazy little walk-on character they know the names. So if you want a few facts that will impress your friends, tell them about these characters. Here's Wayne and Wanda. These two were an accident-prone singing duo who were in the pilot but only actually lasted throughout the first season. Or how about Betsy Bird? She was a beautiful eccentric dancing bird who appeared in several shows but she never really quite took off. Or here's Fleet Scribbler who's an abrasive tabloid reporter that the press loved but the show's writers couldn't stand. He was soon written out of the show. Just keep watching and you might see Fleet and a few other unsung Muppet heroes on The Muppet Show."
[Note: Brian was right about the crazy Muppet fans, such as the ones bringing you this episode guide! How crazy are we? Enough to tell you that Brian actually provides some misleading information. Betsy Bird was not in "several shows" but actually only in one show - that with guest James Coburn. Brian's description seems more apt for the multicolored Fletcher Bird who like Betsy Baytos' Betsy Bird was created to showcase the dancing talents of its performer, Graham Fletcher, but ended up being little more than a glorified "extra". As for Brian's comment referring to Wayne and Wanda's being in the pilot, while they don't appear in the official pilots The Muppets Valentine Show or Sex and Violence, Brian is most likely alluding to their appearance in the original (unaired) version of the Juliet Prowse episode.]
OPENING THEME
Fozzie's joke: "Hey, I once met a vampire who was so rich he lived in a split-level coffin!"
CURTAIN
Surrounded by bats, Kermit warns the audience that tonight's episode will be on the strange side due to the presence of guest Vincent Price, the Crown Prince of Terror. Kermit's insistence that there will be no slapstick or silliness does not deter Fozzie from smashing a cream pie in Kermit's face.
MUSICAL NUMBER - "I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN"
A big monster, Behemoth, eats a smaller monster, Shaky Sanchez. Behemoth starts to serenade his dinner, but Shaky pops up out of his mouth and even his ear to join in the duet.
BALCONY
STATLER: That number scared the pants off me!
WALDORF: You sure you didn't just forget to put 'em on again?
BACKSTAGE
As Shaky shakily makes his way offstage, Scooter informs Kermit that there's an act standing by hoping to audition. Kermit grows frustrated at Scooter's lack of words to describe the gender or number of people until he comes face to faces with a three-headed monster (Tom, Dick, and Harry).
CURTAIN
In honor of her homeland, Hilda gets a chance to introduce the House of Horrors sketch, but even her background doesn't keep her from being frightened by a large clap of thunder.
SKETCH
Horror House: Fozzie and Gonzo get their first look at their summer cottage that Gonzo scouted from the Wampire Veekly, a Transylvanian Castle on a brooding hill. Vincent Price pays them a visit in all his Transylvanian glory asking if he could stay for the night due to his horse having a flat tire. He's soon joined by a skull-like Muppet Monster named Uncle Deadly.
VINCENT: I must tell you I am not alone. I am traveling with my beautiful assistant and a hideously deformed monster.
FOZZIE: Oh! Hideously deformed is right!
DEADLY: Watch it! I'm the beautiful assistant!
Realizing it's close to midnight, Vincent urges his hosts to chain him up in a dungeon before he turns into a monster. Unfortunately, the clock starts its toll before anyone can act on his instructions and Uncle Deadly notes that something extraordinarily different and inhuman is occurring. Upon learning it's New Year's Eve, he confesses that this time each year the master turns into Guy Lombardo! [Note: some countries unfamiliar with Guy Lombardo instead received an episode with the name "Jack Parnell", the Muppet Show's orchestra leader, looped over Lombardo's name.]
BALCONY
STATLER: Vincent Price is the most wonderfully scary actor since Thudge Mcgerk!
WALDORF: Thudge McGerk! I'll never forget him. His last film was Phantom of the Soap Opera.
STATLER: Yeah. After that he went berserk. They say he still haunts theaters around the world.
WALDORF: Yeah - three eyes, green hair, long arms, horns and big ugly fangs. Horrible man, horrible.
[The Miss Kitty puppet dressed up to match Waldorf's description rises behind the hecklers and frightens Statler into leaping out of the box.]
WALDORF: Now listen - on your way back up, bring some popcorn!
THUDGE: Ha heh ba gabbing badabadada buttah!
WALDORF: ...With butter!
BACKSTAGE
Shaky's still a bundle of nerves lurking around backstage. Kermit tries to find out from the three headed monster what kind of act they've put together, but none of the heads agree with the others!
CURTAIN
Sam the Eagle, convinced the audience is as shocked at tonight's proceedings as he is brings on Wayne and Wanda to counter all the weird things happening.
WAYNE
& WANDA
As Wanda sings an extreme makeover occurs.
WANDA: I'm wild again. Beguiled again. A simpering, whimpering child again. Bewitched...
Wanda suddenly explodes and turns into Boppity.
DISCUSSION PANEL
To highlight Vincent Price's other talent for cooking, Kermit introduces a panel devoted to the topic of gourmet dining. Vincent has invited as his guests Pierre Lucouse, one of the world's great chefs and Gorgon Heap, one of the world's great eaters.
As
Vincent and Pierre debate whether the world's most delicious dish
is Escalopes de Veau a la Estragon or Gigot au Epaule de Presole
Farci, Gorgon proceeds to eat all the dishes (and pitchers, chef
hats, etc.)!
KERMIT: Listen, Pierre, there's one thing I've always wanted to ask you (Gorgon eats Pierre) ...but it's a little late now...
The panel comes to a morbid close as Gorgon and Vincent both crave for frog's legs.
BALCONY
WALDORF: This show should be reported to the Consumer Protection Agency!
STATLER: Why?
WALDORF: The host was just consumed!
KERMIT (popping up): Uh, don't count on it!
STATLER: Hey, this is OUR box, fella! Lemme see your ticket stub!
AT THE DANCE
Keeping with the theme of creepie crawlies, George and Mildred are joined on the dance floor by all manner of Muppet Monster.
1ST GHOST: Why don't we stop and have a drink?
2ND GHOST: We can't ... they don't serve spirits here!
UK
SKIT: BACKSTAGE SONG - "I'M LOOKING THROUGH YOU"
Two ghosts serenade a smaller rambunctious ghost (and scare Fozzie in the process) with the Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You". (Very nice harmonizing by John Lovelady and Richard Hunt! Their voices blend well together and it's a shame they didn't have a chance to sing more often together during John's brief stint on the show.)
TALK SPOT
Kermit presses Vincent on how exactly he turns into a vampire in his movies. Vincent provides an immediate demonstration winning over the mainly Muppet Monster audience.
VINCENT: If you will forgive the immodesty, that is perhaps the epitome of the actor's craft. You see, it takes tremendous concentration, years of physical and emotional training and enormous mental exertion. Do you understand?
KERMIT (sprouting fangs): Oh sure!
BALCONY
STATLER: By the way, I thought your wife was coming tonight.
WALDORF: Oh, the old bat couldn't come.
(On cue, several bats surround the balcony.)
STATLER: The rest of 'em sure made it!
BACKSTAGE
Kermit breaks the news to the triple-header that there's no room in the show to use them even though they've worked up a big song..."Tea For Three".
NEWSFLASH
As the Newsman reports on furniture turning into monsters, we catch a glimpse of Mr. Milquetoast watching the news report on his television sets as his own furniture rises up against him.
NEWSMAN: A dining room table set for eight reportedly ATE the eight it was set for!
ONSTAGE
Vincent can't find Hilda to assist him with hands full of costumes. Sweetums quite literally offers Vincent a hand.
BACKSTAGE
Fozzie attempts to console the dejected three-headed monster, however Fozzie ends up needing comforting himself when he learns of the monster's plans to enter into comedy.
One head as the straight man, one as the comic, and the third as the audience - "WE'LL ALWAYS LOVE US!"
TALKING HOUSES
HOUSE 3: My youngest boy is very interested in medicine.
HOUSE 4: Oh, he's a doctor?
HOUSE 3: No, a hospital.
CURTAIN
Kermit
makes a rather eerie face as he welcomes back Vincent Price.
MUSICAL NUMBER - "YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND"
Uncle Deadly and a chorus of Muppet Monsters join Vincent for a Phantom-of-the-Opera-themed song at the pipe organ.
CURTAIN
Vincent reprises the "give him a hand" gag for Kermit.
CLOSING THEME
BALCONY
Thudge, replacing Statler, mumbles some Monster jumbo.
WALDORF: Well that's easy for you to say!
Guide
Written by
D. W. McKim and Phillip Chapman
With
contributions from
Jogchem Jalink and Dave Ebersole
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