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MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: MUPPET RARITIES: THE UNSEEN WORK OF JIM HENSON {LONG VERSION}

Summary

One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio. Held at the Museum in New York and moderated by Museum television curator Ron Simon, this seminar looks at rare footage from Jim Henson's career, including commercials, unaired pilots, and the early television appearances of Henson, his associates, and Muppets characters. After an introduction from Simon, Muppet writer and historian Craig Shemin presents the clips, which are separated into the following categories: Muppet "cut-ins" on NBC news programs in the 1960s (including "Today with Dave Garroway," 1961, and "Sam and Friends," WRC-TV Channel 4 Washington, 1964); commercials from the 1960s (six spots for Southern bread, 1965-66, and a Wilson's Meat sales meeting presentation, 1966); unseen pilots from the 1960s ("The Tales of Tinkerdee," 1962; "The Land of Tinkerdee," 1964; and "The Wizard of Id," 1969); and clips from variety shows of the 1960s ("The Jimmy Dean Show," 1963; the 1967 replacement series "Our Place"; "The Dick Cavett Show," 1973; and "The Mike Douglas Show," July 19-22, 1966, "co-hosted" by the Muppets. Shemin comments on each category of clips before they are screened. After the screening, Simon introduces the following panelists: Karen Falk, head archivist, Jim Henson and Company; Bonnie Erickson, design director, Jim Henson and Company; Muppeteer Jerry Nelson; Jane Henson, Muppeteer and board member of Jim Henson and Company and The Jim Henson Legacy; and Shemin. The panelists participate in a short discussion led by Simon's questions covering the following topics: Jane Henson recalls her and Jim's experiences working on the local and national news programs; Nelson talks about a performance that went wrong on "The Mike Douglas Show"; Shemin comments on the Muppets materials in the Museum collection; Erickson recounts the creation of the Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and Jerry Nelson Muppets seen in a "Mike Douglas" clip; Shemin and Falk explain how they came across some of the previously unseen materials shown in the clips and mention some programs they would like to locate. Simon then opens the discussion to questions from the audience, which cover the following topics: what direction the Henson Company will take now that it has been reacquired by the Henson family; whether a revival of "The Muppet Show" is possible; what the panelists think of the Henson Company's recent collaboration with Disney; and the state and accessibility of Muppet artifacts.

Details

  • NETWORK: Paley
  • DATE: October 15, 2003 6:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:45:40
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:93695
  • GENRE: Seminars
  • SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Ron Simon … Moderator
  • Craig Shemin … Panelist
  • Bonnie Erickson … Panelist
  • Karen Falk … Panelist
  • Jane Henson … Panelist
  • Jerry Nelson … Panelist
  • Dick Cavett
  • Jimmy Dean
  • Mike Douglas
  • Dave Garroway
  • Jim Henson
  • Frank Oz