Ask Ken at Palisades

Back when the license extended to include Muppets Tonight, did you ever have any desire to produce any Muppets Tonight-related playsets?

Also, I wasn't a member at the time, but shortly after the action figure line announcements, you listed characters by how popular you concidered them (big guns, secondary, and fan favorites). If you can remember, were those fan faves you listed mentioned in the contract?

not Ken, but I actually remember that list. Ken was actually referring to how characters would be released within the lineup. The initial plan was each wave would consist of a) 2 heavy hitters, b) 1 supporting player, and c) 1 fav favorite

So for example...

Series 3 contained a) Scooter and Rowlf, 2) Zoot, and 3) Lew Zealand.

As I recall it consisted of about 30 somewhat essential characters and they ultimately all got made. I don't recall anyone TOO obscure being on that list.

But to give it a little perspective, and Ken would have to verify this, but I believe that Beauregard was also one of the guys that Henson was anxious about them making intially just cause they felt he was too obscure. That might have been the case with Mahna Mahna as well.

We need to get Travis in here cause he had a great story he told me one year at ToyFair about Lucasfilm and "Adventure Kermit". When I get a chance I'll poke him and see if I can get him to pop in and tell it. If not, I'll definitely post it.

I recall that list including Showered Rossell, who was a Sesame Street character (I think everybody thought he meant Louis Kazagger). I think that Annie Sue Pig and Thog were also on that list, yet weren't made as figures (Thog was only made as a mini-PVC). But it did include Lips, who is probably too obscure but I am really happy that a Lips figure was produced.

ah, we must be talking about two different lists then. The list I was thinking of was very early on. Lips, Annie Sue, Thog, etc didn't come up in discussion until much later on when they knew they were going beyond 4 waves.

--Matt

Well I think we are thinking of the same lists. It's hard to find it using the internet wayback machine (I can find older versions of Muppet central, but the delphi forum still doesn't seem to come up). I know that Tough Pigs included that list, along with other info that came from the posts. It seems like this Palisades news was eventually taken down from the site.

And I'm not too sure whether Annie Sue or Thog were listed (I am more sure about Thog), but I'm sure Lips was in that list, even though several months later Ken said he asked about Lips and Henson wasn't too sold on the idea. i recaall Lips being there because he was one of the top five characters I wanted most and was excitted to see him listed.

Of course that list was a bit odd. Ken said he wanted each series to have two big guns, a secondary, and a fan fave, but the secondary list had both Dr. Teeth and Bunsen listed (I figured Dr. Teeth was the secondary in this case, before realising the lsit was from Muppet Show standards). But I think series 2 and 3 were really the only ones to follow the rule based on that list (thought he originally announced series 4 line-up - with a TBD Kermit variant, Sam, Dr. Strangepork, and Janice- did follow that pattern).

I think that deep down the people at Palisades did plan on more than four. When series four was announced, Link (with Pigs in Space playset) and Dr. Strangepork were announced, but there was no First Mate Piggy announced for series four. And a Gonzo variant was released before a regular Gonzo, which didn't come out until series 5.

Still, that list had some choices that I foudn odd. I thought it was weird that Beaker and Sam were listed as big guns, sicne those two were hardly ever made as merchandise (Beaker merchandise had just started being made two years prior to that). I was more surprised, though, that Bunsen and Beaker were categorized differently. I also found it odd that Link Hogthrob and Robin were listed as fan faves instead of secodnary.

I remember Angus Mcgonagle going on the original lineup and the idea was revisited later. Sal, Mahna Mahna, the Snowths, another Dr. Teeth, Pajama Animal, Beaker single re-release, Vets Hospital cast, Muppet Wizard of Oz cast, Bobo, Mulch, Seymour & Pepe, the MTM Muppet Babies, Reporter Gonzo, MFS Gonzo, Rat packs, Gobo and likely some Doozers and additional Fraggles were all in the planning stages as I recall.

You know, those characters aren't among the top ten that I would have most wanted. But I guess we should be thankful that, aside from releasing Johnny Fiama but not Sal, Palisades didn't start any character duos or groups without completing them in the line. They didn't realease Bill and Gil but not Jill. They didn't release half of Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers. Of course, they did release Polly Lobster (as a pack-in) without releasing Mad Monty or Clueless Morgan, and we did get Pepe but not Seymour, and only a few Muppet Treasure Island variants were released, but I don't know if those should count. Same with tuxedo and vacation variants.

Pity they haven't been made yet. Still on the subject... I can't wait till my b-day on the 7th of april coz then I will get my first palisades muppet figure. We don't get so much here in the UK but its gonna be a kermit figure. Can't wait! Also it would be aweosme if palisades did a Cookie monster figure and other sesame street characters. To top it off they should make a special Jim Henson figure.

Uh, are you aware that Palisades went out of buisness a few years ago? The Muppets line ended in 2005.

Palisades did have a license to make Sesame Street figures, but went out of buisness before the first series could be released, and the only Sesame Street release was an exclusive Super Grover figure. I don't think Cookie Monster was ever announced.

And there was a Jim Henson figure, though it was of the Muppet version that occassionally appeared on The Muppet Show.

Interesting but how the heck was I supposed to know that!
I live in a totally different area to most american members.

Yet you're on the same internet that we got our information from. Lol.

This is what I think too! Although mostly Sal (to go with Johnny) and Bobo (because he's one of my favorites!)

yes, but fluffet's post count is pretty low.. and as i recall, pretty young.. so wasn't likely around here back then.. and few people take the time to scan through all the old threads...

have to admit i was surprised to see this thread still active...

but then, i'm up way too late, overly tired having not slept well last night, not likely to sleep well tonight (stupid volcanic gases upsetting my asthma..) so am up and scrolling/posting when i'm definatley not fully awake or aware what i'm doing..
i'm surprised i havne't had more typos and that this mostly makes sense.. heh

Hey I'm not THAT young, In a bundle of days I'll be 12. Of course I was around! I WAS born in 1997 after all. P.S how you copin with volcano?

by around i mean around the forums.. heh..

so far the ash fall has stayed away from me.. we've gotten some minor trace ash, but nothing serious.. really hope it stays that way.. just wish the gases would go away again so i can breathe.. i got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night and i'm really glad i don't have anything i actually have to do today.. cuz i would not be able to do it.. am even putting of doing laundry cuz i don't want to have to go up and down the stairs..
the volcano itself is about 150 miles away, and not much for flowing lava.. but the ash is bad enough.. this is supposed to last for several months... (last time it blew it was doing this for like 4 or 5 months apparently..) i really hope it doesn't last that long this time..

Considering that initially the contract only included characters and things from The Muppet Show, was it difficult to get permission to have the Muppet Labs playset look like the lab from Muppet Vision 3D?

WHOA!

I check my Inbox this afternoon, and I see this message. Not since 2009 has one appeared in it. And then? I wasn't paying much attention to be honest. Too many other things on my plate. Rough year.

It wasn't difficult at all, to answer your question, since the set on the show changed so dramatically, there really was not a 'signature' look to the Muppet Labs like, for example, the bridge of the Swine Trek. So since that ride was something that was current and the show was not (and at the time not even on DVD) it was relatively EASY to get the Henson people into the idea.

The REAL question was at the time if I recall and remains...was it a good idea in general? To pattern it after the 3-D look, or to piece something together form some of the show skits.

It was a judgment call, mine, and in hindsight, and hindsight is 20/20, I'd like a 'do-over'. I think the set should have had more 'show elements' on it and less of the Muppet 3-D look. Yes, that's right, I am admitting it...I think I was WRONG in going that way.

At the time I did not think so. And had I the same set of circumstances before me I'd make the same decision. But again, hindsight, knowing what I know TODAY...I'd change it.

Man, this was weird.