The MuppetCast #28 - Muppet Sculptors and Beaker Cookies

[stephenjlizard]

Hey all,

This time around, we listen to sculptor Bill Mancuso talk about creating some of our favorite Palisades Muppet figures. Along with Palisades, Bill has also worked with some other toy companies with which you may be familiar, including McFarlane Toys.

I have to say, I'm really liking the theme song from the new Panwapa Island! It's just catchy, and you'll be bopping along by the end of it, I'm sure. At any rate, it's a great new project coming out of Sesame Workshop.

Sesame Street around the World makes its return, and with all the news, email, and a Muppet montage not to be missed, I think it all adds up to a good episode. But I'd rather hear what you think about it. So let me know!

Oh, and somebody send me a voicemail and make the $ I just paid Skype worth the renewal fee for the phone number, lol. The number is 614-364-4270. I type back and forth with a lot of people on Muppet Central; I'd love to hear some of your actual voices!

Have a great week!

 

[The Count]

Hey Steve... Just finished listening... What to say but... Yaeeeey!

Regarding the Muppet Musicians of Bremen, that donkey puppet you saw at the Center for Puppetry Arts you thought looked familiar... Is it possible it was Leroy from this Muppet special?
Also, if you listen to T.R. the Rooster's song when he knows he has to leave Farmer Lardpork's farm... Listen to the one hen who banters with T.R., and I think you'll recognize it as the voice of one Jerry Juhl.

The Adventure Kermit figure, or Indiana Frog as us true Muppet fans know him, is sort of an amalgam. The concept of Indiana Frog as a Kermit parody of Indiana Jones started on Muppet Babies in various imagination adventure inserts. But the character was brought into actuality when Kermit was dragged into reprising that role in the TV special The Muppets at Walt Disney World.
Additionally, there were a total of nine officially released series of the Muppets figures. The "tenth" series was made up unofficially by the special exclusive releases throughout the year of 2005. Altogether, there are 130 items/figures released as part of the Muppets figure line including Super Grover, and excluding the mishaps in production that Ken has from time to time in his eBay store. To date, I happen to have 121 of those items. My collection also includes final production versions of all four Sesame Street S1 figures. Reason why I haven't hunted down the last few items is cause the photo figure guide/checklist I wanted to put together has stalled, owing to my double-shelving unit being in need of protective plexiglass doors to keep the dust out and still show off the figures.

Rully liked learning about the characters and general info about SST Germany. Of note is that Samson and Tiffy appeared in an insert in the 1993 Sesame special, Sesame Street Stays Up Late: A New Year's Eve Celebration. Heh, I have a sort of story about that special. My family was on a sort of family reunion Christmas vacation in Connecticut, at least my mom's side of the family. We drove up in two cars past the midnight moonlight up to Vermont to some houses we had rented for an additional week. Since I'm mostly a quiet guy and TV is one of my life centers, I found the set and chair and plopped down tuning on the machine. Lo and behold, I found this Sesame special just starting which I had no idea had been announced. It was very pleasing to watch something like that, especially with all the international Muppets celebration segments, and of course Cookie Monster eating the words "THE END" during the ending credits.

For the Halloween contest, I have an example I could post here, was waiting for the show to be posted and hosted so as not to bog you down.
Bobo the Bear as Quasibobo: Illustration URL: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y240/SoftRains/Quasi.jpg


You know, as far as acapella groups go... My money still says the best was Rockapella from the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego game show that aired on PBS hosted by Greg Lee and Lynn Thigpenn as the Chief.
Lynn Thigpenn by the way was the voice of Luna the Moon on Bear in the Big Blue House and appeared on Sesame as the Worm Aeronautics and Space Administration (or WASA) Training Officer as part of the Slimey to the Moon or Worms In Space story arch from Season 28.

Anyway... Got a couple of stories I could share at a later time that come to mind from different angles/responses to your interviews and experiences at the Center for Puppetry Arts. If I have the time, maybe a little something can be done with my brother, though I can't guarantee it'd be sent in time for next Sunday.
At any rate, keep up the great job buddy.

 

[erniebert1234ss]

Seconded on the Rockapella bit, Count...

BJ

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Great to hear about such amazing people who have worked with the Muppet's! Keep up the good work!