where did you first hear about these productions?

minor muppetz

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Do any of you remember how you first knew about certain henson productions? did you first know about them by watching them? seeing a commercial for them? by reading the internet?

I will list how I first heard about as many muppet/ Jim henson/ Sesame Street productions as possible.

I can't remember how I first knew about The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock (live action or animated), Sesame Street, Muppet Babies, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, or The Muppets Take Manhattan, but I think I first knew of the movies, Sesame Street, and Muppet Babies by watching them, and I think this might be true for the animated fraggle rock. I don't have any memory of actually watching any full-lenght fraggle rock episodes before 1992, and I don't have any memory of watcing any full-lenght episodes of The Muppet Show prior to 1994, but I know that I did know about these shows before actually watching them.

I have a feeling that I first knew about Follow That Bird by renting it.

I first knew about labrynth by seeing it in second grade.

I first knew about The dark crystal by reading about it in the book Jim Henson: Creator Of The Muppets.

I first knew about Muppet Vision 3D and here Comes The muppet by going on vacation to Walt Disney World.

I first knew about The Witches by going to the library and seeing it (my local library had some kidn of summer program where they played movies). I didn't know that Jim henson worked on it untill I got the book Jim henson: Creator of The Muppets.

I first knew about five of the Play-Along Videos by seeing them at the video store. I first knew about the other one, Neat Stuff, by looking at a coupon for them that came with a Muppet babies book called The Legeant of Gimmie Gulch (I might be wrong with the title, and no, I didn't get any of the videos).

I first knew about four of the muppet show compilation videos by seeing them (and renting them) at the video store, and i knew about the rest by watching the promo for them after the videos (now That was a promo).

I first knew about Fraggle Songs and Doozer Music by seeing them at video stores.

I first knew about The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island by seeing commercials for them (I first saw a Muppet Treasure island trailer in the theatre). All movies made after that I knew about by reading the internet (Muppets From Space is the only post-MTI muppet movie that i first learned of on a website other than Muppet Central).

I'll post more later.
 

minor muppetz

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here is how I first knew about some more things

i used to have a babysitter who got a magazine that listed that months programming on the Disney Channel, and that is how I first heard about Big Bird In China, Big Bird In Japan, Basil hears A Noise, and I think that is how I first knew about Mother Goose Stories and The Secret Life of Toys.

I first heard about Don't eat The Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by reading a mini-catelogue that came with The best of Elmo (i'm not sure if catelogue is the right word, or if flyer is better)

I first knew about The best of Elmo and The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street by seeing them advertized in a paper. I first knew of Monster Hits by seeing an advertizement for it in some book-order catelogue at school. I first knew about all other pre-2002 Sesame Street videos by seeing them in the store (okay, that's not entirely true. The video releases from Random House, that were part of the My Sesame Street Home Video collection, originally had a listing of other videos in that series, and that's how i first knew of Getting Ready For School, learning to Add and Subtract, and The Alphabet Game). All post-2002 videos I first knew about by reading the internet (either on Muppet Central or Tough Pigs).

I first knew about The Muppet Musicians of bremen by seeing it at the video store.

I first knew of A Muppet family Christmas and The Muppets at Walt Disney World by seeing them when they were originally broadcast (and I might have seen advertizements for them before the original airings, but I can't remember).

I first knew about Dinosaurs by seeing a commercial for it (and I mistakenly thought the characters were frogs). I first saw an actual episode, Hurling Day, at my aunts house (and when I first heard about Dinosaurs being on, I thouhgt that was the name of a cartoon, thinking it was the land before time.)

I first knew about Dog City by seeing the commercials for the show.

I first knew about Timepiece, Youth '68, and The Cube by reading about them in Jim Henson: creator of the muppets.
 

minor muppetz

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I first heard about Tales of the Tinkerdee, The Great Santa Clause Switch, The Muppet Show: Sex And Violence, The Muppets Go Hollywood, John Denver and the Muppets: Rocky Mountain Holiday, The Ghost of Faffner Hall, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, The Storyteller: Greek Myths (although after reading about this, I wathced The Secrets of The Muppets and saw that the guy at the creature shop was talking about this show, only refferring to it as a Greek Myths series) and City Kids by reading a muppet performers list when I first got the internet.

I first knew about The Frog Prince, The Muppets Go To The Movies, The Secrets of The Muppets (a special from the jim henson hour), The Christmas Toy, Emmit Ottrs Jug-Band Christmas, and The Muppet Valentine Show by seeing commercials for thm on Nuckleodeon.

I first knew about The Muppets: a celebration of thirty years, The fantastic Miss Piggy Show, and the Jim Henson Hour specials Monster Maker, Living Wiht Dinosaurs, Lighthouse Island, and Miss Piggys Hollywood by seeing them listed in the TV listings on Nickleodeon (and I saw all of them except for Living With Dinosaurs).

I first knew about Sam And Friends and Little Muppet Monsters by seeing clips of them in The Muppets: A Celbration of Thirty Years.

I first knew about John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together by seeing a commercial for it on The Disney Channel.

I first knew about Mr. Willobys Christmas Tree by reading a description of it in the holiday section of the TV listings back when it originally aired.
 

minor muppetz

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I first knew about Buddy by seeing previews for it in the video release of Matilda.

I first knew about The Storyteller by seeing a preview for The Jim Henson Hour in which Jim Henson mentioned that the show would have "new episodes of The Storyteller".

I first knew about The Jim Henson Hour by seeing commercials for it.

I first knew about Muppets Tonight! by reading a news article about it (at that point the show was going to be called "Muppets Live").

I first heard about Bear In The Big Blue House when it was mentioend on Bill Shermans Muppet Home page.

I first knew about The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss by seeing commercials for it.

Bill Shermans Muppet Home page featured a section called "Muppography", which included lists of several henson programs, and this is where i first learned of "cyclia" (i think that was the name of the unfinished experimental film that Jim Henson worked on in the 1960s), Jim Henson Presents The World of Puppetry, Hensons Place, and The Muppets On Puppets.

I think that I first knew of The Sesame Street Special and Sesame Street: 20 And Still Counting by seeing commercials (if not by seeing them on TV).

I first knew of Christmas Eve On Sesame Street by wathcing it.
 

minor muppetz

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I first knew of Family Rules, Farscape, and all henson shows that originated on The oddyssey channel by reading about them on Muppet Central.

I first knew about breakfast With Bear by reading tough pigs.

I first knew of Brats of the Lost Nebula by seeing commercials for it (and didn't know it was from the jim henson company untill reading Muppet central, and I think it was canceled at that point).

I first knew of Muppet Classic Theatre by seeing it advertized on the back of the mini-catelogue for videos released by disney that came with The Return of Jafar video.

I first knew about the Tale of the Bunny Picnic and Muppet Sing-Along collection by seeing them all in stores.

I first knew about the Muppet videos that were released by some kind of short-lived video console (titles included You're The Director) by reading about them on this forum.

I first knew about Sesame Street Stays Up Late by reading about it in the tv listing.

I first knew about Cinderelmo by reading it on Muppet Central, and about the Sesame Street Unpaved special and A&E Biography Close-Up: Sesame Street by reading the Muppet Central message board.
 

minor muppetz

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minor muppetz said:
I first knew about The best of Elmo and The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street by seeing them advertized in a paper. I first knew of Monster Hits by seeing an advertizement for it in some book-order catelogue at school. I first knew about all other pre-2002 Sesame Street videos by seeing them in the store (okay, that's not entirely true. The video releases from Random House, that were part of the My Sesame Street Home Video collection, originally had a listing of other videos in that series, and that's how i first knew of Getting Ready For School, learning to Add and Subtract, and The Alphabet Game). All post-2002 videos I first knew about by reading the internet (either on Muppet Central or Tough Pigs).
I just remembered something not mentioned here. I first knew about the video Getting Ready To Read by seeing it advertized (if that's the right word) as a gift for pledging a certain amount on a local PBS pledge drive.
 

minor muppetz

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I first knew about Aliens in The family when I saw TGIF on the night that Muppets Tonight! premiered, since the cast of that show was hosting the TGIF block that night, and I didn't know that it was a henson series untill later that week. Hmm, did the muppets host TGIf the week before that (on the week before Muppets Tonight! premiered, I saw Muppet Treasure Island in the theatre, so if the muppets did host TGIF, then I guess that the muppets made me miss out on seeing the muppets :eek: )?
 

MrsPepper

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Wow, this is neat, even if only you have posted in this thread, minor muppetz. :big_grin:

I first heard about fraggle rock as a kid because my brother watched it and we had the picture books. Then I forgot about it until a few years ago when the CBC had a 50 years celebration and had it's own show celebrating their programming from each decade, and I watched the one about the 80's.

I grew up on sesame street so I don't know how I first heard about it.

Same with The Muppet Show, MT, etc. and movies like MCC. Surrounded with them as a child.

I first heard about Labyrinth through my neighbour (she loves that movie) and The Dark Crystal off the television.

I heard about the Storyteller by reading articles on here. Then I bought the DVD. ^^
 

Skekayuk

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Well now let me see:

The Muppet Show - when I was about nine repeats of it on BBC Television, and our next door neighbour got my mum to tape it, so he could come round and watch it on our telly.

Sesame Street - I'm not sure

Dark Crystal - well very first time must've been when I was five years old, watching Blue Peter, and A Skeksis and a bunch of Podlings visited the Blue Peter Studio, and performed their Podling Dance. But at the time I didn't really understand what it was all about.

Labyrinth - Blue Peter again, they had an item about it, mostly about the Goblin's dog.

Muppet Christmas Carol - when it first came out I think I saw it advertised at the Cinema, but unfortunately I was ill and couldn't go to see it when it was on.

The Muppets Take Manhatten - My mum taped it, might have been our next door neighbour wanting to watch it.

Fraggle Rock & Muppet Treasure Island - reading about The Muppets on the internet.

The Ghost Of Faffner Hall, The Secret Life Of Toys, and, TheGreat Muppet Caper- I first heard of all three one evening in February 1995. I was sitting in the auditorium at my local theatre, where I had gone to see a David Kernan revue of Noel Coward & Cole Porter songs (called: Noel/Cole: Let's Do It). I was reading the theatre programme, and of course read the cast resumes, and one of the singers in the show, had those three listed in her resume.
 

minor muppetz

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Skekayuk said:
The Ghost Of Faffner Hall, The Secret Life Of Toys, and, TheGreat Muppet Caper- I first heard of all three one evening in February 1995. I was sitting in the auditorium at my local theatre, where I had gone to see a David Kernan revue of Noel Coward & Cole Porter songs (called: Noel/Cole: Let's Do It). I was reading the theatre programme, and of course read the cast resumes, and one of the singers in the show, had those three listed in her resume.
Could that singer have been Louise Gold? after all, she did perform on all three of those shows, and she is also a singer.

I would also like to bring up how I learned about a few more productions:

I first heard about the Land Of Tinkerdee by reading an article on Muppet central about a special event at the museum of television and radio that focused on the lost works of Jim Henson (and I suppose that most of us either heard about it the same way I did or by actually going to the event).

I think I first heardabout Jim Hensons unsold pilot for a Wizard Of Id series in Caroll Spinneys autobiography, but didn't realize that it was actually filmed untill i read the article about the event listed above.

I first knew about the wilkins coffee and la choy chow mein commercials by seeing clips from them in the muppets: a celebration of thirty years. I first knew about the commercials for purina dog chow, marathon gasoline, and klaussens bread by seeing clips in Great performances: The World of Jim Henson. I saw the croonchy stars commercials as a kid. I first knew about the polaroid commercials by reading about them in the interview with Jim henson that was reprinted on Muppet Central. I first knew about miss piggys appearances in the frito lays commercials when a friend told me about them. Most other muppet commercials I first knew about by reading about them on the internet.

I first knew about an unsold pilot that the jim henson company produced (along with Disney) that was a live-action version of the little mermaid by reading one of Jim Hills articles (from 2001) that talked about the time that Disney almost bought henson, and I guess that the rest of us heard about it that way too (unless they didn't see the article and learned about it by reading this thread).
 
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