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EPISODE NOTES

About halfway through the second season, this episode in particular demonstrates an overall confidence that the writers are comfortable with the format and its characters as it calls on a wide range of the ensemble with most of the sketches and characters represented and still experimenting with and mining the comic possibilities. Fozzie does his act on roller skates (most of his comedy skits now usually have a unique hook rather than the first season standard of him just telling bad jokes and being heckled from the balcony), and Vet's Hospital takes its usual sight gag of the characters looking around in wonderment when the announcer breaks in a step further to hilarious results.

Even though Miss Piggy had to bribe the audience to accept her as a superstar four episodes ago, she's still taking off well enough on her own. She's appeared with the guest in their closing numbers the last two episodes (and had a memorable duet with the guest before that) and even gets her time in the sun...or rather moon...as her frog actually seems to be getting romantic toward her on his own as he sings and waves to her in the Ukulele Lady number. (Of course we're not privy to any unseen backstage flipper-twisting the pig may have used to get Kermit to do the song, but at least the pair finally seems to be a bit more than one-sided, at least for on-stage "show".)

PRODUCED BY Jim Henson

WRITTEN BY Jerry Juhl, Joseph A. Bailey, Jim Henson and Don Hinkley

DIRECTED BY Philip Casson

THE MUPPET PERFORMERS FEATURING

Frank Oz (Sam, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Animal, whatnot)

Jerry Nelson (Sleeze Brother, announcer, Floyd, Robin,
TR Rooster, Flo Chicken, whatnot)

Richard Hunt (Scooter, Statler, Sleeze Brother, Janice, pig, whatnot, Beaker)

Dave Goelz (Gonzo, Zoot,
Bunsen)

Jim Henson (Kermit, Waldorf, Newsman, Rowlf, whatnot, Link, Dr. Teeth)

[uncredited] Louise Gold (pig)

PUPPETS AND THEIR COSTUMES BY Caroly Wilcox, Mari Kaestle, Dave Goelz, John Lovelady, Amy Van Gilder, Calista Hendrickson, Faz Fazakas, Larry Jameson and Bonnie Erickson

SPECIAL PUPPETS BY Don Sahlin

MUPPET CREATIVE CONSULTANTS: Frank Oz, Michael K. Frith

MUSIC CONSULTANT: Larry Grossman

ART DIRECTOR: Bryan Holgate

ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY Jack Parnell

MUSICAL ASSOCIATE: Derek Scott

LIGHTING DIRECTOR: Phil Hawkes

AUDIO: Roger Knight

VIDEO TAPE EDITOR: John Hawkins

ASSISTANT TO THE PRODUCER: Joan Chaplow

SENIOR FLOOR MANAGER: Richard Holloway

FLOOR MANAGER: Martin Baker

STAGE MANAGER: Caryl Cruickshank

SENIOR VIDEO ENGINEER: Gerry Taylor

SENIOR CAMERAMAN: Bill Brown

VISION MIXER: Carole Legg

COSTUMES BY James Dark

MAKE-UP BY Marion Phillips

THEME MUSIC: Sam Pottle

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR HENSON ASSOCIATES, INC.: David Lazer

Lou Rawls - Episode 39

Taping Dates: Week of November 1, 1977
Original Airdates: May 1, 1978 (New York) and March 3, 1978 (LA)
DVD Release: Buena Vista Home Video, 2007

GENERIC INTRO: PERFORMING

Brian Henson: "Hi, I'm Brian Henson. Let me tell you a little bit about how we train to perform the Muppets. It's kind of an interesting process, because what we do is, we watch a monitor. It shows us what the camera is seeing and we reach up and we work the puppet with our other hand. It's a complicated process but the idea is, that you're meant to look into the monitor and bring to life that character and be the audience and the audience's point of view."

"Course it's real difficult, because when the character turns to the right, but the camera you see, is turning to the left which means you always have to think backwards. Of course it's the Muppets so thinking backwards comes naturally. Here's The Muppet Show."

DRESSING ROOM

Sam pays Lou a post-mortem compliment.

OPENING

The balcony: Statler declares "We're old men!" and Waldorf replies, "Give us a break!"

Gonzo's horn: Green smoke comes out of Gonzo's trumpet (same as episode 32, Steve Martin).

CURTAIN

Fozzie's still getting the hang of his roller-skating act so Lou Rawls is called upon to do the opening.

OPENING NUMBER - "GROOVY PEOPLE"

Lou Rawls opens the show backed by The Sleeze Brothers, a quartet of sleepy-eyed, frizzy hair lounge singers.

BALCONY

STATLER: That Lou Rawls is one fantastic singer.

WALDORF: Well so am I! Hey you wanna hear me sing?

STATLER: Only if you sing solo.

WALDORF: Solo?

STATLER: So low I can't hear!

BACKSTAGE

Kermit contemplates whether to further adjust the running order and is answered by Fozzie's out-of-control skating.

NEWSFLASH

Newsman reports on an outbreak of mallarditis.

VETERINARIAN'S HOSPITAL

After performing their act, the announcer attempts to close but is questioned by the cast.
DR. BOB: Hey - who are you?

ANNOUNCER: Who?

NURSE JANICE: You!

NURSE PIGGY: You know, the voice we keep hearing in here!

ANNOUNCER: I'm the announcer - I'm the guy who says, 'And now Veterinarian's Hospital - the continuing stooory of a quack who's gone to the dogs...'

...and the cast do their entire routine all over again!

OUTSIDE

Lou Rawls steps outside the theatre and chats with Floyd (taking Animal for a walk.) Floyd helps Lou with some translation and the singer considers using Animal for a road trip.

[Despite some past subtle hints, this is the first obvious indication we have that Animal is basically in Floyd's care. There's some incontinuity in this scene as Animal eats through his chain and then it's immediately repaired.]

BACKSTAGE

The Swedish Chef protests that he's not ready to go on...but due to Fozzie's being even more not ready, the Chef has to be moved up.

KERMIT: We've had to move things around a little...

FOZZIE: KERMIIIT...

(Fozzie whizzes by not being able to stop on his skates)

KERMIT: In fact some things are moving around quite a lot.

SWEDISH CHEF

The Chef, still resentful that he has to be dragged on stage so early throws his utensils at Kermit and Scooter after his song and prepares a revenge dish of frog's legs - Robin the Frog being held hostage! Kermit and Scooter get the Chef off the stage as quickly as they put him on.

KERMIT: WAIT A MINUTE! HOLD IT! STOP! CUT! CUT! CUT!

ROBIN: Don't say 'Cut', say 'Stop'!

AT THE DANCE

Gonzo searches for the monster that ate his harmonica while a chicken discusses the health of her kids.

[The chicken joke is reused for a special "At The Dance" recorded for The Muppet Show 2 album.]

MUSICAL NUMBER - "UKULELE LADY"

A true sign that Miss Piggy is reaching superstar status...she gets her turn being posed in a crescent moon as Kermit serenades her with a hawaiian number.

UK SKIT: MUSICAL NUMBER - "SONNY BOY"

Link sings and gives some words of encouragement to a live baby pig.

LINK: When you grow up, you know you might be a halfback. Or you might even be a fullback. Or if you really persevere, you may grow up to be a football.

TALK SPOT

Kermit inquires about the secrets of jazz singing and asks for a demonstration but the mood isn't quite right and there's no band - so Kermit immediately enlists the aid of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Lou grooves on "Bye Bye Blackbird" and each of the band members get a turn to scat along.

BALCONY

STATLER: I just love scat.

WALDORF: What?

STATLER: SCAT! SCAT!

WALDORF: What, is there a pussycat in here?

BACKSTAGE

Fozzie is as ready as he'll ever be for his roller-skating act as the Swedish Chef enjoys his unscheduled second-half leisure time gracefully gliding around the backstage.

MUPPET LABS

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is set to display the Labs' new nuclear powered shaver. However the lead helmet is so heavy that it crushes Beaker's head down so much rendering a shave moot.

[Bunsen delivers a "tss-tss-tss" laugh at the end of this sketch which not only would become a trademark for the character but seems to hint at a slightly sinister comic pleasure the mad scientist gets out of Beaker's misfortunes.]

CURTAIN

Kermit warns the audience that Fozzie will be performing his act on roller skates!

FOZZIE'S COMEDY SPOT

Fozzie actually seems to succeed somewhat in his skating and the gimmick provides some good fodder for his material - but he's still not proficient enough to carry it all the way through.

BALCONY

STATLER: He was doing okay til he fell off the stage!

WALDORF: Wrong! He was doing okay til he came ON the stage!

[A re-recorded version of this comedy spot appeared on The Muppet Show 2 album.]

CURTAIN

Kermit brings on Lou along with the Big Band of Dr. Teeth.

CLOSING NUMBER "YOU'RE THE ONE"

As the Electric Mayhem band is enhanced with a brass section, Lou sings his closing song to Miss Piggy seated on stage at a table with flowers and champaign.

[One of the trumpet players is Bobby Benson who will emerge next year as the leader of his own Baby Band.]

CURTAIN

KERMIT: That's all the time we have, but before we go...

FOZZIE: (skating by) I'm going now...

CLOSING

STATLER: I loved tonight's show!

WALDORF: Really?

STATLER: Of course not, I just wanted to see if I could say it!

Guide Written by
D. W. McKim and Phillip Chapman

Video Captures by
Alex Taylor


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