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| The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Family film Television special |
| Created by | Henson Associates |
| Written by | Jerry Juhl |
| Directed by | Peter Harris |
| Starring | Jim Henson Frank Oz Jerry Nelson Richard Hunt Dave Goelz Steve Whitmire Caroll Spinney |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Jim Henson |
| Producers | Andrew Solt Diana Birkenfield |
| Editors | Susan F. Walker Jim Milio Steve Muscarella Mark West |
| Production company | Henson Associates |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | January 21, 1986 (1986-01-21) |
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years is a one-hour special starringJim Henson'sMuppets. It was shot inToronto,Ontario in 1985 and aired January 21, 1986 onCBS.
Muppets from various productions, includingThe Muppet Show,Sesame Street,Sam and Friends, as well as characters fromFraggle Rock such as Uncle Traveling Matt and Sprocket, convened to commemorate their thirtieth anniversary through a celebratory banquet. The event featured a retrospective of their cinematic and television endeavors.
The proceedings commenced with a montage of Muppet clips spanning from 1955 to 1985, accompanied byEthel Merman's rendition of "There's No Business Like Show Business." The gala unfolded in an opulent ballroom teeming with Jim Henson's esteemed creations, save for those unable to attend, as noted by announcerJohn Harlan. Hosted by Fozzie Bear and spotlighting guest of honor Kermit the Frog, the program delved into the Muppets' chronicles and musical highlights.
Despite Kermit's reluctance to accept Fozzie's effusive praise, the latter persisted, underscoring Kermit's pivotal role in launching the Muppets' careers. A retrospective journey ensued, featuring clips from seminal Muppet productions such asThe Muppet Movie,The Muppets Take Manhattan, andThe Great Muppet Caper. Notable segments included Fozzie and Rowlf's rendition of "I Got Rhythm", Gonzo the Great's daring motorcycle stunt, and Rita Moreno's performance of "Fever" alongside Animal.
After a tribute to Miss Piggy and a showcase of Muppet book, record, and magazine covers, a comical interruption by Sweetums and other Muppet monsters led to a raucous montage. Count von Count then introduced Bert and Ernie, followed by a compilation of memorable scenes fromSesame Street featuring beloved characters such as Cookie Monster and Big Bird.
The presentation continued with a showcase of clips from animated Saturday morning cartoons likeMuppet Babies andLittle Muppet Monsters, as well as excerpts fromFraggle Rock. Imaginative sequences curated by Uncle Traveling Matt and musical interludes presented by Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem added depth to the retrospective.
The tribute to Kermit culminated with a poignant reedit ofLinda Ronstadt's performance of "When I Grow Too Old to Dream", evoking heartfelt emotions among the Muppets. The program concluded with a clip fromThe Muppet Movie, featuring the ensemble singing "Rainbow Connection".
Jim Henson briefly appeared at the program's conclusion, humorously presented with a bill by Grover. Kermit, in the closing remarks, expressed gratitude for the celebration, signaling the dawn of the Muppets' next thirty years with a rehearsal scheduled for the following day.
Additional Muppets performed by Terry Angus,Kevin Clash,Camille Bonora,David Rudman,Michael Earl, Jonathan Paine, and Fred Stinson
