A Muppet Family Christmas

A Muppet Family Christmas
Genre	Family film
Creator	Henson Associates
Directed by	Peter Harris Eric Till
Produced by	Jim Henson (executive) Martin G. Baker Diana Birkenfield
Written by	Jerry Juhl
Starring	Gerard Parkes Muppet Performers: Jim Henson Frank Oz Jerry Nelson Richard Hunt Dave Goelz Steve Whitmire Caroll Spinney Kathryn Mullen Karen Prell David Rudman
Music by	Erik Robertson
Editing by	Gordon Stoddard
Country	USA
Original channel	ABC
Release date	December 16, 1987 (1987-12-16)
Running time	42 minutes

A Muppet Family Christmas is a 1987 Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets.

This is one of the very few Muppet productions to feature Muppets associated with all four of the major Muppet franchises: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies (who are seen as actual puppets here instead of cartoon counterparts). This special also features an onscreen guest cameo by Jim Henson; he can be seen in the kitchen doing dishes towards the end of the movie. In addition the United Kingdom broadcast marked the first appearance of Doc on British television, as the UK version of Fraggle Rock featured new "Outer Space" segments, in which Sprocket's owner was a lighthouse keeper.

Because of the music rights being secured only for television, recent video releases of the special (at least on NTSC releases in the United States and Canada) leave out two musical numbers and at least four other scenes (see the alternate versions section of the Internet Movie Database link below for details, or an even more extensive list on Muppet Wiki found below as well). The exclusions have little effect on the plot, but many fans miss the material, and several of the edits are noticeably abrupt. However, PAL releases in countries like the United Kingdom and Germany keep almost every scene and musical number intact, mostly because US copyright laws do not apply in those countries.

TV Guide ranked the special number 8 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.

Plot

The plot involves Jerome "Doc" Crystal and his dog Sprocket (from Fraggle Rock) escaping life on the seashore to spend Christmas in the forest. The country house he chooses to stay at happens to be owned and operated by Fozzie Bear's mother, who is renting the house to Doc because she is going to Malibu for Christmas. When Fozzie comes home for Christmas—bringing all his Muppet friends with him—everyone gets snowed in and chaos, hilarity and sentiment normally associated with The Muppet Show ensues, much to Doc's chagrin who was hoping to spend a 'nice, quiet Christmas.' Fozzie's mother is also disappointed because she has to call off her vacation to cater to her son and her friends. While all the muppets, incuding Swedish Chef and Rowlf the dog who arrive later, are all present and accounted for, Miss Piggy is still in the city for a photo shoot and shopping trip, which worries Kermit. As Christmas Eve progresses, Doc starts to warm up to the Muppet crew and soon the farm house is paid a visit by the Sesame Street characters who are also going to be staying for Christmas. However, as night falls, a wicked snowstorm kicks up while Miss Piggy is still in the city who is trying to brave the elements to get to the farm house, but to no avail. Doc sees how worried Kermit is and offers to go look for her. Afterwards, Robin alerts Kermit to a Fraggle Hole in the cellar, where they venture into it and meet the gang from Fraggle Rock, where Robin receives a pebble that's been a present 37 times. After they leave, they see that the snowstorm has died down and soon everyone sees Doc and Miss Piggy being pulled by a dog carriage and Doc in a Mountie costume. Soon after all the Muppets are reunited, they partake in the annual carolfest, in which also attracts the attention of the fraggles. After the carols, Kermit gives Miss Piggy a mink, who is her biggest fan. Robin also gives Grover his fraggle pebble. Soon afterwards, Doc reappears dressed as Santa and gives everyone presents. Jim Henson makes a brief cameo with Sprocket in the kitchen and the film ends with Kermit and Miss Piggy kissing under the mistletoe.

Cast

• Jim Henson as Himself
• Gerard Parkes as Jerome "Doc" Crystal

Muppet performers

• Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Teeth, Swedish Chef, Waldorf, Ernie, Guy Smiley, The Newsman and a Penguin
• Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Animal, Miss Piggy, Bert, Grover, Cookie Monster and Sam the Eagle
• Jerry Nelson as Emily Bear, Robin the Frog, Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Count von Count, Herry Monster, Two-Headed Monster (Left Head), Gobo Fraggle and Camilla the Chicken
• Richard Hunt - Scooter, Janice, Statler, Beaker, Gladys the Cow, Two-Headed Monster (Right Head) and the Snowman
• Dave Goelz as Gonzo the Great, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Boober Fraggle, Zoot and Beauregard
• Steve Whitmire as Christmas Turkey, Rizzo the Rat, Wembley Fraggle, Sprocket the Dog and Lips
• Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
• Kathryn Mullen as Mokey Fraggle
• Karen Prell as Red Fraggle and Maureen the Mink
• David Rudman as Miss Piggy's photographer

Scenes omitted in North American DVD and VHS release

• The snowman and Fozzie joke and sing the song "Sleigh Ride" when hearing Rowlf inside playing the piano.
• The home movie featuring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and Scooter as babies singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" with baby Rowlf playing a toy piano.
• The Muppets sing "Home for the Holidays," after Miss Piggy's grand belated arrival, then later "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" during the final medley.
• Fozzie tells his mother, Emily Bear, that he is too old to have a stocking hung for him, then changes his mind.

External links

• The Official Website
• A Muppet Family Christmas at the Internet Movie Database
• A Muppet Family Christmas on Muppet Wiki, an external wiki
• A Muppet Family Christmas (video) on Muppet Wiki, an external wiki