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A Muppet Family Christmas

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A Muppet Family Christmas
Written byJerry Juhl
Directed byPeter Harris, Eric Till
StarringGerry Parkes
Muppet Performers:
Jim Henson
Frank Oz
Jerry Nelson
Richard Hunt
Dave Goelz
Steve Whitmire
Caroll Spinney
Kathryn Mullen
Karen Prell
David Rudman
ComposerEric Robertson
Country of originUS and Canada
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerJim Henson
ProducersMartin G. Baker, Diana Birkenfield
EditorGordon Stoddard
Running time52 minutes
Production companyHenson Associates
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseDecember 16, 1987 (1987-12-16)

A Muppet Family Christmas is a Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the special was first broadcast on December 16, 1987 on ABC.

Production

This is one of the very few Muppet productions to feature Muppets associated with all four of the major Muppet franchises as a crossover: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies (who are seen as actual puppets here instead of animated 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 special. 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).

TV Guide ranked the special # 8 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.[1]

Plot

Fozzie Bear is driving Kermit the Frog, Gonzo the Great, Camilla the Chicken, Animal, Rizzo the Rat and his fellow Rats, Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, Scooter, Robin the Frog, Beauregard, Lew Zealand, Sam Eagle, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Marvin Suggs, and the other chickens up to his mother Emily's farm for Christmas while they sing "We Need a Little Christmas."

Unbeknownst to Fozzie Bear, Emily Bear is preparing to go to Malibu for the holiday and rent her farmhouse to Doc and Sprocket. The doorbell rings which she answers where Doc and Sprocket enter the house where they have rented the farm for the holidays wanting to spend a nice quiet Christmas in the country. Just then, Fozzie Bear and the other Muppets enter which disrupts Emily and Doc's plans for the holidays. Fozzie Bear introduces Kermit the Frog to Emily who mistakens Kermit for a lizard. When the telephone rings, Animal answers it and hands it to Kermit. The call is from Miss Piggy who is in the middle of a photo session with her photographer and that she will be at the farm house soon.

The doorbell rings again as Fozzie Bear answers it where the Swedish Chef has arrived to cook the Christmas Turkey. While Fozzie Bear shows the Swedish Chef to the kitchen, Gonzo is looking for Camilla when the doorbell answers again. Gonzo finds a turkey at the door who states that he was invited to the farm by the Swedish Chef. While Kermit has Fozzie herd the rats and chickens to his bedroom, Robin approaches Kermit stating that there is a lot of them here. Kermit says that the old family is coming together as they sing "Jingle Bells." It then changes to Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem performing "Jingle Bell Rock" before the rats, Doc, and Sprocket.

Fozzie Bear has some of the local woodland creatures chop down a Christmas tree and bring it inside. Rowlf the Dog arrives stating that he had to chase a truck all the way to him and quotes "And boy am I exhausted!". Rowlf enters the farm where he meets Emily, Doc, and Sprocket. Rowlf finds a piano which he plays as Fozzie Bear sings "Sleigh Ride" with a Snowman that came to life while doing comedy before the Penguins and the Woodland Creatures.

After the performance, Fozzie goes into the house where he tells Kermit about his new act. During Fozzie's description, Kermit answers the phone where Miss Piggy tells Kermit that she is doing a little Christmas shopping before she goes to the farm house. The Swedish Chef has cornered Sprocket behind a chair as Doc tells him that Sprocket is not a turkey and the turkey who told him that is a turkey. The Christmas Turkey encounters Camilla and starts to hit on her. Scooter tells Kermit that he has found footage of their Christmas when they were babies.

As the Christmas Turkey continues to hit on Camilla, Gonzo catches the Christmas Turkey in the act and ends up trying to fight the Christmas Turkey until he hears carolers approaching. The carolers are none other than Big Bird and the rest of the Sesame Street Muppets as they sing "Deck the Halls." As they enter the farm house where Emily states to Doc "Well, you know what this means," Doc asks if he and Sprocket have to give up their hammock in the attic. Emily states that either that or build bunk beds in the broom closet. As Sprocket gets Doc a hammer, he ends up meeting Ernie and Bert where they ended up in Sesame Street "small talk" before Doc leaves to go build some bunk beds. The Swedish Chef has finally caught the Christmas Turkey who ends up diverting the Swedish Chef to try to make a meal out of Big Bird. The news comes on TV as The Muppet Newsman states that the worst blizzard in 50 years is approaching the area at a great rate and barometers are falling sharply as barometers fall on the Newsman. Scooter then looks outside and states that it is snowing outside as Count von Count counts the snowflakes. Kermit then quotes that Miss Piggy is out in that storm.

Fozzie Bear and Emily go over where everyone is going to sleep as Big Bird and Cookie Monster will sleep in the attic, Herry Monster will sleep in the bathtub, and Ernie and Bert will be bunking with Kermit. Then, when Fozzie asks about where Oscar the Grouch is going to sleep, Oscar states that he will be fine in his trash can. When Rizzo quotes to Oscar that maybe he can bunk with him, Oscar states that he never had a rat in his trash can before. When Janice brings in Christmas Cookies, they end up eaten by Cookie Monster. When Janice asks who that strange creature was, Animal quotes "That my kinda fella." Ernie begins the Sesame Street pageant with him doing the father and Bert doing the mother in a telling of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." As the pageant progresses, Grover is shown playing the mouse while Herry Monster, Elmo, and the other Sesame Street Monsters play the reindeer. When Ernie reads the line to introduce Santa Claus, the Two-Headed Monster enters dressed as Santa Claus to which Sam Eagle quotes "Is nothing sacred?" When Bert asks Ernie on who told the Two-Headed Monster to play Santa Claus, Ernie states "He's never been in a play before. I mean they said it. Uh, both of them said it." Bert tells Ernie to go to the big finish as they close out the pageant.

Doc comes in stating that it's cold enough to freeze a Winnebago as Emily is unaware that Miss Piggy isn't here. Kermit gets a call from Miss Piggy stating that her limo got stuck in the snow and that she is calling for a taxi. After the call from Miss Piggy, Fozzie approaches Kermit stating that now is a good time to show him his new comedy act with the Snowman which is outside. When Kermit and Fozzie argue on how cold it is, the Snowman comes in asking if he can warm up as Kermit meets the Snowman. When Fozzie addresses the crowd if they'd like to see his new comedy act, Statler and Waldorf are seen stating that they would love to see his act, hate to miss his act, and love to hate his act. When Fozzie Bear asks Statler and Waldorf where they came from, Emily states that Statler and Waldorf are good friends of hers and that they come visit her every Christmas. While Doc is looking for Miss Piggy, Kermit is called to the basement. When Robin states to Kermit about telling him about Fraggle Holes and that if they found one, they can go in to meet some Fraggles. Kermit sees the Fraggle Hole as he and Robin go in. As they travel through the Fraggle Hole, they go halfway as Kermit is surprised upon encountering Red Fraggle causing Kermit and Robin to back into Gobo Fraggle as Mokey, Wembley, and Boober also arrive with the five Fraggles curious about Kermit and Robin whom state that they are frogs.

Now that everyone is present, Emily states that if there was anyone else coming, two of the Muppet-s will have to sleep on hangers that are hanging on the hooks on the wall. Gonzo and Animal like the idea as Floyd Pepper states that this is the only way Animal sleeps. Kermit states that it is time for the annual "Carol Sing." During the carols, the Fraggle Five hear the songs and go check it out. When they appear behind the desk during the songs, Uncle Traveling Matt is seen next to Doc and Sprocket. After the songs, Kermit gives Miss Piggy a mink named Maureen who is a big fan of Miss Piggy. Robin the Frog gives Grover a Fraggle pebble. Doc comes in disguised as Santa Claus and starts handing out presents as everyone starts to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Jim Henson is seen watching this from the kitchen as he and Sprocket start to wash dishes. As the Muppets continue singing, Miss Piggy catches Kermit under the mistletoe and kisses him, and Kermit kisses her back. Kermit, Miss Piggy, and everyone present then quotes "Merry Christmas."

Songs

Cast

Muppet performers

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

Scenes omitted in North American DVD and VHS release

  • The original opening title (superimposed over a shot of Emily Bear's house).
  • 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.
  • A brief shot of Fozzie Bear and Elmo lighting a Christmas tree.
  • Fozzie tells his mother, Emily Bear, that he is too old to have a stocking hung for him, then changes his mind.[2]

References

  1. ^ TV Guide Guide to TV. Barnes and Noble. 2004. p. 574. ISBN 0-7607-5634-1.
  2. ^ Muppet Central Collectibles FAQ
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