Muppet Babies (1984 TV series)

Last updated
Muppet Babies
Muppet Babies Classic.png
Also known asJim Henson's Muppet Babies
Genre
Created by Jim Henson
Based on The Muppet Show
by Jim Henson
Developed byJeffrey Scott
Written by
  • Jeffrey Scott
  • Sindy McKay
  • Larry Swerdlove
  • Hank Saroyan
  • J.R. Young
Voices of
Theme music composerHank Saroyan
Rob Walsh
Opening theme"Muppet Babies"
Ending theme"Muppet Babies" (instrumental) (season 1)
"Little Muppet Monsters theme" (instrumental) (seasons 2–8)
Composers
  • Rob Walsh (seasons 1–6)
  • Robert Irving (seasons 7–8)
  • Hank Saroyan (seasons 7–8)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons8
No. of episodes107 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Running time25 minutes
Production companies Marvel Productions
Henson Associates (1984–1986) (seasons 1–3)
Jim Henson Productions (1987–1991) (seasons 4–8)
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseSeptember 15, 1984 (1984-09-15) –
November 2, 1991 (1991-11-02)
Related

Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, [1] commonly known by the shortened title Muppet Babies, is an American animated television series produced by Marvel Productions and Henson Associates. The show portrays toddler versions of the Muppets living together in a nursery under the care of a woman known as Nanny, [2] involving the concepts of the power of imagination and creative problem-solving. The show's main target group is for children aged 2–5. [3] The idea of presenting the Muppets as children appeared in a dream sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), released two months before Muppet Babies debuted. The idea was a success, and it transformed into a spin-off.

Contents

The show aired from September 15, 1984, to November 2, 1991, as part of the Saturday-morning cartoons lineup on CBS. The show received universal acclaim for its animation, visuals, writing, humor, educational values, and appeal to younger and older audiences. It spawned a successful merchandise and won seven Daytime Emmy Awards (including four consecutive awards for Outstanding Animated Program), as well as a Humanitas Prize. Due to its popularity, the show remained on television in the United States for a decade.

The rights are now held by The Walt Disney Company following the company's acquisition of The Muppets franchise.[ citation needed ] Outside the United States, the show was distributed by Walt Disney Television. A reboot of the series premiered on Disney Junior on March 23, 2018.

Premise

Promotional artwork for the series, featuring (clockwise from bottom-left) Baby Animal, Baby Skeeter, Baby Scooter, Baby Fozzie, Baby Piggy, Baby Kermit, Baby Gonzo, and Baby Rowlf Muppet Babies Promotional Artwork.jpg
Promotional artwork for the series, featuring (clockwise from bottom-left) Baby Animal, Baby Skeeter, Baby Scooter, Baby Fozzie, Baby Piggy, Baby Kermit, Baby Gonzo, and Baby Rowlf

The series stars Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Scooter, Skeeter, Rowlf the Dog, and Gonzo as the main characters in their baby counterparts. Supporting characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, and Camilla in the form of Gonzo's stuffed baby chick. In the final two seasons, Bean Bunny and Statler and Waldorf began making regular appearances. Several Muppets made guest appearances, including Janice as an older preteen and Kermit's nephew Robin as a tadpole.

The Muppet Babies live in a large nursery watched over by Nanny,who is now known as a Miss Nanny, who is seen from the neck down. The babies' imaginary games transition from the nursery into scenes that become "real" to the babies, such as outer space and the past. [2] The fantasies have the babies interact with live-action backgrounds, old films and photos, engravings, and hand-drawn backgrounds. [2] The babies used their imaginations to have their own adventures based on everyday things and toys around them. [2] [4] They also use their imaginations to solve a problem.

In post-credits scenes, the babies are doing something related to the episode's plot. Their activities (mostly Gonzo's) are interrupted by Animal who crashes the scene in a comedic way and calls "Go bye-bye!"

Cast

Additional

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 13September 15, 1984 (1984-09-15)December 8, 1984 (1984-12-08)
2 13September 14, 1985 (1985-09-14)December 7, 1985 (1985-12-07)
3 16September 13, 1986 (1986-09-13)December 27, 1986 (1986-12-27)
4 18September 19, 1987 (1987-09-19)January 16, 1988 (1988-01-16)
5 13September 10, 1988 (1988-09-10)December 3, 1988 (1988-12-03)
6 18September 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)January 13, 1990 (1990-01-13)
7 8September 15, 1990 (1990-09-15)November 3, 1990 (1990-11-03)
8 8September 14, 1991 (1991-09-14)November 2, 1991 (1991-11-02)

Production

Origin

The idea was created by Jim Henson and his staff. [5] It was originated in Jim Henson's art department. During the creation of Sue Venning's Muppet Show Bill, Jim Henson suggested to include the Muppets as "tiny little selves and afterwards, as babies." The book was not changed, but the idea was described as "charming". [6] Afterwards, the staff, including Michael K. Frith, created sketches and drawings of the Muppet Babies. [6] [7] After Frith showed a sketch of Baby Piggy to Jim Henson, Henson decided to turn it into a merchandise. [7] Throughout 1983, several marketers promoted prototype versions of the Muppet Babies with playsuits, underwear, dresses, and overalls while Jim Henson was developing baby versions of the Muppets. [8] [9] On January 1, 1984, the Muppet Babies were included in the comic strip adaptation of the Muppets.[ citation needed ]

During production of The Muppets Take Manhattan , Miss Piggy's original fantasy sequence was written on the screenplay. [7] Because Henson was enthused about the Muppet Babies, he convinced Frank Oz to include them in the film, replacing the original fantasy sequence. [10] Despite Oz's dislike on the idea, he thought that the idea was brilliant. [7] Shortly, the art department asked the workshop to create models of the puppets of the Muppet Babies. The staff of the workshop favored the idea and decided to include them in the film. [6] The scene was shot on August 28, 1983. [11] It is considered to be one of the most difficult scenes to shoot during production of the film, as the puppeteers had to perform the baby versions of the characters by using their "stubby little limbs."[ citation needed ] The film was released on July 13, 1984. [12] [13] The idea was a success, and it received very favorable reviews from fans. [7] At the same time, Baby Kermit and Piggy plush toys were promoted by Pampers. [14]

A music video of Henson's self-directed "I'm Gonna Always Love You", combined with scenes of the film and new footage, was created for MTV. [15] The song was remixed by John Benitez for the project. [15] It was shot on April 10 and 11, 1984. [12] The set used for the music video was larger than the set used in the film. [15] The video became an airplay hit and received a nomination for Best Achievement in Music Video in the VPA Monitor Awards in 1985. Additionally, Jim Henson received a nomination for Best Director for the video. [15]

Development

Network executives and several others suggested Henson Associates to transform the Muppet Babies into a Saturday-morning cartoon. [2] The concept of the show was created on March 10, 1984. [12] On April 13, 1984, CBS colleague, Judy Price, granted permission to Jim Henson and his staff for its proposal. [7] [9] [12] Jim Henson was initially skeptical, as he originally stepped away from Saturday-morning cartoons. [16] However, he liked the idea a lot that he decided to create the show for something better. [2] [16] He visited every major studio in California, choosing to work with Marvel Productions after a meeting with Hank Saroyan. [17] For the core theme of the show, Henson and Marvel Productions agreed to implement the theme of the power of creativity and encouragement of imagination. [18] [19] Bob Richardson transferred from producing and directing the first season of Dungeons & Dragons , to produce and direct the show, which needed help getting started.[ citation needed ] Scooter's twin sister, Skeeter, was exclusively created for the show to provide more feminine empowerment. [2] Nanny was only seen from the neck down to represent the kids' view of an adult. [2]

Writing

The team of writers consisted of Jeffrey Scott, Barry O'Brien, Bob Smith, Chuck Lorre, Sindy McKay, Larry Swerdlove, Star Kaplan, Maia Mattise, Barbara Beck, Stephen Robertson, Kathy Selbert, Rich Fogel, Mark Seidenberg, Ken Koonce, David Wiemers, Hank Saroyan, Lois Becker, Mark Stratton, J.R. Young, and Tony Marino. All of the writing scripts for the show were done in Marvel Productions. [9] Jeffrey Scott wrote all 13 episodes of the first season. [20]

Voice actors

The show had several cast members: Frank Welker, Laurie O'Brien, Greg Berg, Russi Taylor, Katie Leigh, Howie Mandel, Dave Coulier, and Barbara Billingsley. By the third season, Howie Mandel left the show, and his roles were given to Frank Welker as Baby Skeeter and Dave Coulier as Baby Animal and Baby Bunsen. All of the voices were recorded in various recording studios in Los Angeles. [9]

Henson and other puppeteers, such as Frank Oz and Richard Hunt, decided not to reprise their roles due to scheduling conflicts with their work on Sesame Street , Fraggle Rock , and any Muppet special. The team decided to set up auditions for an amount of voice cast that would voice the characters for the series.[ citation needed ] According to Laurie O'Brien, the audition had gathered 750 people. [21] Katie Leigh was a Muppets fan and did the audition process by renting one of the Muppet movies at a Blockbuster location and watching it. As Leigh was also a fan of Rowlf, she realized that she could do his voice. Although Leigh accidentally forgot to transform her impression into a baby, she was cast, as Hank Saroyan described her as "one of the only people who really knew who Rowlf was." [22] Laurie O'Brien did the audition process by imitating Baby Piggy with a mix between Miss Piggy and her "million dollar voice", as well as Baby Gonzo, while watching a videocassette rental of The Great Muppet Caper in her friend's house. [21] [22] After auditioning with the videocassette player, O'Brien was cast as Baby Piggy due to her potential and physical strength with her character. [22] Greg Breg, who was also a Muppets fan, did the audition process a few years after he moved to Hollywood. [22] [23] Some of the voice actors had no singing experience prior to the show's production. Katie Leigh started taking singing lessons, [22] while Howie Mandel needed a professional singer to help keep him on key. [24]

Animation

Henson's idea for its animation was to mix genres and ignore "hard-and-fast rules." [2] Characters and backgrounds were created by artists of Marvel Productions. [9] Due to budget constraints, an idea was made by making Jeffrey Scott incorporate live-action footage and photographic backgrounds into the show to showcase reality of the imaginations. [7] [12] Film clips were also incorporated to encourage imagination and fantasy. [16] The idea was well-liked, and it became one of the main concepts of the show, as it helped save money for animation. [7] [17] [25] It was considered easy for Henson to secure the rights to films such as Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark since he was friends with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. [17] [26]

From the first season to the fifth episode of the fourth season, the series' overseas production was from Toei Animation, which it costed $30,000 per episode. [9] [27] In February 1985, Japanese yen started to rise against US dollars, and as a result, Toei Animation risen the cost to $50,000. [27] AKOM was selected as an alternate, cheaper animation studio, animating the rest of the series.[ citation needed ]

Music

The show had approximately 100 of the songs co-written by Alan O'Day and Janis Liebhart. [28] [29] The theme song and "Rocket to the Stars" were written by Hank Saroyan and Rob Walsh, and "Merry-Go-Round", "Dreams for Your Inspiration", "Camilla", and "Best Friends" were written by Scott Brownlee. [30] The seventh season episode "Sing a Song of Superheroes" had nine minutes of songs that required extra recording studio work. [31] Due to an limited amount of the cast having singing talents, all of the songs were recorded with separate voice sessions in a recording studio. [22] Some songs were extended for the albums Rocket to the Stars and Music is Everywhere. [22]

The songs mainly compose kiddie lyrics and familiar music genres. [32] Themes of the songs include individuality, friendship, and art. [33] During the first season, the show incorporated a "doo-wop feel" of the theme song to carry over the music. [28] As the show evolved, more musical genres were involved, including a more contemporary sound, which often parodies and references popular songs at its time. [28]

"Amadogus" (parody of "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco) was released as a single in 1987 to promote the album Music is Everywhere.[ citation needed ] The song, "Amadogus", was chosen as a Featured Pick by Cashbox , stating that the "playful tune could garner notoriety as a novelty hit." [34] Bill Wedo of The Morning Call called the song "particularly funny", but stated that "kids will enjoy it [while] adults will find it a riot." [32] Dee Ann Rexroat of The Gazette called the song as the "best-of-show honors" of the live show Muppet Babies' Live!. [35]

Themes

The show focuses on the central ideas of the power of imagination and creative problem-solving to promote an educational concept of creativity. [7] Hank Saroyan considered the idea as Jim Henson's vision for children to "believe that anything is possible." [31] The techniques of imaginations contributed to the show, such as live-action footage and photographic backgrounds, was stated to interconnect ideas, stories, and characters in a dramatic play. [12] Winnicott, a psychoanalytic theorist, described the show as "the intermediate area... allowed to the infant between primary creativity and objective perception based on reality-testing." [36] Author Marsha Kindle described the show's techniques as the "kind of transgressive identification across other borders" and a "specialty." [36]

Other frequent themes involve books and reading, [5] [37] facing fears, [5] new ways to play with old toys,[ citation needed ] imagining adulthood,[ citation needed ] and facing common childhood firsts.[ citation needed ] Diane LaBlanc of The Defender analyzed that the moral of the first-season episode "Scooter's Hidden Talent" is finding and developing "inspiration and talent". [38] In the book Playing with Power in Movies, Television, and Games, the sixth-season episode "The Green Ranger" was analyzed for its transmedia intersexuality, commodified masquerade, obsolescence, and death to address readers who are concerned about children's interactions on Saturday-morning shows. [36] The seventh-season episode "Sing a Song of Superheroes" included popular opera arias to interest younger viewers in opera. The episode was served as an unofficial tribute to Jim Henson. [31]

Release

Broadcast

Muppet Babies premiered on September 15, 1984, at 9:00 am (EST) as part of the Saturday-morning lineup on CBS. [39] [12] During the 1984–1985 television season, the show competed with NBC's The Smurfs . [40] The first-season episode "Gonzo's Video Show" was shown as a primetime special on December 18, 1984. [41] [42] For a brief run in the second season, the program became Muppets, Babies, and Monsters, [43] [44] [45] and a second half-hour was dedicated to a new show called Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters . [12] This show featured live-action puppets and cartoons starring the adult Muppet characters. The program lasted from September 14 to September 28, 1985. [12] [43] [44] [45] At the time, the program faced competition with ABC's Ewoks & Star Wars Droids Adventure Hour. [46] After three episodes, Jim Henson pulled the plug, despite 18 episodes having been made. [47] This was reportedly due to the animation suffering from being produced quickly and the characters being lost in translation from live-action to animation, [26] making the animation production harder for Marvel Productions to deliver the full season's animated segments in time for airing. [48] [49] As a result, Henson and CBS was unhappy about the product. [17] The show then reverted to two episodes of Muppet Babies. [26] In the 1987–1988 television season, Muppet Babies was expanded to three episodes after CBS pulled Garbage Pail Kids before it aired due to controversy. [50] [51]

On July 11, 1988, Broadcasting Magazine announced that the series would be syndicated on Claster Television for the 1989–1990 television season. [52] The show officially debuted on the network on September 18, 1989. [53] On January 3, 1989, Fox's former vice-president, Steve Leblang, announced that the series would be acquired by Fox's Children Network. [54] On July 15, 1991, it was announced to rerun throughout the 1991–1992 television season on Fox after losing negotiations to continue syndicating on Claster Television, which was implied to have reran on the network throughout the 1990–1991 television season. [55] As of August 4, 1991, the show's debut date on the network was scheduled to be in September 1991. [56] On October 5, 1992, the show started reruns on Nickelodeon. [57] The show continued reruns on the network until December 31, 1998.[ citation needed ] On April 1, 1999, it was announced the series would air as part of Odyssey Network's rebrand. [58] The show reran on Odyssey Network from April 4, 1999, [59] to March 2000.[ citation needed ]

Home media

Although not every Muppet Babies episode was released on VHS, a number of them were released between 1988 and 1999 in the United States. Kraft Foods offered two Muppet Babies tapes sponsored by Kraft Marshmallows in 1989. [60] Buena Vista Home Video released Explore with Us, Let's Build, and Time to Play on January 29, 1993, pricing at $12.99 per tape. [61] [62] The home video series, Yes, I Can, was released with Yes, I Can Learn and Yes, I Can Help on June 16, 1995 [63] and Yes, I Can Be a Friend on August 11, 1995[ citation needed ] as part of Jim Henson's Preschool Collection, pricing at $12.99 per tape. [64] [65] The series focused on Robin the Frog, who asks his uncle Kermit for assistance in different chores he was struggling with. Each tape included two Muppet Babies episodes. In 1999, Interactive Learning Group released three Muppet Babies tapes for the Video Buddy interactive video play system, pricing at $15.95 per tape. [66] [67]

In 2003, four episodes were made available, in uncut form, as bonus DVDs with 10-inch Muppet Babies plush toys distributed by Toy Play: "The Daily Muppet", "Eight Take Away One Equals Panic", "Piggy's Hyper-Activity Book", and "Gonzo's Video Show".[ citation needed ] There have been no plans announced of other DVD releases of Muppet Babies. In 2023, animator Guy Gilchrist confirmed that Muppet Babies would least likely be available for streaming due to copyright and trademark difficulties. [68]

Reception

Critical response

Throughout the show's run, it received universal acclaim from critics. After its debut, David Bianculli of Knight-Ridder Newspapers commented that it is one of the two Saturday-morning cartoons that "sound promising [compared to the other two programs]" and praised the show as a "wonderful addition to the Saturday-morning roster." [69] Mike Hughes of Garnett News Service ranked the show as one of the two best Saturday-morning shows of 1984, describing the Muppet Babies as "cute" and the script as "fresh and funny". He praised the script as "much better than [other Saturday-morning shows]." [70] [71] In his "On TV" review on The Reporter Dispatch issue from October 21, 1984, he also commented that the writing "ranks up" with The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends and Danger Mouse . [72] Steve McKerrow of The Evening Sun stated that the show is a "standout" to "cheaply-executed" Saturday-morning cartoons and described it as a "cartoon outgrowth [...] that makes [the audience] wish all children's programs could be this good." He also stated that it is the "kind of show that puts the bulk of the Saturday line-up to shame". He praised the show as "clever" and "honestly funny", commenting that the show takes a "floor-level, child's-eye view of the world". He also praised the Muppet Babies as "well and colorfully animated". [73] Later, on his article from September 28, 1985, he commented that the program Muppets, Babies & Monsters is a "welcome addition to the [Saturday-morning] lineup." [74]

Television critic Rick Forchuk reviewed that the show is "vastly better than [any primetime shows] in [the 1984–1985 television season]." He described the show as "different" and a "throwback to a different time". He also praised the animation as "superb, three dimensional, and vivid" and the plot and stories as "unpredictable" and "exciting as anything". He concluded that it is a "great show for adults [and] kids." [75] Walt Belcher of The Tampa Tribune commented that the show is "[one of the] few bright spots [of Saturday-mornings]" and described it as "pleasant". [76] In her initial review, Ellen Klein of Kids 'N' TV criticized its visuals as "not startling", but commented that the show has "enough originality to make it stand out to other Saturday-morning cartoons". [77] In her revised review from 1985, she gave it a perfect 4 out of 4 stars, welcoming Muppets, Babies & Monsters as an exception to the Saturday-morning trend "full of robots, monsters, wrestlers, ghosts, and super-powered Galactic Guardians [that appealed] to older children." She described the series as "fun", "inventive", and "exciting without being threatening or scary." She concluded that the series is "one of the best [on Saturday-mornings]." [78] [79] Howard Rosenberg of The Los Angeles Times stated that Muppets, Babies & Monsters was the "best Saturday-morning kid [program]", describing it as "wonderful". [80] Ron Weiskind of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called the show the "most imaginative cartoon on the tube these days." [81] Bill Wedo of The Morning Call commented that the songs "manage [Henson's magic to entertain children and adults]." [32] Susan Stewart of Detroit Free Press rated the series a perfect four stars, reviewing that it is a "vast improvement over [the] first-generation Muppets." [82]

The show was also well received by fans and audiences. In a Critics-at-Large review from May 5, 1985, Maria E. Allman from Hamburg, New York, called the show a "clever offering" and praised Baby Kermit, Baby Piggy, and Baby Gonzo for providing "humor and antics". She concluded that it is a "treat" and a "relief" for "parents and grandparents who have grown tired of the unappetizing fare and superhero junk[...]" [83] In 1986, a survey in Woodrow Wilson School and Nellie F. Bennett School stated that their children's top-ranked show was Muppets, Babies & Monsters. [84]

Ratings

Muppet Babies proved highly popular with audiences. In the 1984–1985 television season, the show was ranked as the most popular Saturday-morning cartoon on CBS and in the top five of 42 network shows. [85] It was also ranked fifth on the most popular Saturday-morning show of the season. [46] On December 18, 1984, the primetime broadcast of "Gonzo's Video Show" received a 9.9 Nielsen rating with a share of 15%. [41] [42] In 1985, the program Muppets, Babies & Monsters was rated No. 1 on CBS. [86] After the program was replaced by two episodes of Muppet Babies, the ratings increased from the previous season. [26] The series remained as CBS's number-one Saturday-morning show. [87] As of 1986, it was the second most popular children's programming among the top 30, and it attracted more than four million audiences on each week. [88] It was also very popular with licensees at the time. [12]

Despite the success, ratings has decreased over time. In the 1989–1990 television season, the show only garnered a 2.4 Nielsen household rating with a 14% share due to competition with Garfield and Friends and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the time. Despite the decrease in ratings, the show still had success with the 2-11 and 6-11 age groups, garnering a 4.6 Nielsen rating with a 55% share in the 2-11 age group and a 4.9 Nielsen rating with a 63% share in the 6-11 age group. [36]

Accolades

Between 1985 and 1991, Muppet Babies gained twelve awards from 27 nominations, including four consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program. On August 1, 1985, the show became the first recipient to receive an award for Outstanding Animated Program at the Daytime Emmy Awards. [89] [90] [91] [92] It continued to win the category until 1989, holding a record for the most wins in the category (tied with Arthur ). In 1985, Jeffrey Scott received a Humanitas Prize for the first-season episode "Eight Take Away One Equals Panic", which earned him a $10,000 prize. [93] [94] [95] [96]

List of awards and nominations
YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
1985 12th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated Program Won [89] [90] [91] [92]
Outstanding Film Sound EditingRobert T. Gillis
Richard C. Allen
Ron Fedele
Michael L. DePatie
Richard Bruce Elliott
Michael Tomack		Won
10th Humanitas Awards Children's Animation CategoryJeffrey Scott (For "Eight Take Away Equals Panic")Won [93] [94] [95] [96]
1986 13th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated ProgramWon [97] [98] [99]
Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition Rob Walsh Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound EditingRobert T. Gillis
Alison Cobb
Michael Tomack
Michael L. DePatie
Ron Fedele
Richard Bruce Elliott
Richard C. Allen		Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound MixingBill Thiederman
Bob Minkler
Lee Minkler		Nominated
8th Youth in Film Awards Exceptional Family Animation Series or SpecialsWon [100]
1987 14th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated ProgramWon [101] [102] [103]
Outstanding Film Sound MixingBill Oliver
Paul Aronoff		Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound EditingRon Fedele
Michael Tomack
Jim Blodgett
Steven C. Brown
David Hankins
Warren Taylor
Alison Cobb
Richard C. Allen		Nominated
1988CINE CompetitionAnimationJim HensonWon
15th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated ProgramWon [104] [105]
Outstanding Film Sound MixingJeffrey J. Haboush
Greg P. Russell		Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound EditingRichard C. Allen
Ron Fedele
Rusty Tinsley
Billy B. Bell
Scott A. Tinsley		Nominated
13th Humanitas AwardsChildren's Animation CategoryStar Kaplan
Maia Mattise (For "My Muppet Valentine")		Nominated [106]
1989 16th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated ProgramNominated [107] [108]
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series Barbara Billingsley Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound EditingAl Breitenbach
Ron Fedele
Richard C. Allen
Steven D. Williams
Kenneth R. Burton		Won
Outstanding Film Sound Mixing Jeffrey J. Haboush
Greg P. Russell 		Won
22nd NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Won
1990 17th Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Performer in a Children's SeriesBarbara BillingsleyNominated [109]
Outstanding Achievement in Film EditingAl BreitenbachNominated
Outstanding Film Sound MixingAndy D'Addario
Jeffrey J. Haboush		Nominated
Outstanding Film Sound EditingAl Breitenbach
Ron Fedele
Steven D. Williams
Kenneth R. Burton
Jackson Schwartz
Dean G. Manly		Nominated
23rd NAACP Image AwardsOutstanding Comedy SeriesWon
199116th Humanitas AwardsChildren's Animation CategoryJeffrey Scott (For "Romancing the Weirdo")Nominated [106]

Honors

Muppet Babies was voted "Top Cartoon of the Childhood Days" by the Irvin Hall newspaper's weekly review of the Pennsylvania State University in 2007.[ citation needed ]

In January 2009, IGN named Jim Henson's Muppet Babies as the 31st-best in the Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows. [110]

Impact and legacy

Muppet Babies was known to start a trend of relaunching popular cartoon characters as younger versions of themselves. This trend can be seen in numerous TV series such as A Pup Named Scooby-Doo , The Flintstone Kids , Tiny Toon Adventures (the main characters actually are the "successors" of the Looney Tunes, the latter themselves as their instructors), and Tom & Jerry Kids . [47]

As of 2000, approximately 300,000 animation cels of the show were stored by the Jim Henson Company Archives off-site. [111]

In 2007, a specific case dedicated to the show was added in The Jim Henson Exhibit in Leland, Mississippi. [112]

Other media

Albums

The first album, Rocket to the Stars, was released in July 1985 by Parker Brothers Music on LP and cassette. [113] [114] It featured an outer space adventure with eleven original songs starring the Muppet Babies characters. [115] The songs and dialogue were mixed by Hank Saroyan, Rob Walsh, and Geni Jackson at Wilder Brothers Studio. [113] It was reissued on July 20, 1987, by Columbia Records. [116] The album, renamed Rock It to the Stars, was re-released in September 1993 by Jim Henson Records on CD and cassette. [115] Sandra Tompkins of The Fresno Bee called the album an "exciting Oz-like journey", praising the songs as "catchy sing-alongs". [33] Peter Fawthrop of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars, praising the songs and voices, but criticized the storybook format of the album, including the "dramatic lengths" and "loaded dialogue". [117] The second album, Music is Everywhere, was released on July 20, 1987, by Columbia Records on LP and cassette. [30] [116] Doug Hoagland of The Fresno Bee praised the music as "catchy". [33]

Comics

In 1985, Marvel Comics produced a monthly comic book of the Muppet Babies with their Star Comics imprint, drawn by Marie Severin. [118] The idea was created by Guy Gilchrist, who submitted approximately twenty samples to Jim Jenson, along with a multi-panel strip. [11] The series lasted for 26 issues. [118] The last two issues, #25 (May 1989) and #26 (July 1989), were drawn by Nate Butler.[ citation needed ] In 1992, Harvey Comics acquired the rights to produce Muppet Babies comics and produced a further three issues (restarting at issue #1). [118]

The Muppet Babies also appeared in Star Comics Digest (also known as Star Comics Magazine). This comic was printed in digest-size format, and features a number of reprinted short stories in each issue. The series itself lasted for thirteen issues from 1986 until 1988. The Muppet Babies appeared in some, but not all, of the issues.[ citation needed ]

Live performances

Muppet Babies had three live performances produced between 1986 and 1990. They are produced by Bob Shipstad and VEE Corporation. [119] Each tour involved 16 cast members, eight crew members, concession staff, and support office staff. [120] All of the voices and music were pre-recorded, and the costumes were designed and produced in Henson Associates, to retain authenticity. [88] Muppet Babies Live! premiered on August 28, 1986, at Ohio Center in Columbus, Ohio. [121] The same premise followed with Muppet Babies' Magic Box in 1987 [119] and Muppet Babies' Where's Animal? in 1988, [122] which ended in May 1990 after 40 cities. [123] The production values built in Minneapolis, including the sets, properties, costumes, and lightings, cost $1 million. [19]

Professional dancers auditioned in New York City, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis to fill in roles. [120] Approximately 600 people auditioned for the live performances per year. [120] The cast would rehearse in Minneapolis for up to 10 hours per day in three weeks. [123] Andrew Carl Wilk, director of the live performances, stated that directing them from prerecorded voices to costumes and movements was difficult. [124] The production stage would be constructed with sets, properties, and lighting for four to seven hours for each destination. [123] The dancers were transported by a chartered bus on each Monday and had a day off on each Tuesday. [123] When the tours ended, they traveled back to their homes across the United States six times. [123]

The live performances received critical acclaim. In her review of Muppet Babies' Live!, Sara Ann Conkling of Special to the Free Press praised Hank Saroyan's sketches as "full of color, sound, and activity." She also described the dancers as "remarkably agile" and added that the "special lighting effects added to the sense of wonderment." [125] Dee Ann Rexroat of The Gazette commented that Muppet Babies' Live! is not "something parents have to suffer through", calling the live show "well produced" and "cute" and the sets and costumes as "quite imaginative". [35] Dave Tianen of Green Bay Press-Gazette commented that Muppet Babies' Live! is "colorful, fast-paced, gentle, bright, tuneful, and mercifully short." [126] In his review of Muppet Babies' Magic Box, Bill Wedo of The Morning Call reviewed that the show was "true to the original", praising the scene changes as "quick and clever". He also praised the Star Trek skit as the "beauty of the show", stating that "grown-ups can find kid stuff entertaining, too." [127] In her review of Muppet Babies' Where's Animal?, Esther Benenson of Richmond Times-Dispatch commented that parents "[will] have trouble getting excited about the plot" and have a "hard time adjusting to the piercingly high voice of Baby Piggy", describing the plot as "sparse" and praising some of the medleys as "entertaining". [128]

2018 reboot

On October 26, 2016, it was announced that a reboot of the series began production. [129] As opposed to the traditional animation of the original show, the reboot used CGI and is targeted to children ages 4–7 with each episode consisting of two 11-minute stories. Mr. Warburton, creator of Cartoon Network's Codename: Kids Next Door , served as the executive producer while former SpongeBob SquarePants writer Eric Shaw served as the story editor. [129] A reboot of the series premiered on Disney Junior on March 23, 2018. [130]

Other appearances

In 1987, the live-action version of the lead characters appeared, in the form of an old home movie, during A Muppet Family Christmas . [131] The segment itself was cut from American and Canadian home video releases due to copyright licensing issues with "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town". [132]

In 1990, Baby Kermit, Piggy, and Gonzo made small appearances in the drug prevention television special Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue . [133]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Henson</span> American puppeteer (1936–1990)

James Maury Henson was an American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating Fraggle Rock (1983–1987) and as the director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kermit the Frog</span> Muppet character

Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created in 1955 and originally performed by Jim Henson. An anthropomorphic green frog, Kermit is the pragmatic everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably as the showrunner and host of the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show and a featured role on Sesame Street. He has appeared in other television series, feature films, specials, and public service announcements through the years. He also served as a mascot of The Jim Henson Company and appeared in various Henson projects until 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Muppets</span> Puppet characters created by Jim Henson

The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, surrealist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they have become a media franchise encompassing children's films, television, music, and other media associated with the characters. Owned by the Jim Henson Company for nearly five decades, the characters of the Muppets franchise were acquired by the Walt Disney Company in 2004.

<i>The Muppet Show</i> Variety television show (1976–81)

The Muppet Show is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with running gags taking place backstage and in other areas of the venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fozzie Bear</span> Muppet character

Fozzie Bear is a Muppet character from the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show, best known as the insecure and comedically fruitless stand-up comic. Fozzie is an orange-brown bear who often wears a brown pork pie hat and a pink and white polka dot necktie. The character debuted on The Muppet Show, as the series' resident comedian, a role where he uses the catchphrase "Wocka wocka!" to indicate that he had completed a joke. He was often the target of ridicule, particularly from balcony hecklers Statler and Waldorf. Fozzie was performed by Frank Oz until 2001, after which Eric Jacobson became the character's principal performer.

<i>The Jim Henson Hour</i> 1989 television series

The Jim Henson Hour is an American television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the Muppet characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal (Muppet)</span> Muppet character

Animal is a Muppet character from the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show, and the wild and frenzied drummer of the fictional band Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. The character was performed originally by Frank Oz and currently by Eric Jacobson. His original concept sketches, which show him as a very hairy human, were drawn by Bonnie Erickson and Jim Henson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Jim Henson Company</span> American entertainment company

The Jim Henson Company, formerly known as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., and Jim Henson Productions, Inc., is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is known for its innovations in the field of puppetry, particularly through the creation of Kermit the Frog and the Muppets characters.

<i>The Muppet Movie</i> 1979 film by James Frawley

The Muppet Movie is a 1979 musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley and produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film to feature the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the film was written by The Muppet Show writers Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns. Produced during the third season of The Muppet Show, the film tells the origin story of the Muppets, as Kermit the Frog embarks on a cross-country trip to Los Angeles, encountering several of the Muppets—who all share the same ambition of finding success in professional show business—along the way while being pursued by Doc Hopper, a greedy restaurateur with intentions of employing Kermit as a spokesperson for his frog legs business.

<i>The Muppets Take Manhattan</i> 1984 film by Frank Oz

The Muppets Take Manhattan is a 1984 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Frank Oz and the third theatrical film featuring the Muppets. The film stars Muppet performers Jim Henson, Oz, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, as well as special appearances by Art Carney, James Coco, Dabney Coleman, Gregory Hines, Linda Lavin, Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, and Brooke Shields. Filmed in New York City during the prior summer, it was released theatrically on July 13, 1984, by TriStar Pictures. A fantasy sequence in the film introduced the Muppet Babies characters.

<i>A Muppet Family Christmas</i> 1987 Christmas television special featuring the Muppets

A Muppet Family Christmas is a Christmas musical television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired on December 16, 1987, on the ABC television network in the United States. Its teleplay was conceived by longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl, and directed by Peter Harris and Eric Till. This television special was filmed at 9 Channel Nine Court in Toronto, Ontario. The special features various Muppets from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies. It also stars Gerry Parkes as Doc from the North American wraparound segments of Fraggle Rock, and Henson as himself in a cameo appearance at the end. In the plot, the Muppets surprise Fozzie Bear's mother with a Christmas visit to her farmhouse, unaware of her planned getaway to Malibu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rizzo the Rat</span> Muppet Character

Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character from the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire until 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Goelz</span> American puppeteer (b. 1946)

David Charles Goelz is an American puppeteer and voice actor known for his work with the Muppets. He is best known for performing the characters Gonzo the Great, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, and Beauregard. Goelz joined Jim Henson's Muppet team in 1973 and has been a key performer in many Muppet productions, including The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and various movies and television specials.

<i>Little Muppet Monsters</i> 1985 television series

Little Muppet Monsters is a Saturday morning television series featuring the Muppets that aired three episodes on CBS in 1985. The first season of Muppet Babies did so well in the ratings, that CBS decided to expand the series from a half-hour to an hour, pairing Muppet Babies with Little Muppet Monsters. They called the hour-long package Muppets, Babies and Monsters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Yerrid</span> American puppeteer

Victor Yerrid is an American actor and puppeteer for the Jim Henson Company and has performed Muppet characters in many films, television commercials and television shows. He is best known in the Muppet World for his work on the online series Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony, in which he performed Waldorf along with an assortment of other characters.

Michael Kingsbury Frith is a British artist and television producer. He is the former executive vice-president and creative director of The Jim Henson Company. His contributions to Muppet projects have been extensive and varied.

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years is a one-hour special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It was shot in Toronto, Ontario in 1985 and aired January 21, 1986 on CBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gonzo (Muppet)</span> Muppet character

Gonzo is a Muppet character from the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show, known for his eccentric passion for stunt performance. Aside from his trademark enthusiasm for performance art, another defining trait of Gonzo is the ambiguity of his species, which has become a running gag in the franchise. He has been considered to be of various origins, including a Frackle in his debut appearance in The Great Santa Claus Switch, an extraterrestrial in Muppets from Space or an avian creature.

References

  1. ↑ Parish, James Robert (2006). Jim Henson: Puppeteer and Filmmaker. Infobase Publishing. p. 79. ISBN   9-780816-058341.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Finch, Christopher (1993). Jim Henson – The Works: The Art, The Magic, The Imagination (1st ed.). Random House. pp. 206–207. ISBN   0679412034.
  3. ↑ Clinton, Audrey (September 5, 1986). "Muppet Babies Upstaging Their Elders". Newsday (Suffolk Edition) . p. 227. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ St. Pierre, Stephanie (1991). The Story of Jim Henson, Creator of the Muppets. Dell Publishing. pp. 85–86. ISBN   9780440404538.
  5. 1 2 3 Margulies, Lee (June 7, 1984). "CBS UPGRADING CHILDREN'S FARE". The Los Angeles Times . p. 128. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 "4/13/1984 – 'CBS – Commits to M.B.'". Jim Henson's Red Book. April 13, 2012. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Roe, Ryan (April 26, 2021). "Movin' Right Along BONUS: Secret Origins of Muppet Babies with Michael Frith". toughpigs.com. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Baby Fashion Business Big". Herkimer Evening Telegram . November 12, 1983. p. 5. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hoffman, Neil (July 12, 1986). "TV chiefs sensitive to children's shows". Marysville Yuba Sutter Appeal Democrat. p. 6. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Kermit and Miss Piggy tie the knot". Alberni Valley Times . October 31, 1984. p. 27. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "8/29/1983 – 'Shooting Muppet Babies in Movie.'". Jim Henson's Red Book. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on August 16, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Falk, Karen (2012). Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Henson Journal. The Jim Henson Company. pp. 154–155, 157, 166. ISBN   9781452105826.
  13. ↑ Foley, Jack (July 3, 1984). "Tri-Star And Columbia Have The Muppets". Tyler Morning Telegraph . p. 24. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Pampers Offers You Muppet Babies". Ottumwa Courier . July 25, 1984. p. 13. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "4/10-11/1984 – 'Shoot Muppet Babies MTV'". Jim Henson's Red Book. April 11, 2013. Archived from the original on August 16, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 Bishop, Pete (January 27, 1985). "'Muppet Babies' Henson's latest television endeavor". Longview News-Journal . p. 101. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Rossen, Jake (September 16, 2019). "8 Facts About Muppet Babies". Mental Floss. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Muppet schedule shows". Farmington Daily Times . December 23, 1989. p. 22. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  19. 1 2 "Henson's Muppet Babies will come 'alive' on stage". Seguin Gazette Enterprise. October 9, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Muppet writer touted for Emmy (from Los Angeles Times)". Winnipeg Free Press . July 28, 1985. p. 9. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Nydell, Tim (September 27, 2018). "Laurie O'Brien podcast interview". Saturday Morning Rewind. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nydell, Tim (August 16, 2021). "Episode 196 – Laurie O'Brien, Katie Leigh & Greg Berg (Muppet Babies Reunion)". Saturday Morning Rewind. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  23. ↑ Nydell, Tim (July 10, 2017). "Greg Berg". Saturday Morning Rewind. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Jackson, Lauper, Welch make best-dressed list: Baby Muppets". Burlington Hawk Eye . September 18, 1984. p. 10. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  25. ↑ Farago, Andrew (December 21, 2017). "Why Can't I Stream Muppet Babies?!". Slate . Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Lost Saturday Mornings: "Little Muppet Monsters" (1985)". Cartoon Research. October 24, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  27. 1 2 Yoshihara, Nancy (November 27, 1987). "Dollar drops on Muppet Babies". The Greenville News . p. 43. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  28. 1 2 3 Pearlman, Louie (March 27, 2018). "The Musical Legacy of Muppet Babies". toughpigs.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  29. ↑ Schneider, Marc (May 18, 2013). "'Undercover Angel' Singer Alan O'Day Dead at 72". Billboard .
  30. 1 2 Ehrbar, Greg (March 11, 2014). "Muppet Babies Music". Cartoon Research. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  31. 1 2 3 "Muppet Babies venture into fascinating world of opera". The Prescott Courier . November 2, 1990. p. 18. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  32. 1 2 3 Wedo, Bill (August 22, 1987). "A Latter-Day Disney: Jim Henson brings 'Muppet Babies' and 'Fraggle Rock' magic to vinyl". The Morning Call . p. 60. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  33. 1 2 3 "Henson and friends transfer magic to LPs". The Fresno Bee . September 4, 1987. p. 67. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Featured Singles" (PDF). Cashbox . October 3, 1987. p. 8. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  35. 1 2 Rexroat, Dee Ann (November 21, 1986). "Lively 'Muppet Babies' doesn't bore adults, keeps kids happy too". The Gazette . p. 14. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  36. 1 2 3 4 Kinder, Marsha (1991). Playing with Power in Movies, Television, and Video games: From Muppet Babies to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1st Paperback ed.). University of California, Berkeley. pp. ix, 63–71. ISBN   9780520075702.
  37. ↑ "CBS adds several children's shows". Anderson Independent-Mail . September 23, 1984. p. 110. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  38. ↑ LaBlanc, Diane (November 2, 1984). "Talent reflects true self". The Defender. p. 4. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Television: Friday prime time grid". Colorado Springs Gazette . September 14, 1984. p. 61. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  40. ↑ Shapiro, Mitchell E. (1992). Television Network Weekend Programming, 1959–1990. McFarland & Company. p. 64. ISBN   0899506828.
  41. 1 2 "TV Listings for - December 18, 1984". TV Tango. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  42. 1 2 "CBS wins holiday weeks, edging ABC, NBC" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine. December 31, 1984. p. 110. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  43. 1 2 "Television Saturday". Aiken Standard . September 13, 1985. p. 21. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  44. 1 2 "Antenna, Basic Cable TV". Janesville Gazette . September 19, 1985. p. 94. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  45. 1 2 "KTNL Channel 13 – Cable Channel 6 Schedule: Sept.28-Oct. 4". Daily Sitka Sentinel. September 27, 1985. p. 16. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  46. 1 2 Bark, Ed (April 26, 1985). "A new Hulk on Saturday mornings". The News and Observer . p. 68. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  47. 1 2 Parker, Matt (December 9, 2020). "10 Mischievous Facts About The Marvellous 80s Cartoon Muppet Babies". '80s Kids. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  48. ↑ Hennes, Joe (August 13, 2013). "Mokey Fraggle Speaks: The Kathy Mullen Interview, part 3". toughpigs.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  49. ↑ "9/14/1985 – 'Little Muppet Monsters goes on air- also 2nd Season- Mup. Babies.'". Jim Henson's Red Book. September 14, 2013. Archived from the original on August 16, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  50. ↑ "CBS trashes 'Garbage Pail Kids' from morning Saturday lineup". Asbury Park Press . September 19, 1987. p. 59. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  51. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . September 21, 1987. p. 96. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  52. ↑ "Programming" (PDF). Television/Radio Age . July 11, 1988. p. 77. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  53. ↑ "Programming" (PDF). Television/Radio Age . September 18, 1989. p. 45. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  54. ↑ "Sluggish sales forecast for INTV". Broadcasting Magazine . January 2, 1989. p. 62. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  55. ↑ "FCN Adopts "Muppet Babies"" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . July 15, 1991. p. 21. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  56. ↑ "Entertainment news – Muppet Babies on Fox Network". The Times and Democrat . August 4, 1991. p. 30. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  57. ↑ Brown, Rich (August 17, 1992). "Nickelodeon Skews New for Fall" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . p. 20. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  58. ↑ "Reborn, cable's Odyssey Channel puts faith in family fare". The Signal . April 1, 1999. p. 20. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  59. ↑ Endrst, James (April 2, 1999). "Faith & Values Reborn As Odyssey". Hartford Courant . p. 53. Retrieved July 14, 2023. On Easter Sunday, no less. That's when Odyssey – which began as Vision Interfaith Satellite Network (VISN) in the late '80s and converted to the Faith & Values Channel in the mid '90s – will be transformed yet again.
  60. ↑ "Save On a Muppet Babies Video from Kraft Marshmallows". Odessa American . December 3, 1989. p. 222. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  61. ↑ Tuckman, Jeff (February 6, 1993). "Henson label presents fine Muppet classics". Daily Herald . p. 261. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  62. ↑ McCormick, Moira (January 9, 1993). "Greening Of The Kids Mkt.; More Barney; New Discovery" (PDF). Billboard . p. 62. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  63. ↑ McCormick, Moira (July 1, 1995). "Preschool Video Comes Of Age – Suppliers Sharpen Their Marketing Focus" (PDF). Billboard . p. 95. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  64. ↑ Tuckman, Jeff (June 15, 1995). "Jim Henson video series high on family values". Daily Herald . p. 159. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  65. ↑ Tuckman, Jeff (August 31, 1995). "New series from Disney sparks a preschooler's imagination". Daily Herald . p. 39. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  66. ↑ "Video Buddy | Muppet Babies Videos". Video Buddy. Archived from the original on January 26, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  67. ↑ "Video Buddy Online Store – Muppet Babies Videos". Video Buddy Store. Archived from the original on September 3, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  68. ↑ Tinoco, Rmando (25 December 2023). "Jim Henson Cartoonist On Why Muppet Babies Is Not On Streaming & What Nanny Really Looks Like". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  69. ↑ Bianculli, David (September 17, 1984). "Sugar Coats Saturday Morning Cesspool". Albuquerque Journal . p. 7. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  70. ↑ Hughes, Mike (October 20, 1984). "Imagination healthy trend on Saturday morning shows". St. Cloud Times . p. 49. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  71. ↑ Hughes, Mike (October 24, 1984). "A walk through the cartoon jungle". St. Cloud Times . p. 49. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  72. ↑ Hughes, Mike (October 21, 1984). "On TV". The Reporter Dispatch . p. 152. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  73. ↑ McKerrow, Steve (October 12, 1984). "It's 8 a.m. Do you know what your kids are watching?". The Evening Sun . p. 9. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  74. ↑ McKerrow, Steve (September 28, 1985). "You can find good shows for kids Saturday morning". The Baltimore Sun . p. 43. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  75. ↑ Forchuk, Rick (November 9, 1984). "Mini-Muppets Make Sense: Kids' stuff for adults". The Winnipeg Sun . p. 36. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  76. ↑ Belcher, Walt (September 12, 1985). "Saturday morning cartoon lineup offers little to get excited about". The Tampa Tribune . p. 92. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  77. ↑ Klein, Ellen (December 11, 1984). "'Muppet Babies' cleverly teaches about world". Tallahassee Democrat . p. 23. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  78. ↑ Klein, Ellen (October 5, 1985). "Jim Henson's cartoons first class on Saturdays". The Herald . p. 20. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  79. ↑ Klein, Ellen (October 7, 1985). "'Muppets' welcome change". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . p. 52. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  80. ↑ Rosenberg, Howard (October 7, 1985). "Kids' TV Just One Big Sellorama". The Los Angeles Times . pp. 69, 76. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  81. ↑ Weiskind, Ron (June 13, 1986). "Weekend to give the old set a rest". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . p. 47. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  82. ↑ Stewart, Susan (February 14, 1988). "Cartoon creatures create enchantment and craziness". Detroit Free Press . pp. 75, 78. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  83. ↑ Allman, Maria E. (May 5, 1985). "Critics-at-Large: 'Jim Henson's Muppet Babies'". The Buffalo News . p. 154. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  84. ↑ Molinaro, Frances (July 5, 1986). "Cartoons for breakfast make Saturdays special". Asbury Park Press . p. 43. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  85. ↑ "EMMY Says First is Best!". Ha!Hotline.
  86. ↑ Bates, Kathy Berg (October 22, 1985). "A man and his frog: Success of Henson's Muppets makes struggling actors 'green'". The Indianapolis Star . p. 17. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  87. ↑ "Enter the Muppet Babies". Coventry Evening Telegraph . November 30, 1985. p. 6. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  88. 1 2 "Muppet Babies due in Utica next week". Herkimer Evening Telegram . September 11, 1986. p. 10. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  89. 1 2 Margulies, Lee (August 2, 1985). "A Lopsided Emmy Victory Goes to CBS". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  90. 1 2 Daume, Daphne (1986). 1986 - Britannica Book of the Year. Encyclopædia Britannica. p. 434.
  91. 1 2 "Daytime Emmys" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . July 7, 1986. p. 62. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  92. 1 2 "1984–85: Television Academy Awards". International Television & Video Almanac - QP 1986 (31st ed.). Quigley Publishing Company. 1986. p. 28. ISBN   0900610352.
  93. 1 2 "Past Winners & Nominees – Children's Animation Winners". Humanitas Prize . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  94. 1 2 Harmetz, Aljean (July 10, 1985). "Humanitas Prizes Given for 1984-5 TV Season". The New York Times .
  95. 1 2 Margulies, Lee (July 27, 1985). "Cartoon writer finally gets some recognition". Cedar Rapids Gazette . p. 14. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  96. 1 2 "Humanitas Awards - 1985 winners" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . July 7, 1986. p. 66. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  97. ↑ Margulies, Lee (July 15, 1986). "First-Round Daytime Emmy Winners". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  98. ↑ "1985–86: Television Academy Awards". International Television & Video Almanac - QP 1987 (32nd ed.). Quigley Publishing Company. 1987. p. 30. ISBN   0900610379.
  99. ↑ "Daytime Emmys - 1986 winners" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . July 6, 1987. p. 46. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  100. ↑ "8th Annual Youth In Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  101. ↑ Margulies, Lee (July 1, 1987). "Oprah Winfrey and Her Show Top Emmy Winners". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  102. ↑ "1986–87: Television Academy Awards". International Television & Video Almanac - QP 1988 (33rd ed.). Quigley Publishing Company. 1988. p. 31. ISBN   0900610395.
  103. ↑ "Daytime Emmys - 1987 Winners" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . July 6, 1987. p. 46. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  104. ↑ Sharbutt, Jay (June 30, 1988). "Many Repeat Winners in Daytime Emmys". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  105. ↑ "1987–88: Television Academy Awards". International Television & Video Almanac - QP 1989 (34th ed.). Quigley Publishing Company. 1989. p. 31. ISBN   0900610417.
  106. 1 2 "Humanitas Prize Nominees – Children's Animation Nominees". Humanitas Prize . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  107. ↑ Haithman, Diane (May 12, 1989). "'Santa Barbara' Leads Daytime Emmy Parade". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  108. ↑ "1988–1989: Television Academy Awards". International Television & Video Almanac - 75th Anniversary - QP 1990 (35th ed.). Quigley Publishing Company. 1990. p. 35. ISBN   0900610433.
  109. ↑ Lipton, Lauren (May 11, 1990). "CBS Dominates Daytime Emmy Field With 74 Nominations : Television: The networks' order in nominations mirrored their daytime ratings. ABC got 39; NBC took 30". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  110. ↑ "Top 100 Animated Series". IGN . Archived from the original on September 22, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  111. ↑ Falk, Karen. "Ask Henson... Archives – Question 1". Ask Henson... Archives. Archived from the original on October 3, 2000. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  112. ↑ Hanrahan, Kathy (July 15, 2007). "Honoring the Muppet Man". Burlington Times. p. 32. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  113. 1 2 "Audio Track – New York" (PDF). Billboard . March 30, 1985. p. 43. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  114. ↑ "Update: ...Newsline..." (PDF). Billboard . February 23, 1985. p. 69. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  115. 1 2 "Protect skaters with gear". The Monitor . September 20, 1993. p. 23. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  116. 1 2 Dimartino, Dave (August 8, 1987). "Jim Henson & Columbia Make Album Pact – 4 Titles Feature Children's TV Characters" (PDF). Billboard . p. 22. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  117. ↑ Fawthrop, Peter. "Muppet Babies: Rock It to the Stars Review". AllMusic . Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  118. 1 2 3 Petunia, Becca (March 26, 2018). "Re-examining the Muppet Babies Comics". toughpigs.com. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  119. 1 2 "Jim Henson's Muppet Babies coming to area". Caldwell Burleson Star. October 1, 1987. p. 17. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  120. 1 2 3 Kevstn, Lynn (March 27, 1987). "Muppet Babies: Kermit Junior hops into the Civic Center". Delaware County Daily Times . p. 33. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  121. ↑ "Date Set For Premiere of Muppet Babies". The Press Gazette. July 24, 1986. p. 19. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  122. ↑ "Muppet Babies". Galveston Daily News . October 21, 1988. p. 22. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  123. 1 2 3 4 5 "Muppet musical, 'Where's Animal' is on tour now". Caldwell Burleson Star. October 2, 1989. p. 13. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  124. ↑ Nolan, Maureen (January 6, 1988). "Children and Their Parents". Syracuse Post Standard . p. 25. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  125. ↑ Conkling, Sara Ann (September 20, 1986). "5-Year-Olds Revel In 'Real' Muppets". The Burlington Free Press . p. 19. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  126. ↑ Tianen, Dave (December 3, 1986). "Kids' show painless for parents, too". Green Bay Press-Gazette . p. 12. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  127. ↑ Wedo, Bill (February 5, 1988). "Muppets Babies show fun for the small set". The Morning Call . p. 19. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  128. ↑ Benenson, Esther (April 12, 1990). "Muppets turn on the magic". Richmond Times-Dispatch . p. 59. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  129. 1 2 Holloway, Daniel (October 26, 2016). "'Muppet Babies' Reboot Begins Production at Disney Junior". Variety . Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  130. ↑ Gomez, Patrick (February 22, 2018). "Hear Hamilton's Renée Elise Goldsberry sing the new Muppet Babies theme song". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  131. ↑ Passalacqua, Connie (December 22, 1989). "NBC airs A Muppet Family Christmas". Brandon Sun . p. 39. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  132. ↑ Edgar, Sean (December 19, 2017). "A Muppet Family Christmas: Why You Haven't Seen the Most Important Holiday Special Ever Made". Paste . Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  133. ↑ "TV cartoon characters take on drug abuse". Santa Ana Orange County Register . April 20, 1990. p. 143. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.