Gonzo's Muppet Show openings



A list of Gonzo's openings during "The Muppet Show Theme" on The Muppet Show, and in some later spin-offs.

Season One
During the first season, Gonzo hit the Muppet Show sign's letter O like a gong, with the following results...

Season Two
From season 2 onwards, Gonzo would appear inside the Muppet Show sign's letter "O" and try to blow a note on his horn, with the following results...

Season Three

 * Episode 301: Kris Kristofferson &amp; Rita Coolidge: Hiccups prevent Gonzo from playing ("Excuse me.")
 * Episode 302: Leo Sayer: White chunks fly out of Gonzo's horn (Gonzo: "My teeth!")
 * Episode 303: Roy Clark: Swoopfoomer flies out of Gonzo's horn (Gonzo: "Three times!")
 * Episode 304: Gilda Radner: Red smoke comes out of the horn; Gonzo hiccups a second red cloud
 * Episode 305: Pearl Bailey: Gonzo says "I'm not even gonna try it." Then the horn plays by itself
 * Episode 306: Jean Stapleton: Kermit stands behind Gonzo and blows a horn
 * Episode 307: Alice Cooper: A light blue spirit comes out of Gonzo's horn; Gonzo quivers
 * Episode 308: Loretta Lynn: Gonzo's horn makes a the sound of a train whistle
 * Episode 309: Liberace: Gonzo's horn doesn't work: "Aw rats." Then it plays a fanfare by itself
 * Episode 310: Marisa Berenson: Kermit blows Gonzo away with his horn from the left side
 * Episode 311: Raquel Welch: Flowers come out of Gonzo's horn
 * Episode 312: James Coco: Four horns from four different directions startle Gonzo
 * Episode 313: Helen Reddy: Colorful musical notes come out of Gonzo's horn
 * Episode 314: Harry Belafonte: A bee comes out of Gonzo's horn; Gonzo tries to follow it and faints dizzily
 * Episode 315: Lesley Ann Warren: Gonzo's horn makes a cow sound and attracts a cow. Gonzo faints
 * Episode 316: Danny Kaye: A soccer ball jams the horn down Gonzo's throat
 * Episode 317: Spike Milligan: Beautiful Day Monster dribbles Gonzo
 * Episode 318: Leslie Uggams: Gonzo's horn makes a duck sound and attracts two ducks
 * Episode 319: Elke Sommer: A plane comes out of the trumpet and crashes ("Watch out for the balcony!")
 * Episode 320: Sylvester Stallone: Beautiful Day Monster plays the horn for Gonzo (Gonzo: "Thief!")
 * Episode 321: Roger Miller: Butterflies come out of Gonzo's horn and flute music plays
 * Episode 322: Roy Rogers & Dale Evans: Gonzo's horn makes a horse sound
 * Episode 323: Lynn Redgrave: Four horns from four different directions startle Gonzo with medieval music
 * Episode 324: Cheryl Ladd: Gonzo's horn makes a ringing sound

Season Four

 * Episode 401: John Denver: Gonzo's head explodes and appears in another corner ("Whoopie!")
 * Episode 402: Crystal Gayle: Bubbles come out of Gonzo's horn
 * Episode 403: Shields & Yarnell: Gonzo vanishes
 * Episode 404: Dyan Cannon: The horn rings; Gonzo puts it to his ear ("Hello? He's not home.")
 * Episode 405: Victor Borge: Bobby Benson's Baby Band pop up
 * Episode 406: Linda Lavin: Gonzo disappears in small portions (like a blind)
 * Episode 407: Dudley Moore: Gonzo turns into a beetle ("Surprise!")
 * Episode 408: Arlo Guthrie: Gonzo is run over by a herd of cows
 * Episode 409: Beverly Sills: Gonzo blows the horn with his ear ("I play by ear.")
 * Episode 410: Kenny Rogers: Gonzo: "What were you expecting, Rachmaninov?"
 * Episode 411: Lola Falana: Gonzo: "I give autographs after the show!"
 * Episode 412: Phyllis George: A boxing glove knocks Gonzo to the floor
 * Episode 413: Dizzy Gillespie: Gonzo plays racing fanfare (Gonzo: "Beat your heart out, Gillespie!")
 * Episode 414: Liza Minnelli: Gonzo: "That's my new hit single!"
 * Episode 415: Anne Murray: Gonzo blows on a cow's horn ("Another television first!")
 * Episode 416: Jonathan Winters: Gonzo attracts a horse ("You called?")
 * Episode 417: Star Wars: A duck bites Gonzo's nose. Gonzo screams, while the duck laughs
 * Episode 418: Christopher Reeve: Rats appear (Gonzo: "Aw, rats.")
 * Episode 419: Lynda Carter: Gonzo's dental plate sticks to the horn (Gonzo: "The embarrassment...!")
 * Episode 420: Alan Arkin: Gonzo's horn makes a typewriter sound
 * Episode 421: Doug Henning: One half of Gonzo disappears, Gonzo says "Goodbye!" and disappears completely
 * Episode 422: Andy Williams: Muppet dogs appear
 * Episode 423: Carol Channing: Gonzo is blown away in an Autumn storm
 * Episode 424: Diana Ross: A snake (that just crawled into Zoot's saxophone) comes out of Gonzo's horn

Season Five

 * Episode 501: Gene Kelly: The horn rings and a voice comes out; Gonzo puts it to his ear ("Hello? He's not home.")
 * Episode 502: Loretta Swit: Gonzo's head explodes and appears on the right ("Whoohoo!")
 * Episode 503: Joan Baez: Rats appear. (Gonzo: "Aw, rats.") (Repeat of episode 418)
 * Episode 504: Shirley Bassey: Gonzo's horn makes a rooster sound ("Camilla, your uncle's calling!")
 * Episode 505: James Coburn: No sound comes out of the horn, but it attracts Foo-Foo ("Well, she heard it...!")
 * Episode 506: Brooke Shields: Hiccups prevent Gonzo from playing (Gonzo: "Excuse me.") (Repeat of episode 301)
 * Episode 507: Glenda Jackson: Penguins appear
 * Episode 508: Señor Wences: Gonzo: "What were you expecting, Rachmaninov?"
 * Episode 509: Debbie Harry: Gonzo plays with his ear ("What a great ear!")
 * Episode 510: Jean-Pierre Rampal: Gonzo: "Eat your heart out, Gillespie!"
 * Episode 511: Paul Simon: Gonzo attracts a duck that kisses him (Duck: "Kissy kissy.")
 * Episode 512: Melissa Manchester: Kermit blows Gonzo away with his horn from the left side
 * Episode 513: Tony Randall: Gonzo blows on a fish
 * Episode 514: Mac Davis: A turkey scares Gonzo away
 * Episode 515: Carol Burnett: Gonzo's horn makes a "rest period" siren sound
 * Episode 516: Gladys Knight: Gonzo: "I give autographs after the show!"
 * Episode 517: Hal Linden: Gonzo blows on a screaming banana
 * Episode 518: Marty Feldman: A light blue spirit comes out of the horn; Gonzo quivers
 * Episode 519: Chris Langham: Gonzo is blown away in an Autumn storm
 * Episode 520: Wally Boag: Kermit blows Gonzo away with his horn from the left side
 * Episode 521: Johnny Cash: A duck bites Gonzo's nose (Repeat of episode 417)
 * Episode 522: Buddy Rich: A boxing glove knocks Gonzo to the floor
 * Episode 523: Linda Ronstadt: White chunks fly out of Gonzo's horn (Gonzo: "Popcorn!")
 * Episode 524: Roger Moore: A soccer ball jams the horn down Gonzo's throat

Audio Appearances

 * The Muppet Show (album): Gonzo beats the "O" with a big crash and an explosion
 * "Welcome to the Muppet Show Fan Club": Gonzo says "Hoooonk - toot!" Kermit asks him what happened to his trumpet. Gonzo replies, "I ate it!"
 * The Muppet Show 2: Gonzo blows his horn, followed by a crash and an explosion
 * The Muppet Show Music Album: Gonzo's horn makes a duck sound
 * The Muppets (soundtrack): Gonzo's horn is replaced with Zoot's bum note

Season 1 replacements
When The Muppet Show was repackaged for re-runs, the opening theme for season one episodes was replaced with a version of the theme as it was re-shot for subsequent seasons. In these instances, Gonzo's trumpet gag is recycled from another episode.


 * Episode 101 and 108: Gonzo's horn squirts water. (re-used from Episode 203)
 * Episode 103: A soccer ball jams the horn down Gonzo's throat. (re-used from Episode 524)
 * Episode 104, 105 and 119: Crazy Harry blows Gonzo up. (re-used from Episode 218)
 * Episode 106: Kermit blows Gonzo away with his horn from the left side.
 * Episode 107: Green smoke comes out of Gonzo's horn.
 * Episode 110 and 116: Gonzo's horn shoots a flame. (Gonzo: "I'm sorry!") (re-used from Episode 201)
 * Episode 115: A balloon comes out of Gonzo's horn and inflates after he stops blowing. (re-used from Episode 213)
 * Episode 117: Gonzo's horn makes a deep sound as red smoke comes out. (re-used from Episode 211)
 * Episode 121: Gonzo's horn flies away. (Gonzo: "Come back here!") (re-used from Episode 216)
 * Episode 122: Gonzo's trumpet glows in the dark. (re-used from Episode 217)
 * Episode 124: A balloon comes out of Gonzo's horn and pops. (re-used from Episode 212)

Other Projects

 * The Muppet CD-ROM: Muppets Inside: Gonzo plays a terrific solo, presumably the one he'd been trying to play all these years. Gonzo: "Ha! Didn't think I could do it, did ya?"


 * The Muppets: Gonzo's trumpet sounds like Tarzan.


 * Just for Laughs: Gonzo plays "O Canada."

The Muppet Show Comic Book
Gonzo's antics within the title have continued on into The Muppet Show's comic book series. We will not count other muppets occupying the O.

Meet the Muppets

 * Issue #1: Kermit's Story: A balloon animal emerges from the horn.
 * Issue #2: Fozzie's Story: A rocket shoots out of the horn.
 * Issue #3: Gonzo's Story: The horn itself is a balloon.
 * Issue #4: Miss Piggy's Story: A string of sausages hang from the horn.

The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson

 * Issue #1: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral: A fish leaps out of Gonzo's horn.
 * Issue #2: You May Meet a Stranger: The horn is a fish.
 * Issue #3: Follow the Money: Gonzo is replaced with a rat, saying, "I love hard work. I never get tired of looking at it."
 * Issue #4: Be It Ever So Humble...: Gonzo holds a swordfish.

On the Road

 * Issue #1: Watch That Tiger: Gonzo plays the bagpipes.
 * Issue #2: His Wackiness, Clint Wacky!: Gonzo peers through a telescope.
 * Issue #3: Box Clever: Gonzo is replaced with a chicken reading a map.

Family Reunion

 * Issue #4: Gonzo's nose gets stuck in a didgeridoo.
 * Issue #5: A duck comes out of the horn.
 * Issue #6: Two fishing hooks fall through the "O."
 * Issue #7: Gonzo appears in scuba gear blowing into a seashell.

Muppet Mash

 * Issue #8: Rizzo blows the horn.
 * Issue #9: Gonzo rings what appears to be a stone gong.
 * Issue #10: Gonzo rings a church bell ala Quasimodo.