Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875) was a Danish author and poet most famous for his fairy tales. Some of Andersen's most famous tales include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Princess and the Pea", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "Thumbelina" and "The Ugly Duckling".

Adaptations & References

 * Sesame Street release the album Big Bird presents Hans Christian Andersen in 1982 featuring tracks of Andersen stories of inspired music.


 * Andersen's story "The Little Mermaid" was adapted into a television pilot titled "The Little Mermaid's Island" in 1990 by Jim Henson.


 * The Sesame Street album Big Bird's Birdtime Stories featured several retellings of Andersen's stories - including "The Ugly Duckling " told by Big Bird and "The Emperor's New Clothes" told by Bob.


 * Muppet Classic Theater featured a presentation of "The Emperor's New Clothes" featuring Fozzie as the emperor; Rizzo, Yolanda and Montague as the tailors; and Robin as the little boy.
 * The Sesame Street 1977 Calendar featured several illustrated adaptations of Andersen tales along with centerfold text for each story. Stories including "The Princess and the Pea" (September), "The Emperor's New Clothes" (October), and "Thumbelina" (December).


 * The Sesame Street Library Volume 11 featured the story of "Thumbelina".


 * A Sesame Street News Flash from the 1970s spoofed the story of "The Princess and the Pea" with "The Princess and the Cookie". In the sketch Kermit interviews a servant who tells him that the queen wants to test the maiden by placing a cookie under the mattresses to see if she can feel it. The "princess" (played by Cookie Monster) not only feels it, but also eats the cookie and the mattresses.


 * "The Princess and the Pea" was spoofed again in another Sesame Street News Flash sketch with "The Princess and the C". In this sketch instead of a pea, this princess sleeps on things beginning with C.


 * Yet another Sesame Street News Flash featured an Andersen character. In one sketch Kermit the Frog interviews The Amazing Mumford, who is showcasing his big and little trick, where he will make Thumbelina (from the Andersen story of "Thumbelina") big and The Big Bad Wolf small.