The Mike Douglas Show



The Mike Douglas Show was a daily afternoon variety series hosted by Mike Douglas that ran from 1961 to 1982. The Muppets appeared several times on the program, including co-hosting for a full week in 1966.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Juhl and Jerry Nelson appeared during the week of July 19, 1966. The Muppets were credited as co-hosts for the week, performing a number of sketches, and featured several interviews with Henson, et. al. These shows are available for viewing at The Paley Center for Media.

The Muppets made return appearances to promote The Muppet Show in 1976, 1977 and 1979.

1966 appearances
July 19, 1966
 * Kermit and monsters introduce the show
 * Rowlf sings with Mike Douglas and Carmel Quinn
 * Jim Henson, Frank Oz and Jerry Juhl play with the Southern Colonel
 * Kermit and Harry the Hipster do Visual Thinking
 * Carmel Quinn talks to Rowlf about Lassie
 * Sclrap Flyapp
 * Carmel Quinn sings with Rowlf
 * The Mills Brothers sing to a sketch with Rowlf and Billy and Sue
 * Rowlf and Beautiful Day Monster play over end credits

July 20, 1966
 * Mike Douglas and Rowlf introduce the show
 * The Two-Headed Muppet Monster sings "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"
 * Florence Henderson sings to Rowlf
 * Chef Bernardi makes a sixty second salad flambé
 * Rowlf, Florence Henderson and Charlie Manna introduce Mike Douglas
 * Mike Douglas, Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl talk about Time Piece
 * Jim Henson identifies the Floating Face character to perform The Idea Man
 * Behind the scenes of The Idea Man
 * The Floating Face performs I'm Nobody
 * Florence sings "My Funny Valentine" to Kermit ("He scared me, I didn't expect a frog.")
 * Rowlf and The Two Headed Muppet Monster play over credits

July 21, 1966
 * Rowlf, Mike Douglas and Marty Allen introduce the show
 * The Muppets perform a jazzy number with hands
 * Hermione Gingold sings "I Remember It Well" with King Louie
 * Marty Allen talks to Rowlf and a Snerf
 * Chatting with Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl, storyboards for Southern Bread
 * Commercial reels with Wilkins Coffee, Claussen's Bakery, Federal Housing Administration, La Choy and Aurora Bathroom Tissue
 * Tommy sings "Money"
 * Rowlf plays charades with Freddie Garrity, Hermione Gingold, Marty Allen and Mike Douglas
 * Hermione Gingold sings "Thank Heaven for Little Dogs" to Rowlf
 * The Ostrich Feathers sing "Good Lovin'"
 * Freddie and the Dreamers sing with Marty, Mike and a Whatnot on backup
 * Tommy, Rowlf, a Whatnot and an Ostrich Feather over credits

July 22, 1966
 * Rowlf and Mike Douglas address Tilly in the audience
 * Kermit and Big V in Inchworm
 * Jerry Lester, Buddy Greco, Mike Douglas and Rowlf sing through a request medley
 * Polly Kramer of the Polly's Pointers column and Rowlf
 * Jerry Lester talks to a Muppet robot
 * Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl chat with Mike Douglas
 * Floating Face performs Organizing the Brain
 * Mike sings "You're Nobody 'Till Somebody Loves You" to Rowlf
 * Rowlf sings "You and I and George" to Donna McKechnie
 * The robot sings "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better"
 * Beautiful Day Monster, Two Headed Muppet Monster, Yorick and Rowlf over credits

1976 appearance
October 14, 1976
 * Jim Henson promotes The Muppet Show, which was then starting production
 * First season clips are shown, including: Charles Aznavour singing "The Old Fashioned Way", The Swedish Chef preparing spicy sauce, and Joel Grey singing "Razzle Dazzle"
 * Dr. Teeth and Mike Douglas sing "Tenderly".

1977 appearance
October 31, 1977
 * Kermit and Mike Douglas sing "Sing"
 * A clip of The Swedish Chef preparing lobsters is shown. Before the clip is shown, Jim Henson mentions to watch the lobsters shooting at The Swedish Chef.

1979 appearance
September 11, 1979
 * Jim Henson and Frank Oz appeared along with Barbara Mandrell and the Boomtown Rats.