Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting



Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting aired on NBC on April 7, 1989.

This one-hour special marks the 20th anniversary of Sesame Street, the ground-breaking educational children's series that has taught numbers and the alphabet, along with social and cultural concepts, to generations of preschoolers.

Hosted by Bill Cosby, the retrospective includes appearances by Muppet characters Big Bird, Grover, the Count, Kermit the Frog, and Bert and Ernie, as well as Sesame regulars Bob, Gordon, Susan, Maria, and Luis, and many others. Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson introduce the show and promote The Jim Henson Hour, which would air the following week.

The program illustrates the changing topics and techniques that have blended entertainment with education over the years, and features classic clips from past episodes as well as the recollections of those responsible for making the series a success and viewers who grew up watching the show.

Among the highlights are Ray Charles and a chorus of Muppets singing It's Not Easy Bein' Green by Joe Raposo; a discussion between series creator Joan Ganz Cooney and Jim Henson; clips from international versions of the series; and famed tenor Placido Domingo performing with his Muppet counterpart, Placido Flamingo.

The special ended with a memoriam to Joe Raposo, who had died two months earlier.

A DVD of the special was released in 2010 as Sesame Street: 20 Years... and Still Counting! It was released by Lions Gate Entertainment for the Jim Henson Company. (This special is one of the few Sesame Street projects directly produced by the Jim Henson Company, who retain the rights.) However, the DVD release ommits the end credits.

Credits

 * Executive Producer: Jim Henson
 * Executive Producer for CTW: Dulcy Singer
 * Director: Peter Harris
 * Writers: Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss
 * Host: Bill Cosby
 * Guests: Ray Charles and Placido Domingo
 * Muppet Performers: Caroll Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Pam Arciero, Fred Garbo, Fran Brill, Camille Bonora, Judy Sladky, Martin Robinson, Bryant Young, David Rudman, Kevin Clash
 * Cast: Emilio Delgado, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Loretta Long, Roscoe Orman, Miles Orman, Linda Bove, Bill McCutcheon, Alison Bartlett, Northern Calloway
 * Music: Joe Raposo

Muppet Characters

 * Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Kermit the Frog, Grover, Cookie Monster, Herry Monster, Don Music, Count von Count, Placido Flamingo, Elmo, Baby Natasha, Oscar the Grouch, Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Alice Snuffleupagus, Barkley, Prairie Dawn, Ruby Monster

Background Characters

 * The Amazing Mumford, Frazzle, Two-Headed Monster, Gladys the Cow, Sonny Friendly, Forgetful Jones, Anything Muppets, Monsters