1979

Telly Monster debuts on Sesame Street in Episode 1257

Jim Henson noted in his journal that 1979 was “A VERY MAJOR BIG YEAR”.

Television & Movies

• The Muppets Go Hollywood on CBS, May 16
• The Muppet Movie released June 22
• The Muppet Show Season 4 begins in syndication, September; United Kingdom airings begin in October on ITV due to the union strike.
• Sesame Street Season 11 begins airing on PBS, November 26
• John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together on ABC, December 5

International Television & Movies

• The Muppet Movie (Mupparna) released in Sweden, September 29
• Die Muppets in Hollywood (The Muppets Go Hollywood) premiers in Germany on ZDF, November 9
• Barrio Sésamo premieres in Spain
• Iftah Ya Simsim premieres in Kuwait
• Production of The Muppet Show was brought to a halt for eleven weeks (between August and October) due to a strike affecting the technicians of ITV (of which Associated TeleVision, the company that made The Muppet Show, was one of the affected companies)

Appearances

• 60 Minutes features a report on The Muppet Show, March 17

• Kermit the Frog guest-hosts The Tonight Show, April 2

• Big Bird appears on Presenting Susan Anton, April 29

• Big Bird is featured in Bob Hope's special The Road to China on NBC, September 15

• The Muppets visit The Mike Douglas Show to promote The Muppet Show, December

• The failed pilot for The Orson Welles Show features the Muppets and an interview with Jim Henson and Frank Oz

Live appearances

• Kermit, Sweetums, Gonzo and Miss Piggy at the Blackpool Illuminations, August 31

Books

• A la Découverte de la Rue Sésame
• The Amazing Mumford Forgets the Magic Words!
• Big Bird's Rhyming Book
• Cookie Monster's Book of Cookie Shapes
• Cookie Monster's Storybook
• Ernie's Work of Art
• The Four Seasons
• Learn at Home the Sesame Street Way
• The Many Faces of Ernie
• The Up and Down Book
• The Sesame Street Library (Volumes 13-15)

Albums

• The Muppet Movie (soundtrack)
• A Christmas Together
• Muppet Show Music Album in UK

Sesame Street:

• At Home with Ernie and Bert
• Every Body's Record
• Welcome!
• Anne Murray Sings for the Sesame Street Generation
• The Stars Come Out on Sesame Street, February
• Sesame Disco
• Dinah! I've Got a Song

Magazine Appearances

• Miss Piggy on the cover of SuperMag Vol. 4, No. 1,

Merchandise

• Muppet Valentines from Hallmark
• Sigma Christmas ornaments
• Picco watches
• Muppet sneakers from Keds
• Muppet sheets (Martex)
• Stormin' Norman disco jackets
• 1979 Sesame Street Calendar

Milestones

• "The Muppet Movie soundtrack" reaches number 32 on Billboard's Top LP's and Tapes chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA.
• "Rainbow Connection" reaches #25 on Billboard's "Hot 100 Singles" chart.
• Kevin Clash performs with the Muppets for the first time, performing Cookie Monster at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Muppet Character Debuts

• Sesame Street: Osvaldo, el Gruñón, Telly Monster, Elmo (as a minor character)
• The Muppet Show: Foo-Foo, various background Muppets
• Barrio Sesamo: Caponata, Perezgil
• Iftah Ya Simsim: Nu'Man, Malsun, Yaqut

Attractions

• The Art of the Muppets exhibit debuts at Lincoln Center in New York City

Parades

• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade features Miss Piggy in a Rolls Royce, followed by the rest of the Muppets in the Electric Mayhem Bus

Sources

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Timeline

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