Jim Henson noted in his journal that 1979 was “A VERY MAJOR BIG YEAR”.[1]
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
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 LPs 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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