1996

Some of the Muppets Tonight cast, including the debut of Pepe the King Prawn

Television & Movies

• Muppet Treasure Island released February 16
• Muppets Tonight Season 1 on ABC, March 8 - July 14
• Aliens in the Family on ABC, March 15 - August 31 (only season)
• Big Bag premieres on Cartoon Network, June 2
• The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Season 1 premieres on Nickelodeon, October 13
• Sesame Street Season 28, November 18
• Elmo Saves Christmas special airs on PBS

International Television & Movies

• Gulliver's Travels miniseries, February 4
• Muppets Skatteø (Muppet Treasure Island) released in Denmark, June 28
• Mupparna på skattkammarön (Muppet Treasure Island) released in Sweden, June 28
• Muppets Die Schatzinsel (Muppet Treasure Island) released in Germany, July 11
• Ulica Sezamkowa begins airing in Poland, October
• Die Muppets unterm Weihnachtsbaum (Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree) premiers in Germany on RTL, December 24
• Barrio Sésamo begins its third series in Spain
• The Canadian version of Sesame Street is renamed Sesame Park
• Ulitsa Sezam begins airing in Russia

Appearances/Events

• Miss Piggy appears to compete with Babe at the 68th Academy Awards, March 25
• The Cat in the Hat at the Kid's Choice Awards, May 11
• Kermit gives the commencement address at Southampton College and receives an honorary doctorate in Amphibious Letters, May 19
• Big Bird sings a duet with Kathie Lee Gifford for her PBS pledge-drive special Kathie Lee Gifford's Lullabies for Little Ones, August
• Kermit is a guest on The Tonight Show, November 12
• Johnny Fiama and Sal Minella are interviewed on Larry King Live, December 24
• Miss Piggy is a guest on The Tonight Show, December 31
• Miss Piggy appears during the first week of The Rosie O'Donnell Show
• Miss Piggy cooks on Regis & Kathie Lee to promote her new book

International Appearances

• Kermit the Frog, Gonzo and Miss Piggy on MTV Europe, May 21

Albums

• Bert and Ernie's Greatest Hits
• A Christmas Together (Laserlight Digital CD)
• Dreamytime Songs
• Monster Melodies
• Silly Songs
• Sing-Along Travel Songs
• Sing the Alphabet

Non-fiction Books

• Ask Kermit: All About the Human Body
• In the Kitchen with Miss Piggy

Storybooks

• Another Monster at the End of This Book
• B is for Books!
• Bean Makes The Best Of It
• Bye-Bye, Boo-Boo
• Christmas in Snowy Forest
• Elmo's Lift-and-Peek Around the Corner Book
• Elmo's 12 Days of Christmas
• Find Your Way to Muppet Treasure Island
• The Gift of the Magi Story Book Set & Advent Calendar
• Go to Bed, Fred
• Grover, Messenger of Love
• Growing Up Grouchy
• Happy Birthday, Miss Piggy!
• I Am a Baby
• Kermit's Big Surprise!
• Kermit's Teeny Tiny Farm
• Let's Play Peek-A-Boo!
• Look and Find Muppets
• Monster Faces
• Muppet Christmas Songs
• Muppet Treasure Island: All Aboard Reading
• Muppet Treasure Island: Sailing for Adventure
• Muppet Treasure Island: Treasure Hunt
• Rise and Shine!
• Rizzo's Bike Sale
• Scooter Can't Read
• Sesame Street Little Theater
• Shop Till You Drop!
• Where Is Baby Natasha?
• Where's the Duckie?
• Which Witch Is Which?

Videos

• Animal Show: Kangaroo & Frog, January 30
• Animal Show: Owl & Octopus, January 30
• Do the Alphabet, February 6
• Learning to Share, February 6
• Imagine That!, April 30
• Elmocize, June 11
• Slimey's World Games, June 11
• Elmo Saves Christmas, September 3

Merchandise

• Kermit the Frog's 1996 Advertising Parodies! calendar
• Muppet Treasure Island Happy Meal toys
• Muppets Inside CD-ROM released in April
• The Muppets on the Go! video game
• Muppet Treasure Island (CD-ROM)
• Tickle Me Elmo debuts and becomes a holiday sensation
• Welch's The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Jelly Jars
• Chelli plush
• Sesame Street General Store chain shuts down in June

Advertising

• Miss Piggy appears in a campaign for Frito-Lay's Baked Lays chips with supermodels Kathy Ireland and Vendela. The campaign included a television commercial and print ads.

People

• Matt Vogel begins working on Sesame Street
• Chet O'Brien dies, July 14

Behind the scenes

• Bill Barretta gradually begins performing The Swedish Chef and Rowlf the Dog.

Stage Shows

• Sesame Street Live presents 1-2-3 Imagine!

Muppet Character Debuts

• Muppets Tonight: Pepe the King Prawn, Seymour, Johnny Fiama, Sal Minella, Bobo the Bear
• Barrio Sésamo: Bluki, Vera, Bubo, Gaspar
• Ulitsa Sezam: Zeliboba, Businka, Kubik

Parades

• Kermit is the Grand Marshal of The Tournament of Roses Parade which also features a Muppet Treasure Island float, January 1

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