Changes: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

Revision as of 09:46, 23 December 2019

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is an hour-long, Emmy Award-winning Sesame Street Christmas special that first aired on PBS on December 3, 1978, at 7pm.

Oscar the Grouch raises doubts about whether Santa Claus can deliver presents on Christmas Eve if he can't fit through the narrow chimneys on Sesame Street, so Big Bird resolves to figure it out with the help of his friends Patty, Kermit, and Grover. Big Bird falls asleep while waiting on the roof of 123 Sesame Street to see Santa go down the chimney and is rescued by Gordon and Susan. Before his rescue, during the search, Maria confronts Oscar for upsetting Big Bird.

Meanwhile, Cookie Monster tries to communicate with Santa to ask for cookies for Christmas, but on all three attempts he gets so carried away with thinking about what sort of cookies Santa will bring him, that he winds up eating a pencil, typewriter, and telephone. While all this is going on, Ernie and Bert re-enact O. Henry's classic story "The Gift of the Magi" and, with the help of Mr. Hooper, learn a valuable lesson about generosity.

The program features a variety of seasonal tunes, including "True Blue Miracle," "Keep Christmas with You (All Through the Year)," "I Hate Christmas," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The special opens with an ice-skating sequence, combining the Sesame characters from Ice Follies with the Sesame Street humans to create the illusion that the entire cast of the show is enjoying an ice-skating trip. One of the highlights of this section is Big Bird skating with a little girl to José Feliciano's recording of "Feliz Navidad."

Cast

ChristmasEveonSSTVGuideAd — A *TV Guide* advertisement for the special.

Christmas_Eve_promo — Christmas Eve promo

PBS promo for the special, starring Oscar the Grouch

Muppet Performers: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt
Cast: Linda Bove, Northern Calloway, Debbie Chen, Will Lee, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Alaina Reed
Skating Muppets: skaters from the Holiday on Ice shows

Notes

Jon Stone provides the voice of Santa Claus when Cookie Monster tries calling him.^[1]

When Big Bird and Patty check on Oscar following his ice skating accident, his original line was "Sure. I've been thrown out of better places than that." It was later re-dubbed in post-production (to "Let's go back and do it again!"), as the original line was deemed too adult.^[2] The line appears in the storybook adaptation, however.

Oscar's trash can area is modified to resemble its initial, pre-1974 arrangement.

Credits

Producer: Dulcy Singer
Directed by Jon Stone
Written by Jon Stone and Joseph A. Bailey
"True Blue Miracle" Composed by Carol Hall
"Keep Christmas With You (All Through the Year)" and "I Hate Christmas" Composed by Sam Pottle and David Axlerod
Music by Dick Lieb
Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
Music Assistant: Dave Conner
Associate Director: Ozzie Alfonso
Production Supervisor: Robert Braithwaite
Muppet Designers: Donald Sahlin, Kermit Love, and Caroly Wilcox
Art Director: Alan J. Compton
Production Stage Manager: Chet O'Brien
Stage Manager: Emily Squires
Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
Lighting Directors: David M. Clark, Tony DiGirolamo
Graphic Artist: Gerri Brioso
Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
Production Assistants: Mercedes Polanco, Sharen Gay, Cathi Rosenberg
Technical Advisor: Walt Rauffer
Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
Sound Effects: Dick Maitland, Roy Carch
Audio: Mike Shoskes, Jay Judell
Executive Producer: Jon Stone

Sources

↑ The Muppet Mindset interview with Joseph A. Bailey
↑ Bailey, Joseph. Memoirs of a Muppets Writer, page 236

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Image:Title.xmasevess.jpg|thumb|300px]]
+[[File:Title.xmasevess.jpg|thumb|300px]]
+[[File:Ceoss cast.jpg|thumb|300px]]
-'''''Christmas Eve on Sesame Street''''' is an hour-long, [[Emmy Award]]-winning ''[[Sesame Street]]'' [[Christmas]] special that first aired on [[PBS]] on December 3, [[1978]], at 7pm.
+'''''Christmas Eve on Sesame Street''''' is an hour-long, [[Emmy Awards|Emmy Award]]-winning ''[[Sesame Street]]'' [[Christmas]] special that first aired on [[PBS]] on December 3, [[1978]], at 7pm.
+__TOC__
+[[Oscar the Grouch]] raises doubts about whether [[Santa Claus]] can deliver presents on Christmas Eve if he can't fit through the narrow chimneys on [[Sesame Street (location)|Sesame Street]], so [[Big Bird]] resolves to figure it out with the help of his friends [[Debbie Chen|Patty]], [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]], and [[Grover]]. Big Bird falls asleep while waiting on the roof of [[123 Sesame Street]] to see Santa go down the chimney and is rescued by [[Gordon]] and [[Susan]]. Before his rescue, during the search, [[Maria]] confronts Oscar for upsetting Big Bird.
+Meanwhile, [[Cookie Monster]] tries to communicate with Santa to ask for cookies for Christmas, but on all three attempts he gets so carried away with thinking about what sort of cookies Santa will bring him, that he winds up [[Items other than cookies consumed by Cookie Monster|eating a pencil, typewriter, and telephone]]. While all this is going on, [[Ernie]] and [[Bert]] re-enact O. Henry's classic story "[[The Gift of the Magi]]" and, with the help of [[Mr. Hooper]], learn a valuable lesson about generosity.
-[[Oscar the Grouch]] raises doubts about whether [[Santa Claus]] can deliver presents on Christmas Eve if he can't fit through the narrow chimneys on [[Sesame Street (location)|Sesame Street]], so [[Big Bird]] decides to stay up all night to solve the mystery with the help of his friends, [[Debbie Chen|Patty]], [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]], and [[Grover]]. He freezes his giblets while waiting on the roof of [[123 Sesame Street]] and is rescued by [[Gordon]] and [[Susan]]. Before his rescue, during the search, [[Maria]] confronted Oscar for upsetting Big Bird. It was revealed that Oscar was only teasing him.
+The program features a variety of seasonal tunes, including "[[True Blue Miracle]]," "[[Keep Christmas with You (All Through the Year)]]," "[[I Hate Christmas]]," and "[[Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas]]." The special opens with an ice-skating sequence, combining the Sesame characters from ''[[Ice Follies]]'' with the Sesame Street humans to create the illusion that the entire cast of the show is enjoying an ice-skating trip. One of the highlights of this section is Big Bird skating with a little girl to [[José Feliciano]]'s recording of "[[Feliz Navidad]]."
-Meanwhile, [[Cookie Monster]] tries to communicate with Santa to ask for cookies for Christmas, but on all three attempts he gets so carried away with thinking about what sort of cookies Santa will bring him, that he winds up [[Items Other Than Cookies Consumed by Cookie Monster|eating a pencil, typewriter, and telephone]]. While all this is going on, [[Ernie]] and [[Bert]] re-enact O. Henry's classic story "[[The Gift of the Magi]]" and, with the help of [[Mr. Hooper]], learn a valuable lesson about generosity.
+<gallery widths="200" orientation="landscape" spacing="small">
-The program features a variety of seasonal tunes, including "[[True Blue Miracle]]," "[[Keep Christmas With You (All Through the Year)]]," "[[I Hate Christmas]]," and "[[Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas]]." The special opens with an ice-skating sequence, combining the Sesame characters from ''[[Ice Follies]]'' with the Sesame Street humans to create the illusion that the entire cast of the show is enjoying an ice-skating trip. One of the highlights of this section is Big Bird skating with a little girl to [[José Feliciano]]'s recording of "[[Feliz Navidad]]".
+Xmasanother81.jpg|A little girl teaches Big Bird how to skate.
-{{br}}
+Xmasanother82.jpg|The Count and Cookie Monster play "Snap the Whip."
-==Gallery==
+Xmasanother86.jpg|Big Bird and Patty help Oscar on his feet after being tossed into the air.
-<gallery widths="209" orientation="landscape" spacing="small">
+Xmasanother89.jpg|The cast leave the ice-rink and head back home while singing "True Blue Miracle."
-File:Xmasanother81.jpg|A little girl teaches Big Bird how to skate.
+Xmasanother93.jpg|Big Bird and Patty are joined by Kermit to determine how Santa gets down the chimney.
-File:Xmasanother82.jpg|The Count and Cookie Monster play "Snap the Whip."
+Xmasanother97.jpg|Meanwhile, Grover and Kermit ask some kids.
-File:Xmasanother86.jpg|Big Bird and Patty help Oscar on his feet after being tossed into the air.
+Xmasanother99.jpg|Linda and the kids sign "Keep Christmas with You."
-File:Xmasanother89.jpg|The cast leave the ice-rink and head back home while singing "True Blue Miracle."
+Xmasanother101.jpg|At [[Hooper's Store]], Ernie trades his Rubber Duckie to get Bert a cigar box to put his paper clip collection in...
-File:Xmasanother93.jpg|Big Bird and Patty are joined by Kermit to determine how Santa gets down the chimney.
+Xmasanother102.jpg|...while Bert trades his paper clip collection to buy Ernie a soap dish for his Rubber Duckie.
-File:Xmasanother97.jpg|Meanwhile, Grover and Kermit ask some kids.
+Cookie.jpg|Cookie Monster has a hard time contacting Santa Claus.
-File:Xmasanother99.jpg|Linda and the kids sign "Keep Christmas with You."
+Xmasanother104.jpg|Kermit analyzes the list of answers given by the kids.
-File:Xmasanother101.jpg|At [[Hooper's Store]], Ernie trades his Rubber Duckie to get Bert a cigar box to put his paper clip collection in...
+Xmasanother106.jpg|Snuffy voluntarily gets into a barrel to show how Santa gets down a chimney.
-File:Xmasanother102.jpg|...while Bert trades his paper clip collection to buy Ernie a soap dish for his Rubber Duckie.
+Xmasanother107.jpg|Bob wishes Mr. Hooper a Happy Hanukkah.
-Image:Cookie.jpg|Cookie Monster has a hard time contacting Santa Claus.
+Xmasanother109.jpg|Mr. Hooper wishes Bob a Merry Christmas.
-File:Xmasanother104.jpg|Kermit analyzes the list of answers given by the kids.
+Xmasanother110.jpg|Oscar expresses how much he hates Christmas...
-File:Xmasanother106.jpg|Snuffy voluntarily gets into a barrel to show how Santa gets down a chimney.
+Xmasanother111.jpg|...by trying to ruin it for everyone else.
-File:Xmasanother107.jpg|Bob wishes Mr. Hooper a Happy Hanukkah.
-File:Xmasanother109.jpg|Mr. Hooper wishes Bob a Merry Christmas.
+Xmasanother112.jpg|Mr. Hooper points to his "Noel" sign which now reads "NO."
+Xmasanother114.jpg|Ernie and Bert open each other's presents...
-File:Xmasanother110.jpg|Oscar expresses how much he hates Christmas...
+Xmasanother116.jpg|...then, Mr. Hooper stops by to give them exactly what they wanted for Christmas.
-File:Xmasanother111.jpg|...by trying to ruin it for everyone else.
+Xmasanother119.jpg|Big Bird waits on the roof for Santa, despite the heavy snow.
-File:Xmasanother112.jpg|Mr. Hooper points to his "Noel" sign which now reads "NO."
+Xmasanother122.jpg|Maria confronts Oscar about Big Bird's disappearance.
-File:Xmasanother114.jpg|Ernie and Bert open each other's presents...
+Xmasanother124.jpg|Gifts from Santa for Susan, Gordon, and Cookie Monster.
-File:Xmasanother116.jpg|...then, Mr. Hooper stops by to give them exactly what they wanted for Christmas.
-File:Xmasanother119.jpg|Big Bird waits on the roof for Santa, despite the heavy snow.
+Xmasanother127.jpg|Big Bird and Patty gaze upon the Christmas Tree in [[the arbor]].
+Xmasanother128.jpg|"Scotch pine delicious, but Douglas fir give me heartburn!"
-File:Xmasanother122.jpg|Maria confronts Oscar about Big Bird's disappearance.
+Group christmas.jpg
-File:Xmasanother124.jpg|Gifts from Santa for Susan, Gordon, and Cookie Monster.
+Kermit and Olivia.jpg
-File:Xmasanother127.jpg|Big Bird and Patty gaze upon the Christmas Tree in [[the Arbor]].
+CEOSSKermitShot.jpg
-File:Xmasanother128.jpg|"Scotch pine delicious!"
-File:Ceoss cast.jpg
-Image:Group christmas.jpg
 </gallery>
 ==Cast==
-[[Image:ChristmasEveonSSTVGuideAd.jpg|thumb|300px|A ''[[TV Guide]]'' advertisement for the special.]]
+[[File:ChristmasEveonSSTVGuideAd.jpg|thumb|300px|A ''[[TV Guide]]'' advertisement for the special.]]
+[[File:Christmas Eve promo|thumb|300px|[[PBS Interstitials|PBS promo]] for the special, starring Oscar the Grouch]]
+[[File:Big_Bird_and_Patty_Experience_the_Tree.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 *'''Muppet Performers:''' [[Jim Henson]], [[Frank Oz]], [[Caroll Spinney]], [[Jerry Nelson]], [[Richard Hunt]]
 *'''Cast:''' [[Linda Bove]], [[Northern Calloway]], [[Debbie Chen]], [[Will Lee]], [[Loretta Long]], [[Sonia Manzano]], [[Bob McGrath]], [[Roscoe Orman]], [[Alaina Reed]]
-*'''Skating Muppets:''' skaters from the [[Ice Follies]] shows
+*'''Skating Muppets:''' skaters from the [[Ice Follies|Holiday on Ice]] shows
+==Notes==
+* [[Jon Stone]] provides the voice of Santa Claus when Cookie Monster tries calling him.<ref>[http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2011/12/interview-with-muppet-writer-joseph.html The Muppet Mindset interview with Joseph A. Bailey]</ref>
+* When Big Bird and Patty check on Oscar following his ice skating accident, his original line was "Sure. I've been thrown out of better places than that." It was later re-dubbed in post-production (to "Let's go back and do it again!"), as the original line was deemed too adult.<ref>Bailey, Joseph. ''[[Memoirs of a Muppets Writer]]'', page 236</ref> The line appears in [[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (book)|the storybook adaptation]], however.
+* [[Oscar's trash can]] area is modified to resemble its initial, pre-1974 arrangement.
 ==Credits==
@@ Line 50: / Line 61: @@
 * Written by [[Jon Stone]] and [[Joseph A. Bailey]]
 * "[[True Blue Miracle]]" Composed by [[Carol Hall]]
-* "[[Keep Christmas With You (All Through the Year)]]" and "[[I Hate Christmas]]" Composed by [[Sam Pottle]] and [[David Axlerod]]
+* "[[Keep Christmas with You (All Through the Year)|Keep Christmas With You (All Through the Year)]]" and "[[I Hate Christmas]]" Composed by [[Sam Pottle]] and [[David Axlerod]]
 * Music by [[Dick Lieb]]
 * Music Coordinator: [[Danny Epstein]]
@@ Line 56: / Line 67: @@
 * Associate Director: [[Ozzie Alfonso]]
 * Production Supervisor: Robert Braithwaite
-* Muppet Designers: [[Don Sahlin]], [[Kermit Love]], and [[Caroly Wilcox]]
+* Muppet Designers: [[Don Sahlin|Donald Sahlin]], [[Kermit Love]], and [[Caroly Wilcox]]
 * Art Director: [[Alan J. Compton]]
 * Production Stage Manager: [[Chet O'Brien]]
@@ Line 65: / Line 76: @@
 * Costume Designer: [[Bill Kellard]]
 * Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
-* Production Assistants: Mercedes Polanco, Sharen Gay, [[Cathi Rosenberg-Turow]]
+* Production Assistants: Mercedes Polanco, Sharen Gay, [[Cathi Rosenberg-Turow|Cathi Rosenberg]]
 * Technical Advisor: [[Walt Rauffer]]
 * Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
@@ Line 71: / Line 82: @@
 * Audio: [[Mike Shoskes]], Jay Judell
 * Executive Producer: [[Jon Stone]]
-==Notes==
-*[[Jon Stone]] provides the voice of Santa Claus when Cookie Monster tries calling him.<ref>[http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2011/12/interview-with-muppet-writer-joseph.html The Muppet Mindset interview with Joseph A. Bailey]</ref>
-*When Big Bird and Patty check on Oscar following his ice skating accident, his original line was "Sure. I've been thrown out of better places than that." It was later re-dubbed in post-production (to "Let's go back and do it, again!"), as the original line was deemed too adult.<ref>Bailey, Joseph. ''[[Memoirs of a Muppets Writer]]'', page 236</ref>
-==Edits==
-*In various re-airings on [[PBS]] in the late-1980s, the closing scene with [[Susan]] and [[Gordon]] finding that [[Cookie Monster]] ate most of their Christmas tree was cut.
-*On video releases since the mid-1990s, the original 1978 [[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]] logo with Christmas music was cut. The 1996 VHS replaces it with the 1983 CTW opening logo, and DVD releases of the special start without any logos.
 ==Sources==
@@ Line 87: / Line 90: @@
 *''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (book)|Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]'' (book)
 *''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (video)|Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]'' (video)
+__NOWYSIWYG__
 [[Category:Sesame Street Specials]]
 [[Category:Christmas Productions]]

Muppet Wiki

Changes: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

Revision as of 09:46, 23 December 2019

Contents

Cast

Notes

Credits

Sources

See also