Episode 1148

Sesame Street
James Earl Jones visits Sesame Street
Air date	April 5, 1978
Season	Season 9 (1977-1978)
Sponsors B, D, 5 Releases HBO Max

Picture	Segment	Description
	SCENE 1	As Mr. Hooper sweeps outside the store, a limousine pulls up on the block. A window rolls down and a man pops out, asking if the store makes old-fashioned egg creams. He is ecstatic to hear Mr. Hooper confirm this and hops right out. As he begins making the egg cream, Mr. Hooper realizes who the man is - famous movie star James Earl Jones. As he begins autographing a paper plate, Big Bird enters and is introduced to Jones, then learns what a movie star is. Before he can sample the egg cream, Maria and Bob rush in, star-struck. They all give him some space as he is about to sip, but now Mr. Hooper stops him. He thinks the egg cream has gone flat now and already has a fresh one prepared. Jones takes a sip and loves it ("Just as I used to drink as a kid," he notes).
	Cartoon	A minstrel sings about a fox who outsmarts a crow. Artist: Etienne Delessert (First: Episode 0631)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Bert says it's Ernie's turn to go to the laundromat. He puts numerous things in the laundry basket, including storybooks, cookies, his boots, and a radio. Before long, the basket has no room for the laundry, so he decides to go play baseball instead. (First: Episode 0458)
	Cartoon	D - dig, deep, dinosaur
	Film	Peacock Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0278)
	Cartoon	D-dart (First: Episode 0292) cut from the Max version
	Video	Scanimate kids intro (First: Episode 0798)
	SCENE 2	Some kids help Maria fix a broken wagon.
	Film	Kids with special needs do gymnastics at the Mamaroneck Co-Op Camp. (EKA: Episode 0953)
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — Cookie Monster shows Jason that D is for Doggie.
	Cartoon	Workmen construct a D building, filled with everything that begins with D. (First: Episode 0406)
	Muppets	Three polyester-clad Anything Muppets sing "Disco D."
	Animation	Sand D/d (First: Episode 0640)
	Film	Paper-cut triangles fade into live-action shots of triangle-shaped things. (First: Episode 0538)
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — Herry Monster asks Kimberly to identify geometric shapes. (First: Episode 0899)
	Cartoon	Dogs cheer D-O-G and fight with cats.
	Cartoon	A lost number 5 looks for his brother. (First: Episode 0934)
	Muppets	The Count hires Ernie to answer his phone so that he won't be bothered with calls while he is counting. However, when the phone rings, the Count wants to count the rings, and won't let Ernie pick up the phone until it's too late. "I told you it wouldn't be easy," the Count explains. (First: Episode 0539)
	Film	Kids watch as construction workers paint a number 5 on the street using a stencil. (First: Episode 0497)
	Insert	Olivia sings "Sad." (First: Episode 0977)
	Muppets	Here is Your Life Disguised as a dentist, Guy Smiley surprises a tooth at a dentist's office. The tooth is reunited with healthy food (represented by Carl Carrot and Melvin Milk), his dentist, and toothbrush/toothpaste pair Bristly and Pastey. (First: Episode 1057)
	Cartoon	5s go through a space-shredder and produce 5 objects. (EKA: Episode 0864)
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — Kermit, Shola and Fannie talk about giraffes, leading to... (First: Episode 0570)
	Film	Sesame Street Animal Films: a herd of giraffes move their way through a field. (First: Episode 0316)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Ernie wants to have some cookies. Bert asks Ernie if he knows what "before" means, and Ernie demonstrates by saying that before he can have a cookie, he has to open the lid to a cookie jar, and after he closes the lid, he eats the cookie. He demonstrates a few times, until he loses his appetite for dinner. (First: Episode 0007)
	Cartoon	Before and after: Several kids are sad, but become happy when a fruit vendor appears. (First: Episode 0631)
	Cast	Linda and a boy sign the word "CLOSED." (First: Episode 1082)
	Muppets	Kermit at Home: Grover is outside in the snow, freezing. He keeps knocking on Kermit's door, asking how to get warm, and Kermit keeps telling him to come inside. Grover, missing the point, tries ideas of his own to get warm, but they don't work. Finally, Kermit tells Grover that if he wants to get warm, he should come inside. Excited, Grover pulls Kermit aside and slams the door, locking Kermit outside. Grover goes to sleep in Kermit's armchair while the frozen frog scrapes at the window. (First: Episode 0598)
	Cartoon	Antes y despues: Several kids are sad, but become happy when a fruit vendor appears. (Spanish version) (First: Episode 0631)
	SCENE 3	Oscar asks Kim to read the sign he's hung from his can: CLOSED. She then closes the lid on him.
	Cartoon	B is for bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles. And Bosco, who is taking a bath. (First: Episode 0355)
	Song	Joe Raposo sings "Take a Breath." (First: Episode 0347)
	Cartoon	Big Daniel Boone looks for a bear. Artist: Bruce Cayard (First: Episode 0627)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Ernie is planning to go to the library, when he hears on the radio that it might rain. So he gets out his umbrella, and puts on his raincoat, rain hat, and galoshes. Then, in case it floods, he takes a bag of groceries and a life preserver. Finally, he makes Bert go to the library with him, so he won't be stranded in the flood without him.
	SCENE 4	Big Bird gushes over meeting a movie star today and thinks he can be one too, then starts digging through his costume bin. Over at Hooper's Store, Mr. Hooper tells his aunt in Chicago, a huge fan of James Earl Jones, about his visit over the phone. Big Bird enters, dressed as though he's a fashionable star and acts with an air of sophistication. The adults play along and act starstruck. Big Bird signs his autograph and makes his way to the door. He thinks his imagination has run away with him when he sees a limousine parked outside, but it turns out to be Jones's; he's returned to get another egg cream (this time, to go). As the adults all head inside with Jones, Big Bird gets in the limo and orders a drive, much to the shock of the driver (Richard Hunt making a cameo).
	Cartoon	Small letter b (ball/bat) (First: Episode 1131)
	Film	A baker draws a kitchen and utensils to bake a birthday cake. (First: Episode 0427)
	Cartoon	Two red curtains are dropped to reveal a number 5 covered in colorful dots that vibrate and disperse. (First: Episode 0940)
	SCENE 5	Mr. Hooper packages up the egg creme to go for Mr. Jones and they all bid him farewell. As the limo drives off, Big Bird is seen still sitting in the backseat. Oscar announces the sponsors: B, D, 5

Notes

• The script named the movie star "Michael Medford" before casting James Earl Jones who had studied drama with Mr. Hooper actor Will Lee.
• The HBO Max version of this episode includes the Friday ending credit sequence from Episode 1150 despite having originally aired on a Wednesday.

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