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| Sesame Street | |||||||||
| Birdwatchers watch Big Bird (season premiere)' | |||||||||
| Air date | November 23, 1981 | ||||||||
| Season | Season 13 (1981-1982) | ||||||||
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| Picture | Segment | Description |
|---|---|---|
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SCENE 1 | Birdwatchers Madeline and Cedric (Madeline Kahn and Richard Hunt) arrive on Sesame Street looking for Big Bird. Maria helps them, but they aren't prepared for who they see. |
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Film | Joe Raposo sings "Dressed Up." (EKA: Episode 0355) |
| Cartoon | "Pinball Number Count" (#12) Artist: Jeff Hale (EKA: Episode 1459) | |
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Muppets | Grover teaches the campers at Camp Wannagohoma about trees. |
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Cartoon | The Letter N is Nice. (EKA: Episode 1092) |
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Cast | Finger Theater: Linda's fingers act out a story. (EKA: Episode 1517) |
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Film | "I'm Your Friend, You're My Friend," with film of kids playing. (EKA: Episode 1393) |
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Muppets | Two-Headed Monster: One head wants to play the trumpet, but the other head wants to sleep. (EKA: Episode 1390) |
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SCENE 2 | Cedric leaves to investigate a parrot in the Fix-It Shop. Madeline watches Big Bird counting to 20 during a game of hide-and-seek. |
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Cartoon | Peacock with twenty feathers. (EKA: Episode 0406) |
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Cartoon | Animated quilt patterns. |
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Muppets / Celebrity | Cab Calloway and the Count sing "I Want to Count." |
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Cartoon | A stop-motion-animated train runs out of track. (EKA: Episode 1447) |
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Muppets | Ernie and Bert: Ernie gets Bert to participate in a rhyme game, but ends the game just as Bert is starting to enjoy it. (EKA: Episode 0798) |
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SCENE 3 | Madeline and Big Bird roller skate. Then, with the "Canary Brothers" (Zeppo, Gummo, Curly, and Moe), Madeline sings "Brown Bird in the Cherry Tree." This scene was released on 40 Years of Sunny Days. |
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Film | Joe Raposo: Road Runner (instrumental) (EKA: Episode 0600) This segment was cut from the Noggin version. |
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Cartoon | The Alphabet Song (country, gospel, Mexican) Artist: Paul Fierlinger This segment was cut from the Noggin version. |
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Muppets | The Twiddlebugs attempt to exit a roller skating rink. |
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Cartoon | "The Little Letter L: A Poem by Louise" Artist: Bruce Cayard |
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Insert | The Count counts five children as they rearrange their positions. |
| Cartoon | "Geometry of Circles" | |
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SCENE 4 | Madeline calls Mr. McNulty of the Bird Department in Washington, D.C. to confirm that Big Bird is an endangered species, based on his abilities to roller skate, count to twenty, make his own breakfast, and say the alphabet. Maria, Gordon, and Mr. Hooper are chagrined when Madeline announces that Big Bird must be removed from Sesame Street so he can live in a more protective environment. |
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Film | An osprey flies around. Music: Joe Raposo (EKA: Episode 1459) This segment was cut from the Noggin version. |
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Muppets | Honkers attempt to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on their noses. Part 1. |
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Cartoon | "Ladybugs' Picnic" (EKA: Episode 0416) |
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Muppets | Honkers attempt to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on their noses. Part 2. |
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Cartoon | "L" for "Large" and "l" for "little" |
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Muppets | Honkers attempt to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on their noses. Part 3. |
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Film | Saxophone factory. (EKA: Episode 1446) |
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Muppets | Muppet & Kid Moments: Herry Monster and John-John on up and down. (EKA: Episode 0784) |
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SCENE 5 | Madeline takes Big Bird to the Windy Hill bird sanctuary, but he gets homesick. None of the birdhouses there are big enough for him. |
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Film | Footage of all types of birds on land, including flamingos and pigeons. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0019) This segment was cut from the Noggin version. |
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Cartoon | A bird lays ten eggs. |
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Muppets | Muppet & Kid Moments: Ernie and Jason look in a mirror. |
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Cartoon | "Lowercase n" (EKA: Episode 0425) |
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Muppets | Monsterpiece Theater: "Me, Claudius" Bruce, Harvey, Maurice, and the monster who would become Elmo fight over which one is Claudius. Slimey also makes a cameo. (EKA: Episode 1448) |
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SCENE 6 | Madeline brings Big Bird back to Sesame Street. Maria and Gordon promise to take care of him. Madeline and Cedric are stunned to learn that Big Bird has a family of birds who are just like him, and even more stunned to glimpse his Uncle Slim from Wyoming (identical in appearance to Big Bird, but with a cowboy hat, vest, and moustache) across the street.
Mr. Hooper announces the sponsors. |
Alterations
| Picture | Segment | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Muppets | "Honk Around the Clock" (EKA: Episode 2492) On the Old School: Volume 3 DVD release of this episode, as well as the HBO Kids version, this insert replaces "I Want to Count." |
Notes
- This episode was taped on September 16, 1981 and directed by Jon Stone.
- The street plot was directly adapted for a 1985 episode of Rechov Sumsum, where a pair of animal watchers discover Kippi Ben Kippod.
- The HBO Kids version of this episode includes the Friday ending credit sequence, despite having originally aired on a Monday.
Cast
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