Episode 309: Liberace

The Muppet Show
Guest	Liberace
Production	April 11-13, 1978
Releases	Season 3 Best of the Muppet Show
(TRANSCRIPT)

Sam the Eagle disapproves of Liberace's concert.

Liberace decides to perform an entire "concert for birds" in the second half of the show, while Gonzo is determined to get his tap-dancing chickens into the act.

Songs/Sketches

• Miss Piggy sings "Never on Sunday," complete with plate-smashing Greek dancing, for the opening number
• Veterinarian's Hospital: The Swedish Chef
• Muppet News Flash: The Newsman announces that remodeling has begun on the Muppet newsroom, as a wrecking ball smashes through the wall behind him.
• UK Spot: Miss Piggy and the pigs sing "I Want to Sing in Opera"
• Liberace gives a concert for the birds including "Chopsticks," "Misty," "Chopin's Nocturne No. 5," and "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue."

Notes

• In an interview on Muppet Central, Steve Whitmire remembered, "The first time I ever did a speaking part, I was doing a guard that was outside Liberace’s dressing room door. Jim gave me this part to do, to try me in a speaking role, and I was terrible." Although Whitmire cites this as his first speaking role, he did perform Winky Pinkerton and a couple of speaking whatnots in episode 308 which was taped one week earlier.

• Fletcher Bird speaks for the only time in this episode. (Fletcher never actually sang along in any of the numbers he did on the show.)

Cast

Muppets:

Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf the Dog, Animal, Sam the Eagle, Camilla, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Gladys, the Swedish Chef, Statler and Waldorf, the Newsman, Fletcher Bird, Alfredo the Mop Dancer, Pigs, Security Guard, Forcryingoutloud Bird, Piano

Background Muppets:

Hildegard the Mop Dancer, Ohreally Bird, Righton Bird, Whaddayasay Bird, Youknow Bird, Bird Dancers, Gawky Birds, Seagulls, Winky Pinkerton, Chickens, Goat, Canary, Harold, Link Hogthrob, Annie Sue Pig

Performers

Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, the Swedish Chef, Rowlf, Link Hogthrob, Waldorf, the Newsman and Piano

Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal and Sam the Eagle

Jerry Nelson as Camilla, Floyd Pepper, Forcryingoutloud Bird and Pig

Richard Hunt as Scooter, Gladys, Statler, Janice and Pig

Dave Goelz as Gonzo and Alfredo the Mop Dancer

Louise Gold as Annie Sue

Steve Whitmire as Security Guard and Fletcher Bird (Voice and Close-up Puppetry)

Graham Fletcher as Fletcher Bird

Edits

• Nickelodeon: The scene prior to Fletcher Bird's appearance (after the Greek number) and Gonzo talking to the security guard are cut.

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