Episode 3423

Sesame Street
Walt Dizzy makes "The Chicken King"
Air date	December 27, 1995
Season	Season 27 (1995-1996)
Written by	Joey Mazzarino
Production September 13 & 22, 1995 Sponsors R, 14

Picture	Segment	Description
	SCENE 1	Telly finishes a joke to Elmo and Susan, who tries welcoming the viewer. She's interrupted by famed movie director, Walt Dizzy (though nobody has heard of him). He's on Sesame Street to find someone to play the titular role in his new "heartwarming, exciting, and money making" film, The Chicken King. Elmo recommends Telly and has him demonstrate his chicken acting skills, and Telly shows how he can cluck happily, sadly, and angrily. Walt is not impressed; he also needs someone who looks like a chicken. He continues his search while Elmo decides to help Telly by making him look the part, asking an unamused passing chicken (Jerry Nelson) for their feathers.
	Cartoon	Kids try to guess what a bunch of shapes will form; eventually they form a chicken. (First: Episode 2838)
	Song	"Family Song" - a rewritten version of "Brothers Song"
	Cartoon	A baby demonstrates 'happy,' 'surprised' and 'sad.' (First: Episode 3396)
	Muppets	The Counting Crows (actual crows) sing "Count it 1-2-3." (First: Episode 3368)
	Film / animation	A talking bowl tells a kid how he became a bowl. (First: Episode 3396)
	Cartoon	The Bellhop is asked to carry a guest's two small (but heavy) bags to Room 14. (First: Episode 2571)
	Cartoon	Growing Numbers #14 (First: Episode 2930)
	Muppets	Big Bird asks to see that number one more time. (First: Episode 3247)
	Cartoon	"Fourteen Desert" Artist: Joey Ahlbum (First: Episode 3267)
	SCENE 2	Telly is now in a full chicken outfit (custom made by the real chicken's tailor). Walt Dizzy comes back and sees Telly's acting again, but rejects him once more - he may look and sound like a chicken, but he doesn't move like one. Elmo runs off to find the chicken they met earlier for some pointers.
	Song	"The African Animal Alphabet" (First: Episode 3396)
	Muppets	Big Bird exclaims "Amazing!" (First: Episode 3191)
	Film	"Simple Pleasures" by Bobby McFerrin is played over footage of a girl trying to play frisbee with a dog on the beach. (First: Episode 2876)
	Animation	R / r (space paint) (First: Episode 3227)
	Film	Jaws spoof with the letter R. (First: Episode 3351)
	Animation	R for robot, rabbit, run, read, rock, rocket. (First: Episode 3088)
	Song	"In the Library"
	Cartoon	A white furball catches a train going through a door marked EXIT. (First: Episode 0800)
	Animation	A Keith Haring mural comes to life after some kids EXIT. (First: Episode 3006)
	SCENE 3	The chicken teaches Telly how to move, but he has a hard time getting the hang of it. Elmo helps by also imitating the chicken, attracting the attention of Walt. He immediately picks Elmo to play the chicken in his movie, making Telly furious.
	Cartoon	Why did the chicken cross the road? (First: Episode 2050)
	Film	Rory, the green-belt aged 6, goes to karate class and learns under his sensei, where he does toe touches, kicking, stretches, jumping jacks, and an unnamed move consisting of tumbling, then posing. Not only do they practice inside, but they also practice outside in the park.
	Cartoon	A man uses his memory to tell a woman how to get to a red house. (First: Episode 2185)
	Video	Fay demonstrates addition by placing 4 balls on a table. Artist: William Wegman (First: Episode 2612)
	Celebrity	The Count counts the musicians in the Tokyo String Quartet. (First: Episode 3266)
	Animation	Jerry Nelson sings "Two Pretty Flowers." (First: Episode 3151)
	Muppets	Mr. Johnson enters a framing shop to have a painting framed, only to find that Grover works there too. Grover assumes the painting is of his great-great-grandmonther, but Mr. Johnson exclaims that it’s his wife. After coming out from the back room with a circle and triangle frame, Grover finally frames it with a square, but destroys the original painting by splitting it over the bald man’s head. (beginning trimmed) (First: Episode 3396)
	Animation	Cecille sings "The Game of Make Believe." (First: Episode 2864)
	SCENE 4	Telly continues yelling at Elmo when Susan arrives to break it up. She and Walt tell him it's nothing personal; he had to go for the best person for the job and it's not Elmo's fault. Telly forgives him, but still feels bad: "I could've been somebody! I could've been... a chicken king! But now I'm just a nobody." Walt assures him he is a somebody and can play another role in the film. They all run off to produce the film.
	Film	EGGS ... and chickens. (First: Episode 3267)
	Muppets	All types of wild animals that lay eggs sing "Let's Lay an Egg." (First: Episode 3060)
	Cartoon	Gordon voiceover R/r (First: Episode 2195)
	Film	Ornate Rs fly through the sky to a song. (First: Episode 2932)
	Cartoon	R for rhinoceros, raquet, robot (First: Episode 2443)
	Film	Footage of the 1994 Labor Day Flag Party in Brooklyn features people marching while waving (and wearing) flags. Marina narrates about being one of the participants. (First: Episode 3403)
	Cartoon	A pencil tries to write the word DANCE. (First: Episode 1966)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — At the movies, a lady with a tall hat sits in front of Ernie and Bert. She block's Ernie's view, so he asks her if she'd mind taking it off. When she places the hat on the seat next to her, Bert's view is now obstructed. (First: Episode 0538)
	Cartoon	Jim Thurman sings "Calcutta Joe." (new sound effects added) Animation by Buzzco Associates, Inc. (First: Episode 2492)
	SCENE 5	Elmo, Telly, and Walt call Susan over to the yard to show them the finished project. "I'm quick and I'm cheap. Hollywood loves me," Walt says just before they roll film....
	SCENE 5 cont'd	In the film, a squire rabbit (David Rudman) addresses the kingdom of fellow animals. The time has come to choose a king from among the population, but it must be someone who can turn an ear of corn into an egg. A cocksure lion (Nelson) gives it a try, but only growls and roars at the corn. Elmo Chicken passes through, wishing to also try. The lion doesn't think he can do it, but Elmo eats up the ear of corn, giving him the energy to lay an egg. They declare him king and wish for more eggs to eat. Telly appears at the end, nervously playing a farmer who provides the kingdom with more corn.
	SCENE 5 cont'd	Susan enjoyed the film and the two monsters' performances. Walt heads off to make his next big flick - The Dog Prince. Elmo and Telly follow, hoping to also be in it, while Susan announces the sponsors.
	COMING SOON	Coming soon on Sesame Street: The letter X is upset that nobody has written a story about her.

Notes

• Dr. Valeria Lovelace, of the show's research department, attempted to halt production of this episode's storyline, claiming only a chicken should play the role of a chicken. She was told by Norman Stiles to air the show as written and jokingly await any letters to the organization from angry chicken fans.
• Despite the number of the day being 14, both Susan and the graphics (as shown above), say it's 19.
• Additional performers in the Chicken King film include Peter Linz (horse), Joey Mazzarino (bear), Alice Dinnean (cow), Jim Martin (white duck), and Carmen Osbahr (sheep).

Sources

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