Episode 408: Arlo Guthrie

The Muppet Show
Guest	Arlo Guthrie
Production	June 19-21, 1979
Premiere	UK: December 21, 1979 NYC: December 4, 1979
(TRANSCRIPT)

Behind the scenes

For guest star Arlo Guthrie, the stage is turned into a farmhouse. The Swedish Chef plans a home-cooked meal, but fails to deliver.

Songs/Sketches

• "Grocery Blues"
• Muppet News Flash: Bumper Crop
• "Elegance"
• "At the Square Dance"
• UK Spot: "A Horse Named Bill"
• "Get Along Little Dogies"
• "Sailing Down This Golden River"

Notes

• The storyline of the Swedish Chef trying to find something to cook for a big family dinner was also used in the 1987 special A Muppet Family Christmas. In that special, he ended up preparing shredded wheat and cranberry sauce.

• A short-lived backstage character appears in this episode for this time: Winny, a bird with an English accent, an assistant cook to the Swedish Chef.

Episode

Picture	Description
	Scooter discovers that Arlo Guthrie's name has been miswritten as "Arthur Godfrey".
	The Muppet Show Theme: A shark swims into Statler and Waldorf's box. Statler: What's this fish doing in our box?! Waldorf: The same as us - suffering! Just as Gonzo blows the final note, he's trampled by a herd of cows. The last cow stops and moos to the crowd.
	The curtains open, revealing the Muppets in a rustic home. Arlo and the Muppets sing "Grocery Blues." Midway through, the Swedish Chef leaves the premises with a shopping cart. He soon returns with the cart stocked with foods, including a panicked, live turkey.
	Winny tells Kermit that she and the Chef are preparing a feast for the show. Kermit has already hired a caterer, but the Chef's loud bawling convinces him to change his mind.
	Muppet Newsflash: The Newsman reports on farm gestation periods and the recent bumper crop.
	A herd of cows sing "Elegance." They sing in the pasture, then move into the house, donning more showy costumes.
	The Swedish Chef tries to skewer the turkey with a spit, but the turkey escapes.
	Arlo shows Gonzo his new flamingo guitar.
	In a hayfield, a trio of Muppet couples dance as Gramps sings and plays a square dance version of the "At the Dance" music on violin.
	UK Spot: Members of Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers sing "A Horse Named Bill."
	Arlo sings "Get Along Little Dogies."
	The Swedish Chef tries to prepare a roast pig and roast beef, but fails at both.
	Fozzie finds out that his poem recitation conflicts with Gonzo's tango number.
	Fozzie performs his rendition of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" while Gonzo performs "Hernando's Hideaway" between stanzas. Finally, they compromise, and Fozzie sings the poem to Gonzo's tango tune.
	Back at the kitchen, the Swedish Chef moans in pain, bandaged and with his arm in a sling. He assures the animals that he's going to make vegetable stew instead, but the vegetables leap from the counter and trounce him, then leave.
	In the living room, Arlo and the Muppets sing "Sailing Down This Golden River."
	At the closing, Arlo and the Muppets are all gathered around the dinner table. The Chef offers them a feast of … vitamin pills!

Cast

Muppets:

Kermit the Frog, The Swedish Chef, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Winny, Scooter, Granny, Babies, Gramps, Slim Wilson, Zeke, Bubba, Lubbock Lou, Shenandoah Muppets, Cows, Old Skyball Paint, Chickens, Whatnots, The Newsman, Statler and Waldorf, Annie Sue, Turkey, Pig, the Singing Food, Miss Piggy

Background Muppets:

Rover Joe, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Rowlf, Robin the Frog, Beauregard, Lou

Performers

Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, the Swedish Chef, Zeke, the Newsman, Rowlf and Waldorf

Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Baby

Jerry Nelson as Gramps, Pig, Slim Wilson, Cowboy, Old Skyball Paint and Pig

Richard Hunt as Winny, Scooter, Turkey, Bubba and Statler

Dave Goelz as Gonzo

Steve Whitmire as others

Kathy Mullen as Granny

Louise Gold as others

Gallery

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