Episode 518: Marty Feldman

The Muppet Show
Guest	Marty Feldman
Production	July 14-17, 1980
Premiere	UK: December 21, 1980 NYC: May 23, 1981
Releases	Best of the Muppet Show
(TRANSCRIPT)

The Muppets present their version of 1001 Arabian Nights, with guest star Marty Feldman playing the role of Scheherazade, telling tales to an evil Caliph (played by the Swedish Chef).

Songs/Sketches

• "Arabian Nights" featuring the stories of Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin's Lamp, The Wright Brothers and Ali Baba
• "Surfin' USA"
• "In a Persian Market"
  • UK Spot: "Girlfriend of the Whirling Dervish"
• "The Laughing Policeman"
• "Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" / "Sesame Street Theme"

Notes

• The episode was initially conceived as using a theme of different historical periods. This idea was passed on due to the possible similarities to Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I (then in the filming stage) and Feldman's connection to Brooks.
• In the cold opening, Feldman brings Sopwith the Camel into the theater. For this episode, the camel is called "Loretta."
• This episode is the third and final time Sesame Street characters appear on The Muppet Show.
• Upon hearing that the final story has to be "Ali Baba and the 3 Thieves" instead of "Ali Baba and the 4 Thieves" (instead of "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" due to budget problems), Feldman complains, "They didn't do this to Liza Minnelli."

Episode Guide

Picture	Description
	Cold Open: Marty enters the theater with Loretta
	The Muppet Show Theme: Gonzo's horn emits a blue spirt, which plays a Middle Eastern tune.
	Kermit announces that show is going to be devoted to the Arabian Nights!.
	Sinbad the Sailor: Sinbad (Kermit) runs across an evil genie (Sweetums), and pretends to be Sinbad the Surfer. He and his band of frog sailors sing "Surfin' USA".
	Backstage, Marty recruits Gonzo to play Aladdin in the next scene.
	Aladdin's Lamp: The genie of the lamp (Feldman) grants a wish to Aladdin -- and gives him a chorus of chicken dancing girls dancing to "In a Persian Market".
	UK Spot: Whirling Wanda and company sing "Girlfriend of the Whirling Dervish."
	Backstage, Sam the Eagle is pleased to have a distinguished, British, guest artiste on the show.
	The Wright Brothers: Sam the Eagle plays a patent officer in a sketch with Feldman, who plays Wilbur and Orville Wright (his mother wanted twins). Wilbur and Orville wants to patent the flying carpet -- but when Sam asks for details, he learns that the flying carpet is on the floor of a passenger jet. When the sketch gets too out there, Feldman brings it to an end by sing "The Laughing Policeman" with a chorus of policemen.
	Ali Baba: A puppet version of Feldman appears as Ali Baba, with Fozzie Bear as the head of the Forty Thieves (or, as it turns out, the Three Bears). To escape being boiled in oil, Fozzie sings "Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight". When he yells "Open Sesame," the cast of Sesame Street emerges.
	Kermit says goodnight and Feldman meets his favorite Muppet -- the similarly googily-eyed Cookie Monster.
	In the closing tag, the Sesame Street gang appears in Statler and Waldorf's box. Statler and Waldorf complain they don't know how to get to Sesame Street (a nod to that show's theme), as they don't even know how get out of their box.

Edits

• Nickelodeon: The backstage scene before "The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk" sketch was cut.

Cast

Guest appearance by:

The cast of Sesame Street: Cookie Monster, Ernie, Bert, Grover, Count von Count, two Anything Muppets

Muppets:

Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, the Swedish Chef, Sam the Eagle, Sweetums, Scooter, Statler and Waldorf, Pops, Sopwith the Camel (aka Loretta), Ali Baba (Marty Feldman look-alike), Whirling Wanda (the Girlfriend of the Whirling Dervish), Animal, Whatnots, Frogs, Chickens, Old Skyball Paint, Billy the Bear, Baby Bear

Background Muppets:

Robin the Frog, Beauregard, Gaffer, The Female Singers

Performers

Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, The Swedish Chef, Waldorf and Ernie

Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Sam the Eagle, Animal, Grover, Cookie Monster and Bert

Jerry Nelson as Pops, Robin, Policeman, Old Skyball Paint and Count von Count

Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler and Sweetums

Dave Goelz as Gonzo and Ali Baba

Steve Whitmire as Frog and Whatnot Singer

Louise Gold as Goldilocks and Whirling Wanda

Kathy Mullen as Gaffer and Female Singer

Brian Muehl as Billy the Bear

Gallery

Sources

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