 | |
| Gilbert and Sullivan at the library. | |
| PERFORMER | various |
| DEBUT | 1980 |
| PATTERN | Fat Blue |
Gilbert and Sullivan are a pair of knowledgeable chaps who dispense information on various topics through elaborate, operatic numbers, often to the annoyance of Oscar the Grouch. The duo first appeared on Sesame Street in season 12 and appeared irregularly through season 21. They are named after the songwriting duo of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Their songs include:
- "You Are What You Eat" (First: Episode 1452)
- "The Letter B" (First: Episode 1845)
- "At Your Library" (First: Episode 1908)
- "Important" (First: Episode 2336)
- "Listen" (First: Episode 2636)
- "Before and After" (First: Episode 2725)
Which character was which was subject to discrepancy over the years. When they first appeared in 1980, the admiral puppet introduced himself as "Gilbert," while his top-hatted partner was "Sullivan." For their season 15 appearances, the names were switched, then changed back for their remaining appearances.
In their first appearance, the two were performed by Brian Muehl (the admiral) and Michael Earl (the top-hatted character). For most of their appearances after, the roles were taken over by Martin P. Robinson (Gilbert) and Richard Hunt (Sullivan). For Episode 2336, David Rudman took over for Hunt's character.