Learning About Letters is a 1986 Sesame Street direct-to-video compilation in the "My Sesame Street Home Video" line.
As the video opens, it's Alphabet Day on Sesame Street. Big Bird tells Mr. Snuffleupagus that on Alphabet Day, people go searching for objects that begin with each letter of the alphabet and read words, and after all that, Luis will read them a story. Mr. Snuffleupagus goes searching for something that begins with the letter A, while Telly Monster gets the gang organized for Alphabet Day.
Segments
Picture | Segment | Description |
---|---|---|
FRAME 1 | Big Bird and Snuffy welcome the viewer and announce that today, they'll be going over the alphabet today, even reading some words. Snuffy doesn't quite remember how the alphabet goes, but soon realizes the correct order with the help of a song... | |
Muppets / Celebrity | Lena Horne and the Anything Muppets sing "The Alphabet Song." (First: Episode 0575) On-screen letters added | |
FRAME 1 cont'd | Following the song, Snuffy remarks how great the alphabet is and reveals the first letter - A. He then leaves to find things that start with A. As he leaves, a voice beckons Big Bird outside. | |
FRAME 1 cont'd | The voice is that of Telly Monster's, who hurries Big Bird along, hoping everything goes smoothly while talking about the alphabet. He shows off some A words, followed by some B words, then a C word - cow. | |
Muppets | Cookie Monster sings "C is for Cookie." (First: Episode 0372) | |
FRAME 2 | Now at the letter D, Telly drags in a Dentist, who wishes to speak about flossing before is shoved off. Telly then knocks on Oscar's trash can; not to see Oscar, but his Elephants. | |
Cartoon | Frances Fairy displays several F words. (First: Episode 0335) | |
FRAME 3 | Telly and Big Bird now show some F words. Buster the Horse illustrates a G word - gallop. The word itself follows suit. | |
Cartoon |
Speech Balloon: G-gorilla | |
FRAME 4 | Buster zooms past the letter H, for Horse. | |
Cartoon | Consonant Sound Limerick: H - Horse (First: Episode 1167) | |
FRAME 5 | Oscar displays the letter I, for Irvine, who has Ice cream, which Luis finds Icky. | |
FRAME 5 cont'd | Telly does some jumping to show the word "Jump." The word does the same. | |
Cartoon | Speech Balloon: K - Key (First: Episode 0040) | |
Muppets | Ernie and Bert sing "La, La, La." (First: Episode 0321) | |
FRAME 6 | Big Bird shows Henrietta Honker the L in the CLOSED sign. He goes on, saying letters can be found everywhere. | |
Film | City alphabet (Joe Raposo instrumental with kid voiceover) (First: Episode 0132) | |
Muppets | Kermit draws the letter M on-screen with his magic finger. Grover asks what Kermit has drawn, and Kermit says it's the letter M. "Mmmmm!" Grover agrees. (First: Episode 0516) | |
Muppets | "M-M-M Monster Meal" (First: Episode 0380) | |
FRAME 7 | In Big Bird's Nest, Henrietta takes a Nap. | |
Cartoon | O for orange Artist: Bruce Cayard (First: Episode 0673) | |
FRAME 8 | Telly displays his Piggy bank, which has a sole Quarter. | |
Cartoon | A wizard turns into R things. (First: Episode 0369) | |
FRAME 9 | Telly shows some words that start with S and T. The letter U prefers to speak for himself. | |
Cartoon | The Villain in the Panama Hat (V) (First: Episode 0507) | |
FRAME 10 | The gang wraps up the alphabet - Big Bird has a Waffle, the dentist has an X-ray, Luis has a Yo-Yo, and Buster appears as a Zebra. | |
Cartoon | Madrigal Alphabet Animation by Jeff Hale (First: Episode 0619) | |
FRAME 11 | Luis reads the gang the story of "The King Banishes the Letter P." (First: Episode 0712) Story edited | |
FRAME 11 cont'd |
Big Bird returns to his nest to find Snuffy, who's brought an Apple and is ready to move onto B. Big Bird explains they've already finished, making Snuffy sad. Big Bird cheers him up, promising that they'll simply start everything again. He tells the gang his plan and Telly frantically gets everyone organized. Big Bird announces the sponsors from A to Z. |
Releases
International releases
DVD Chapters
- The ABC's
- C is for Cookie
- Frances Fairy
- The Letter "L"
- Letters Everywhere
- The Letter "M"
- ABC Song
- Storytime: "The King Banishes the Letter P"
Activity Book
Scans of the activity book from the original VHS release.
Characters
Muppets (Linking Footage)
- Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, Buster the Horse, Oscar the Grouch, Irvine, Letter U, a cow, a dentist, a little boy, Henrietta Honker, Fluffy, Sophie, Blitzen, and Schopenhauer
Muppets (Inserts)
- Cookie Monster, Herry Monster, Ernie, Bert, Kermit the Frog, Grover, King Peter the Persnickety, Princess Penelope, King Peter's pet porcupine, Mr. Johnson, Oscar the Grouch, Farley, Monsters, Fenwick, Billy and the Anything Muppets
Cast
- Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Ernie, Mr. Johnson, and King Peter the Persnickety
- Frank Oz as Cookie Monster, Bert, Grover, Princess Penelope, and the Royal Cook
- Jerry Nelson as Herry Monster, Farley, and Pumpkin Townsperson
- Richard Hunt as Green Townsperson and various Anything Muppets
- Martin P. Robinson as Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Irvine, and Buster the Horse
- Kevin Clash as U, Cow, and Little Boy
- Pam Arciero as Dentist
- Bryant Young as Mr. Snuffleupagus (back half)
Credits
- Writer: Sara Compton
- Director: Jon Stone
- Songs by: Joe Raposo and Jeffrey Moss