Learning About Numbers is a 1986 Sesame Street video compilation, originally released under the "My Sesame Street Home Video" series.
Big Bird is the host of a new talk show, Big Bird's Numbers Show (a parody of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson). Count von Count is his announcer, and he is scheduled to count the Honkers' honks. Unfortunately, he leaves early for another job as an elevator operator, but Big Bird manages to get him to come back. His guests include Chip and Dip.
Segments
Image | Segment | Description |
---|---|---|
FRAME 1 | The Count introduces Big Bird's Number Show and his guests tonight. Big Bird arrives on "stage" and opens with a joke about the cold weather, discovering he's missing one of his mittens. | |
Muppets | Muppet & Kid Moment — Grover and John-John count a penny. (First: Episode 0438) | |
Cartoon | A guru counts to twenty. (First: Episode 0276) | |
FRAME 2 | Big Bird has found his glove and retells his joke. He then presents his first, fiddle-playing guest. | |
Cartoon | The Country Fiddler—The Two-Step Artist: Bud Luckey (First: Episode 0342) | |
FRAME 3 | Big Bird brings out his next guest - Chip and Dip. They promote a new film they produced starring their friends. Big Bird plays the clip they brought. | |
Song | "Doll House" (First: Episode 0131) | |
FRAME 4 | Big Bird reads a fan letter that complains about the show's lack of roller coasters and chickens. Big Bird appeases the request. | |
Film | Number Three Ball Film (cherry version) (First: Episode 0744) | |
Cartoon | "Three Waltzing Chickens" Artist: Bruce Cayard (First: Episode 1183) | |
Muppets | Big Bird sings "I Just Adore Four" with The Tarnish Brothers. (First: Episode 0734) New intro by The Count, applause and brief moan by the Orange Gold brother when Big Bird grabs him at the end added | |
Cartoon | Donnie Budd counts four lions. (First: Episode 0300) | |
FRAME 5 | A Honker alerts Big Bird that The Count has gone home, but he is needed later to count honks. Big Bird looks through the phone book for his home number. | |
Muppets | The Count hires Ernie to answer his phone so that he won't be bothered with calls while he is counting. However, when the phone rings, the Count wants to count the rings, and won't let Ernie pick up the phone until it's too late. "I told you it wouldn't be easy," the Count explains. (First: Episode 0539) Ending cut | |
FRAME 6 | Big Bird gets through and speaks to Ernie. He puts The Count on, who says he is unable to come; he has a new job as an elevator operator! | |
Muppets | Count Von Count works as an elevator operator, with Kermit the Frog as his customer. (First: Episode 1970) | |
FRAME 7 | Big Bird lures him back with the promise of being able to count higher than the elevator can provide. The Count leaves Big Bird with a final message about soccer socks... | |
Cartoon | "Six Soccer Socks" Artist: Paul Fierlinger (First: Episode 1670) | |
Muppets | The Count counts seven flowers, and then explains that he loves to count flowers because then he gets to count sneezes. (First: Episode 0433) | |
Animation | The King of Eight (First: Episode 0255) | |
Cartoon | "Martian Beauty" has nine hairs, nine bows, nine eyes, nine nostrils, nine arms, and nine toes. Artist: Bud Luckey (First: Episode 0316) | |
Muppets | Muppet & Kid Moment — John-John wants to count backwards. Grover tells him to count backwards from 10, but John-John has a little trouble. (First: Episode 0547) | |
FRAME 8 | Big Bird is told by the Honker that The Count is back. Big Bird then introduces them. | |
Muppets | The Count finds three Honkers and counts 20 of their honks. They then want him to honk his nose, but he ends up hurting it. (First: Episode 1569) | |
FRAME 9 | Big Bird thanks his guests and signs off. |
Releases
International releases
Activity Book
Scans of the activity book from the original VHS release.
Notes
- While other videos released as part of the My Sesame Street Home Video line had their title sequences feature the title in a plain black background, this video's title sequence has a space background.
- When the Count announces the guests at the beginning, clips of Ernie and Grover that did not appear later in the video are shown.
- The Count does not mention Kermit the Frog among the guests during the opening sequence.
- In 2008, this video was included with Learning to Share as a Sesame Street Double Feature.
Cast
- Caroll Spinney as Big Bird
- Jim Henson as Ernie and Kermit the Frog
- Frank Oz as Grover and a Tarnish Brother
- Jerry Nelson as Count von Count and a Tarnish Brother
- Richard Hunt as Dip and a Tarnish Brother
- Martin P. Robinson
- Kevin Clash as Chip
Credits
- Writer: Norman Stiles
- Segment Writers: Tony Geiss, Sonia Manzano
- Director: Jon Stone