Jane Henson in Muppets, Inc.'s rented space in the studio.
Rodel Studio was a production facility formerly operating in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. The studio was run by cinematographers Fritz Roland and Del Ankers.[1]
The studio was where Jim and Jane Henson would shoot their Wilkins Coffee commercials. As they got more and more commercial work, Muppets, Inc. were able to reserve space above the studio where they could store props and sets that would be repurposed as commercials were reshot for other products and markets. One of the surviving Sam and Friends episodes, "Poisen to Poisen," was also recorded at the studio (rather than the WRC-TV studio).[1]
Even after Muppets, Inc. relocated to New York City in 1963, Henson and his team would commute to Georgetown to continue producing commercials and other films at Rodel, including the La Choy ads,[2] the Pak-Nit fables, and industrial films for IBM.[3] Henson continued using the facilities as late as 1980 for some PSAs with Kermit the Frog for UNICEF.[4]
References[]
- In one episode of Sam and Friends, Professor Madcliffe claims he was once awarded the Rodel Prize for Accomplishment.[1]
Sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show
- ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book: 10/25/1966 “Shoot big La Choy Dragon in Washington”
- ↑ A slate with "RODEL" marked on it is featured in Rowlf's debut IBM film.
- ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book: 8/23/1980 – ‘Press conf. in NYC Kermit UNICEF Spokesfrog – 1981.’