Kermit unpacks his adjectives
Schoolhouse Rock! is a series of animated interstitials which aired on Saturday mornings on ABC, beginning in 1973 as networks faced demands for more educational programming in the wake of Sesame Street. They were organized by subseries ("Grammar Rock," "Multiplication Rock," "America Rock," and others) and originally ran off and on until 1984. New segments were produced in 1996, as well as the 2002 video Earth Rock.
In 2023, ABC aired the special Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong, with Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear performing the song "Unpack Your Adjectives." The performance was interspersed with clips from the original animated short, with Fozzie at one point turning into the hairy, scary bear from the piece.
Background[]
Then ABC executive Michael Eisner recalled when he met with the ad agency creatives who came up with the series: "I was doing it as a favor. And it just was a matter of putting two and two together, which was hearing something that is kind of hip, like Sesame Street was."[1]
Producers George Newall and Tom Yohe, in their 1996 book Schoolhouse Rock!: The Official Guide, also mentioned the PBS series: "The Television Academy would favor us with an Emmy every other year. (We seemed to be taking turns with Sesame Street, which we thought put us in pretty good company!)"
In a 1994 interview, Newall claimed that "More kids saw Schoolhouse Rock than ever watched Sesame Street. And the big irony is that it was all done by a bunch of ad guys in their spare time."[2]
Connections[]
- Jamie Aff sang "Telegraph Line" (1979)
- Mary Sue Berry sang "Do the Circulation" (1979)
- Phil Kimmelman & Associates (producers of the Harvey Kurtzman inserts on Sesame Street) animated the original "Multiplication Rock" and "Grammar Rock" segments and select others
- Rich Mendoza wrote "Where the Money Goes" for "Money Rock" (1996)
- Essra Mohawk sang on "Sufferin' Til Suffrage," "Interjections!", and "Mother Necessity" (with others)
- Rockapella sang (and two members co-wrote) "You Oughta Be Savin' Water" for Earth Rock (2002 video)
- Maeretha Stewart sang "Do the Circulation" (1979)
Sources[]
- ↑ Frommer, Frederic J. "‘Schoolhouse Rock’ premiered 50 years ago — and shaped a generation." The Washington Post. January 28, 2023.
- ↑ George Newall interview. Wild Cartoon Kingdom #3. 1994