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Sesame Street
Premiere November 28, 1977 (1056)
Finale May 26, 1978 (1185)
Episodes 130
Trip to Hawaii luau

The cast during their trip to Hawaii (from TV Guide Jan 7, 1978).

Gotasong

Ray Charles makes an appearance this season, as does Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, and Mummenschanz.

Grover again

Madeline Kahn, who sings Sing After Me with Grover.

2477v

The Sign Sounds cartoons made their debut this season.

1070 05

Oscar has a date with Hermine in Episode 1070 at a most-romantic location (for a Grouch): the city dump.

Film

"I-Beam" film

1177 01a

The cast is introduced to their new neighbor Woof Woof in Episode 1177.

10CommandmentsofHealth

"The Ten Commandments of Health"

1065f

Up on the roof of 123 Sesame Street.

Sugarbeet

A film of how sugar comes from sugar beets.

1563n

"It Feels Good When You Sing a Song"

Character

Ernie helps Bert's nephew Brad by giving him bath toys.

1098e

Mr. Hooper helps teach his new friend Mr. Ortiz some English words; likewise, Mr. Ortiz helps Mr. Hooper with his Spanish.

Title

"Monsterpiece Theater" debuts.

James Earl Jones perfect egg cream

Movie star James Earl Jones stops by Hooper's Store for an old-fashioned egg cream in Episode 1148.

Bforbeard

An example of one of this season's Consonant Sound animations.

2HeadStoryCoop

The Two-Headed Monster makes their first appearance in a story read by Olivia.

Billyjoejive

Billy Jo Jive and Smart Susie Sunset are on the case.

1118h

Oscar holds a meeting of the Grouchketeers.

ThelmaThumb-Season9

Introducing the adventures of Thelma Thumb.

Bert-press-photo-1154

"Pigeons on Parade"
Press release excerpt: "According to the producers, [the pigeons] will probably walk about and eat breadcrumbs."

Sesame Street Season 9 aired from November 28, 1977, to May 26, 1978.

Overview[]

The season's special topic focuses on cultural diversity via a multi-week story arc that sees the cast visit Buffy Sainte-Marie at her home on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Director Jon Stone explains, "Going to Hawaii was very good for us because it is a multi-ethnic society and one that provides an ocean-oriented milieu that we have never had on the series."[1] Three of the children who participated in the Hawaii shows are direct descendants of King Kaumualii, and two are descendants of King Kamehameha.[2]

The curriculum also emphasizes on higher-order reading skills such as verbal blending and letter sounds. Examples include Muppet kid Farley learning how to sound out words via song, and a series of animations in which a man attempts to read out or unscramble words on signs, with each instance ending comically. Expanding from lessons included the previous year, this season features basic principles of health and nutrition, dental care, and personal hygiene. Different methods are used throughout to portray these lessons, such as Big Bird trying apples and pumpernickel breadcrumbs, a cartoon by Bruce Cayard in which a king refuses to take a bath, and Guy Smiley hosting an episode of Here Is Your Life where the guest of honor is an anthropomorphic tooth.

Pre-science skills are introduced with segments such as He, She and It, which explains how common devices and tools are made and how they work. The adventures of the diminutive Thelma Thumb also explores the environment from a different perspective, as well as problem-solving skills. Billy Jo Jive and his partner Smart Susie Sunset have their own way of investigation as a pair of young, street-savvy detectives.

Characters and segments[]

The cast and Muppets are joined by several new characters, in addition to building on those already established. A previously-unnamed cow who has appeared from time to time is given the name Gladys; her backstory includes wanting to become an actress after living the simple life on the farm. A story read by Olivia stars the Two-Headed Monster, who sometimes has difficulty in trying to cooperate. (The following year they will help out on expanding pre-reading skills and other topics.) Bert introduces his nephew Brad, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his uncle, and a girl named Georgie overcomes her shyness when she meets Oscar the Grouch. For two episodes, the cast meets a giant full-body dog character named Woof Woof (later renamed Barkley). On the non-Muppet side, Mr. Ortiz begins the first of several appearances, usually helping out at Hooper's Store; his inclusion helps shows viewers the relationships of those who may speak a different language most of the time.

Along with these characters, the lives of the Sesame Street residents are further explored with the inclusion of new sets, helping to increase the realism of their world and connect it to the viewer's own surroundings. For the first time, both the roof and basement of 123 Sesame Street are seen, as is the living room of Gordon and Susan; previously, all that was seen of it was the kitchen area. Maria's apartment is also briefly seen when Buffy stays with her for a few days (in one case her son Cody leaves his artwork all over the place). Mr. Hooper's home is visited in Episode 1155 when he invites Mr. Ortiz to stay for a while, while a couple of segments take place in Ernie and Bert's kitchen. Finally, one episode takes the viewer underground and sees the cast taking the subway - a pleasant spot for Oscar given the noise of the trains.

Aside from the previously-mentioned segments, a touch of higher-class entertainment makes its first appearance this season: Monsterpiece Theater, as hosted by the sometimes urbane (and always hungry) Alistair Cookie. The series of Consonant Sound animations by Jeff Hale also tackle letters of the alphabet, usually via limericks or other kinds of poems.

Episodes[]

Episodes 1056 - 1185 (130 episodes)

Notes[]

Cast[]

Cast
Linda Bove, Northern Calloway, Emilio Delgado, Will Lee, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Alaina Reed, Buffy Sainte-Marie Wolfchild
Jim Henson's Muppets
Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt (Uncredited: Fran Brill, Peter Friedman, Olga Felgemacher, Bob Payne, Toby Towson)
Guest Stars
Keola Beamer, Winona Beamer, Richard Belzer, Victor Borge, Ray Charles, Michael Christensen and Paul Binder, The Deadly Nightshade, Linda Delgado, Brian Doyle-Murray, Judy Finelli, Ron Howard, James Earl Jones, Madeline Kahn, George "Boogie" Kalama, Mummenschanz, Paul Simon, Henry Winkler

Characters[]

Humans
Linda, David, Luis, Mr. Hooper, Susan, Maria, Bob, Gordon, Olivia, Buffy, Mr. Macintosh, Willy
Muppets
The Amazing Mumford, Bert, Biff, Big Bird, Brad, Bruce, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Don Music, Ernie, Farley, Fred the Wonder Horse, Georgie, Gladys the Cow, Grover, Guy Smiley, Harvey Monster, Herry Monster, Mr. Johnson, Kermit the Frog, Little Bird, Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats, Maurice Monster, Mommy Snuffleupagus, Oscar the Grouch, Prairie Dawn, Rodeo Rosie, Same Sound Brown, Simon Soundman, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Sully, Two-Headed Monster, Woof Woof

Credits[]

Season_9_credit_crawl

Season 9 credit crawl

credit crawl

Sources[]

  1. Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New Avenues For 'Sesame Street'
  2. "'Sesame Street' films shows in Hawaii," Boca Raton News, January 13, 1978.


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Season 8 (1976-1977) Season 10 (1978-1979)
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