Season 9 (1977-1978)

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

Overview

This season will focus on cultural diversity as the cast visits Buffy Sainte-Marie at her home on the island of Kauai of Hawaii. Jon Stone said, "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 will also emphasis on higher-order reading skills, such as verbal blending and letter sounds. In addition, this season will introduce basic principles of health and nutrition, dental care, personal hygiene, pre-science, and the environment.

Episodes 1177 and 1184 feature the first appearances of a full-bodied Muppet dog, then named "Woof Woof." In the premiere episode of next season, the cast decides to rename him "Barkley." The dog was originally performed by Toby Towson.

Episodes

Episodes 1056 - 1185 (130 episodes)

• Episode 1056 -- 9th season premiere, Bert's marching band; Oscar's cooking show; Grover drives
• Episode 1057 -- Big Bird and Snuffy wash the dishes for David.
• Episode 1058 -- Mr. Hooper wants to stay young
• Episode 1059 -- The Count distracts Maria by exercising.
• Episode 1060 -- Oscar tells a story about pieces of trash.
• Episode 1061 -- Maria and the kids help Oscar complete his poems about noise.
• Episode 1062 -- Big Bird gives Mr. Hooper a present
• Episode 1063 -- Children help Big Bird feed his bird friends
• Episode 1064 -- Signing with Linda and Timi
• Episode 1065 -- Oscar wants to take a picture of Maria
• Episode 1066 -- Oscar has a sale
• Episode 1067 -- The Count is left in charge of Hooper's Store
• Episode 1068 -- Bert babysits nephew Brad
• Episode 1069 -- David's grandmother helps Oscar write a love poem.
• Episode 1070 -- Oscar falls in love with Hermine.
• Episode 1071 -- Big Bird and Luis design a birdhouse
• Episode 1072 -- Linda uses a machine to call her father on the phone.
• Episode 1073 -- Herry Monster is visited by his sister Herriet.
• Episode 1074 -- The Count counts containers of milk.
• Episode 1075 -- Mr. Hooper is going to a discotheque. 
• Episode 1076 -- Buffy invites her friends to visit her in Hawaii
• Episode 1077 -- Mr. Snuffleupagus is homesick for Hawaii
• Episode 1078 -- Mr. Hooper invents "hooperburgers"
• Episode 1079 -- The Big Trip
• Episode 1080 -- Bob learns to express emotions through sign language
• Episode 1081 -- Susan and Gordon have an argument
• Episode 1082 -- Big Bird packs for his trip to Hawaii
• Episode 1083 -- Gordon tries to start his car
• Episode 1084 -- Oscar's total grouch exercises
• Episode 1085
• Episode 1086 -- Big Bird pretends to be a fireman
• Episode 1087 -- The bookmobile stops at Sesame Street
• Episode 1088
• Episode 1089 -- It rains on Sesame Street on the day before leaving for Hawaii
• Episode 1090 -- Hawaii Day 1 – Big Bird and his friends take a trip to Hawaii
• Episode 1091 -- Hawaii Day 2 – The gang arrives in Hawaii; Big Bird hears the legend of the Snuffleupagus Mountain
• Episode 1092 -- Hawaii Day 3 – Big Bird and Snuffy search for the Snuffleupagus Mountain
• Episode 1093 -- Hawaii Day 4 – Big Bird and Snuffy continue searching for the Snuffleupagus Mountain
• Episode 1094 -- Hawaii Day 5 – Big Bird and Snuffy find the Snuffleupagus Mountain at last
• Episode 1095 -- Hawaii Day 6 – Last day in Hawaii
• Episode 1096 -- Returning from Hawaii
• Episode 1097 -- Oscar launches a rocket
• Episode 1098 -- Mr. Hooper hires Mr. Ortiz, a Spanish-speaking helper
• Episode 1099
• Episode 1100 -- Gordon and Big Bird use a telescope
• Episode 1101 -- Big Bird makes wooden snowflakes (repeat)
• Episode 1102 -- Big Bird plans for snow (repeat)
• Episode 1103 -- A Muppet is hired to shovel snow (repeat)
• Episode 1104 -- David puts up a bulletin board (repeat)
• Episode 1105 -- Big Bird wants to stop noise pollution; Oscar's frammis (repeat)
• Episode 1106 -- Headline Howie gets the scoop on Snuffy (repeat)
• Episode 1107 -- Big Bird runs for president (repeat)
• Episode 1108 -- Oscar installs a swimming pool in his trash can (repeat)
• Episode 1109 -- Mr. Hooper goes to the hospital for a checkup (repeat)
• Episode 1110 -- Luis yells at Herry Monster (repeat)
• Episode 1111 -- The Count forgets a number (repeat)
• Episode 1112 -- The Amazing Mumford makes Sesame Street disappear (repeat)
• Episode 1113 -- Sam the Machine tries to prove he has feelings (repeat)
• Episode 1114 -- Maria helps Cookie Monster reassemble a radio (repeat)
• Episode 1115 -- Mr. Hooper goes back to school (repeat)
• Episode 1116
• Episode 1117 -- Big Bird goes to the library
• Episode 1118 -- Susan tells Oscar that he needs to eat
• Episode 1119 -- Luis trades junk with Oscar
• Episode 1120 -- Woodrow Woodpecker visits Big Bird
• Episode 1121 -- Mr. Snuffleupagus cleans his pajamas
• Episode 1122 -- Luis teaches Herry how to use different tools
• Episode 1123 -- Mr. Hooper's new frying pan
• Episode 1124 -- Cody keeps making a mess
• Episode 1125 -- Buffy and Oscar disagree about Cody's behavior
• Episode 1126 -- David delivers a sandwich to Maria
• Episode 1127 -- Cody receives a teddy bear and a sweater
• Episode 1128
• Episode 1129 -- Susan babyproofs her apartment for Cody
• Episode 1130 -- Maria dislikes David's new mustache
• Episode 1131
• Episode 1132 -- Big Bird learns about child care
• Episode 1133 -- Bob's piano playing disturbs Mr. Hooper
• Episode 1134 -- Bob and Luis prepare cereal
• Episode 1135 -- Oscar buys every cleaning item in Hooper's Store
• Episode 1136 -- Mr. Hooper babysits Cody
• Episode 1137 -- Oscar's important message
• Episode 1138 -- Big Bird tries to amuse Cody
• Episode 1139 -- Big Bird rides the subway
• Episode 1140 -- Children pretend to ride in different types of transportation
• Episode 1141 -- Cookie Monster outsmarts Maria / Big Bird can't sleep
• Episode 1142 -- Herry gives Cody unusual toys
• Episode 1143 -- Buffy and Cody leave Sesame Street
• Episode 1144 -- David and Oscar's ventriloquist dummies
• Episode 1145 -- Mumford works at Hooper's Store
• Episode 1146
• Episode 1147 -- Gordon tries to start his car
• Episode 1148 -- James Earl Jones visits Sesame Street
• Episode 1149 -- Oscar calls a veterinarian for his pet worm
• Episode 1150 -- Maria and Olivia repair a bike
• Episode 1151 -- Oscar sells fresh fruit
• Episode 1152
• Episode 1153
• Episode 1154 -- Up on the roof
• Episode 1155 -- Mr. Ortiz stays with Mr. Hooper
• Episode 1156 -- Susan washes her car.
• Episode 1157 -- Playing the Mirror Game
• Episode 1158
• Episode 1159 -- Big Bird tries to use a washing machine
• Episode 1160 -- Luis and his friends leave for New Mexico. (repeat)
• Episode 1161 -- Big Bird arrives at the ranch in New Mexico and makes friends with the animals. (repeat)
• Episode 1162 -- Oscar tries to get comfortable at the New Mexico ranch. (repeat)
• Episode 1163 -- At the New Mexico ranch, Big Bird misses Mr. Snuffleupagus. (repeat)
• Episode 1164 -- Big Bird, Maria and Buffy visit the Taos Pueblo. (repeat)
• Episode 1165 -- Big Bird wants to help build the new house at the New Mexico ranch. (repeat)
• Episode 1166 -- Big Bird wants to know what he's best at (repeat)
• Episode 1167 -- Big Bird tries to run away
• Episode 1168 -- David remembers a childhood dance
• Episode 1169
• Episode 1170
• Episode 1171
• Episode 1172
• Episode 1173
• Episode 1174
• Episode 1175
• Episode 1176
• Episode 1177 -- Woof Woof meets the residents of Sesame Street
• Episode 1178 -- Oscar watches Georgie
• Episode 1179
• Episode 1180
• Episode 1181 -- Big Bird identifies sounds with his eyes closed
• Episode 1182
• Episode 1183
• Episode 1184 -- Woof Woof counts; Big Bird plays limbo
• Episode 1185 -- Another visit from David's grandmother

Notes

• This is Sam Pottle's final season as music director. Pottle passed away shortly after this season finished airing.

Cast

Cast

Linda Bove, Northern Calloway, Emilio Delgado, Will Lee, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Alaina Reed, Buffy Sainte-Marie

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

Victor Borge, Ray Charles, Michael Christensen and Paul Binder, Ron Howard, James Earl Jones, Madeline Kahn, Mummenschanz, Paul Simon, Mary Lou Williams, Henry Winkler

Characters

Humans

Linda, David, Luis, Mr. Hooper, Susan, Maria, Bob, Gordon, Olivia, Buffy

Muppets

The Amazing Mumford, Bert, Biff, Big Bird, Brad, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Don Music, Ernie, Farley, Fred the Wonder Horse, Gladys the Cow, Grover, Guy Smiley, Herry Monster, Kermit the Frog, Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats, Oscar the Grouch, Prairie Dawn, Rodeo Rosie, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Sully, Two-Headed Monster

Credits

• Executive Producer: Jon Stone
• Producer: Dulcy Singer
• Directors: Jon Stone, Bob Schwarz, Jimmy Baylor
• Writers: Judy Freudberg, Ray Sipherd, Emily Perl Kingsley, David Korr, Tony Geiss, Sara Compton
• Music Director: Sam Pottle
• Original Muppets by: Donald Sahlin, Kermit Love
• Current Muppets by: Caroly Wilcox, John Lovelady
• Supervising Film Producer: Edith Zornow
• Associate Producer: Lisa Simon
• Director of Operations: Ronald L. Weaver
• Production Supervisors: Frieda Lipp, Robert M. Dahl
• Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
• Post Production Supervisor / 2nd Unit Director: Ozzie Alfonso
• Associate Director: Emily Squires
• Assistant to the Producer: Amy Hutchings
• Production Assistants: Selvin Evans, Joseph Catalano, Charles Gibson, Diane Mitchell, Thelma Moses, Mercedes Polanco
• Art Director: Alan J. Compton
• Production Stage Manager: Chet O'Brien
• Stage Managers: Jimmy Baylor, Mortimer J. O'Brien
• Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
• Costume Designer: Bill Kellard, Domingo Rodriguez
• Graphic Artist: Gerri Brioso
• Senior Scenic Artist: Victor DiNapoli
• Film Editor: Mike Breddan
• Technical Advisor: Walt Rauffer
• Unit Manager: Glenda Jones
• Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
• Lighting Director: George Riesenberger
• Sound Effects: Dick Maitland, Roy Carch
• Audio: Jay Judell, Blake Norton
• Video: Bryan Keen
• Videotape Editors: Vincent Sims, Jack Langan
• Make-Up: Mickey Scott
• Hair Stylist: Mickey Lawrence
• Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
• Curriculum Coordinator: Robert Emerick
• Vice President of Research: Edward L. Palmer, Ph.D.
• Associate Director of Research: Lewis Bernstein
• Chairman, Board of Advisors: Gerald Lesser, Ph.D.
• Vice President for Production: David D. Connell
• Recorded at Reeves Teletape 81 St. Studio

Sources

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