Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting

Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting aired on NBC on April 7, 1989.

This one-hour special marks the 20th anniversary of Sesame Street, the ground-breaking educational children's series that has taught numbers and the alphabet, along with social and cultural concepts, to generations of preschoolers.

Hosted by Bill Cosby, the retrospective includes appearances by Muppet characters Big Bird, Grover, the Count, Kermit the Frog, and Bert and Ernie, as well as Sesame regulars Bob, Gordon, Susan, Maria, and Luis, and many others. Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson introduce the show.

The program illustrates the changing topics and techniques that have blended entertainment with education over the years, and features classic clips from past episodes as well as the recollections of those responsible for making the series a success and viewers who grew up watching the show.

Among the highlights are Ray Charles and a chorus of Muppet monsters singing "It's Not Easy Bein' Green" by Joe Raposo; a discussion between series creator Joan Ganz Cooney and Jim Henson; clips from international versions of the series; and famed tenor Placido Domingo performing with his Muppet counterpart, Placido Flamingo.

The special ends with a memoriam to Joe Raposo, who composed music for the special but died two months before it aired. For his last project with Jim Henson,^[1] Raposo wrote two original songs, "What a Bird!" and "Look Through the Window." His classic Sesame Street songs including the theme and "Sing" are also highlighted.

The special filmed from December 9 to 11, 1988^[1] and was initially conceived as an episode of The Jim Henson Hour,^[2] which began to air the following week.

Releases

A DVD of the special was released in 2010 by Lions Gate Entertainment for the Jim Henson Company. (This special is one of the few Sesame Street projects directly produced by the Jim Henson Company, who retain the rights.) However, the DVD release omits the end credits. In 2013, the special was re-released on DVD and iTunes through Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment.

Cast

Host: Bill Cosby
Guests: Ray Charles and Placido Domingo
Muppet Performers: Caroll Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Pam Arciero, Fred Garbo, Fran Brill, Camille Bonora, Judy Sladky, Martin P. Robinson, Bryant Young, David Rudman, Kevin Clash (Uncredited: Noel MacNeal)
Cast: Emilio Delgado, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Loretta Long, Roscoe Orman, Miles Orman, Linda Bove, Bill McCutcheon, Alison Bartlett, Northern Calloway

Muppet Characters

Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Kermit the Frog, Grover, Cookie Monster, Herry Monster, Don Music, Count von Count, Placido Flamingo, Elmo, Baby Natasha, Oscar the Grouch, Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Alice Snuffleupagus, Barkley, Prairie Dawn, Ruby

Background Characters

The Amazing Mumford, Frazzle, Two-Headed Monster, Gladys the Cow, Sonny Friendly, Forgetful Jones, Hoots the Owl, Athena, Anything Muppets, Monsters, Kermit the Forg, Parker Monster, Clancy, Billy Monster, Chip and Dip, Grundgetta

Credits

Executive Producer: Jim Henson
Produced by: Diana Birkenfield
Directed by: Peter Harris
Written by: Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss
Music Composed and Directed by: Joe Raposo
Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
Music Producer: Danny Epstein
Orchestration: Larry Wilcox
Staging Consultant: Anita Mann
Associate Director: David Gumpel
Muppet Workshop: Caroly Wilcox, Kermit Love, Richard Termine, Stephen Rotondaro, Mark Zeszotek

for the Children's Television Workshop

Executive Producer: Dulcy Singer
Special Projects Producer: Nina Elias
Music Associate: Dave Conner
Stage Managers: Chuck Vinson, Frank Comito
Production Assistants: Eric Andrews, Pat Nugent, Jennie Zoikowski, David Blacker, Mary Foster
Cameras: Les Leibowitz, Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll

Sources

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Jim Henson's Red Book entry, 12/9-11/1988 – VTR Sesame St. 20th – last time with Joe Raposo – Ray Charles – Placido Domingo
↑ Jim Henson: The Biography, page 405

External links

John O'Connor, "TV WEEKEND; 'Sesame Street': Milestone and Beginning", New York Times, 7 April 1989.
Muppet Central Review
The Muppet Mindset review of the DVD
DVDizzy.com DVD review

[redbook-0] 1.0 ^1.1 Jim Henson's Red Book entry, 12/9-11/1988 – VTR Sesame St. 20th – last time with Joe Raposo – Ray Charles – Placido Domingo

[1] Jim Henson: The Biography, page 405

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