Changes: Teeny Little Super Guy

PERFORMER	Jim Thurman
DEBUT	1984
DESIGN	Paul Fierlinger designer

Revision as of 00:13, 4 June 2021

TeenyDisplayCase — Teeny Little Superguy as part of the display at the Brooklyn Public Library

Teeny Little Super Guy appeared in animated segments created by Paul Fierlinger for Sesame Street, beginning in Season 15.^[1] Though ostensibly a superhero, Teeny Little Super Guy was actually more of a practical problem solver. Writer Jim Thurman provided the character's gravelly voice, and scripted the segments. The segments were distinguished by Fierlinger's unique animation method, wrapping cels around transparent plastic cups, so that a movement cycle could be achieved by simple rotation of the cups. This also allowed Fierlinger to use a kitchen counter and assorted dishes and kitchenware as props, inside his own kitchen. Some segments featured flashbacks to Teeny Little Super Guy's childhood. Reruns of these segments carried on until Season 32.

The first Teeny Little Super Guy cartoon took two months to create. Fierlinger spoke at length about the character and production process in a 2005 Livejournal post. He initially pitched the idea to producer Dave Connell.

“It was his [Connell's] idea that the character be a super hero, which made me hate him for that for about a week. I couldn’t understand people who couldn’t come up with anything more original for an animated character than yet another super guy. But Jim Thurman started playing him down and I dropped my resentments. We all followed Sesame Street’s curriculum of topics and I was given a contract to develop the series. I had a couple of months to create the hundreds of cups that were needed to play out any possible scenario and create the sound tracks.^[2]”

A total of 13 segments were produced.[cite] The theme song and background score were composed by Larry Gold, with lyrics by Stuart Horn. Essra Mohawk sang the vocals, recorded to create the illusion of four-part harmony.^[2]

Teeny Little Super Guy later appeared in a cameo during Episode 4196, as one of the seven items Luis manages to extract from Leela's troubled washing machine. Luis gives a rather befuddled look to the camera, as a sample score of his theme song plays.

He appeared in the credits of Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration, flying with Super Grover, wearing a cape.

Segments

Picture

Theme / First Appearance

Description

Baseball^[3]

Episode 1900

Teeny Little Super Guy notices that his friend Alice wants to join a baseball game. He encourages her to go over there and ask them whether she can play.

Video: Old School: Volume 3

Redhat^[3]

Episode 1924

R.W. Shipshape gets a "really good hat" for his birthday, and it blows into the street. R.W. remembers not to cross the street without an adult; Teeny Little Superguy helps him across.
Note: The pet spoon that appears in this cartoon is given the name "Arthur J. Cronk", a reference to a character from The Electric Company.

School

Episode 1966

Teeny Little Super Guy reminisces to his friend Eugene, who starts kindergarten tomorrow, about his own first day at school.

Video: 40 Years of Sunny Days

Sharing a Swing

Episode 1967

Two boys are fighting over a swing. Teeny Little Super Guy shows them how to share.

Safety and Danger

Episode 1971

Teeny Little Super Guy talks about the time he learned the importance of safety.

Egg Beater

Episode 1972

Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Janey giving up on learning how to ride an eggbeater (as one would ride a bicycle) because she keeps falling off. Teeny Little Superguy tells her that it takes practice to be good at something and gives her a set of training beaters to help keep her balance.

Pet Spoon

Episode 1986

R.W. Shipshape wants a pet spoon, so Teeny Little Super Guy teaches him the importance of being responsible with a pet.

The Importance of Sleep

Episode 2047

Teeny Little Super Guy shows his friend Harry the importance of sleep.

Credits

HiddenGem4196 — The Teeny Little Super Guy's cameo in episode 4196 in 2009.

Executive Producer: Dave Connell and Dulcy Singer
Producer: Lisa Simon
Supervising Producer: Edith Zornow
Director: Paul Fierlinger
Animators: Andrea Ocenas and Tom Sloan
Writer/Voices: Jim Thurman
Camera: Helena Fierlinger
Engineer: John Avarnese
Editor: Patrick McMahon
Music Composer: Larry Gold
Theme song vocals: Essra Mohawk^[2]

External links

The Making of Teeny Little Super Guy by animator Tom Sloan

Sources

↑ CTW Archives, Season 15 presskit.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Paul Fierlinger. Teeny Little Super Guy Livejournal community comment. April 11, 2005
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Ottawa International Animal Festival program. 1986

[1] CTW Archives, Season 15 presskit.

[fierlinger-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Paul Fierlinger. Teeny Little Super Guy Livejournal community comment. April 11, 2005

[ottawa-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Ottawa International Animal Festival program. 1986

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{character|image=TeenySuperGuy.jpg|performer=[[Jim Thurman]]|debut=1983|design=[[Paul Fierlinger]]|designnote=designer}}
+{{character|image=TeenySuperGuy.jpg|performer=[[Jim Thurman]]|debut=1984|design=[[Paul Fierlinger]]|designnote=designer}}
 [[File:TeenyDisplayCase.jpg|thumb|300px|Teeny Little Superguy as part of the display at the Brooklyn Public Library]]
-'''Teeny Little Super Guy''' appeared in animated segments created by [[Paul Fierlinger]] for ''[[Sesame Street]]'', beginning in [[Season 15]].<ref>[[CTW Archives]], Season 15 presskit.</ref> Though ostensibly a superhero, Teeny Little Super Guy was actually more of a practical problem solver. Writer Jim Thurman provided the character's gravelly voice, and scripted the segments. The segments were distinguished by Fierlinger's unique animation method, wrapping cels around transparent plastic cups, so that a movement cycle could be achieved by simple rotation of the cups. This also allowed Fierlinger to use a kitchen counter and assorted dishes and kitchenware as props, inside his own kitchen. Some segments featured flashbacks to Teeny Little Super Guy's childhood. Reruns of these segments carried on until 2001.
+'''Teeny Little Super Guy''' appeared in animated segments created by [[Paul Fierlinger]] for ''[[Sesame Street]]'', beginning in [[Season 15 (1983-1984)|Season 15]].<ref>[[CTW Archives]], Season 15 presskit.</ref> Though ostensibly a superhero, Teeny Little Super Guy was actually more of a practical problem solver. Writer Jim Thurman provided the character's gravelly voice, and scripted the segments. The segments were distinguished by Fierlinger's unique animation method, wrapping cels around transparent plastic cups, so that a movement cycle could be achieved by simple rotation of the cups. This also allowed Fierlinger to use a kitchen counter and assorted dishes and kitchenware as props, inside his own kitchen. Some segments featured flashbacks to Teeny Little Super Guy's childhood. Reruns of these segments carried on until [[Season 32 (2001)|Season 32]].
 The first Teeny Little Super Guy cartoon took two months to create. Fierlinger spoke at length about the character and production process in a [[2005]] Livejournal post. He initially pitched the idea to producer [[Dave Connell]]. {{quote|It was his [Connell's] idea that the character be a super hero, which made me hate him for that for about a week. I couldn’t understand people who couldn’t come up with anything more original for an animated character than yet another super guy. But Jim Thurman started playing him down and I dropped my resentments. We all followed Sesame Street’s curriculum of topics and I was given a contract to develop the series. I had a couple of months to create the hundreds of cups that were needed to play out any possible scenario and create the sound tracks.<ref name="fierlinger">Paul Fierlinger. [http://community.livejournal.com/tlsg/11770.html?view=52218 Teeny Little Super Guy Livejournal community comment]. April 11, 2005</ref>}}
-The production started in May 1983, would developed seriously into filming at Fierlinger's House in the Philadelphia suburbs in August 1983 the production for the shorts developed more seriously into filming the first two shorts. A total of 13 segments were produced, much of the animation was also done with [[Tom Sloan]] along with [[Ondre Ocenas]] and [[Helena Fierlinger]]. The theme song and background score were composed by [[Larry Gold]], with lyrics by [[Stuart Horn]]. [[Essra Mohawk]] sang the vocals, recorded to create the illusion of four-part harmony.
+A total of 13 segments were produced.{{cite}} The theme song and background score were composed by [[Larry Gold]], with lyrics by [[Stuart Horn]]. [[Essra Mohawk]] sang the vocals, recorded to create the illusion of four-part harmony.<ref name="fierlinger" />
+Teeny Little Super Guy later appeared in [[Hidden Gems|a cameo]] during [[Episode 4196]], as one of the seven items [[Luis]] manages to extract from [[Leela]]'s troubled washing machine. Luis gives a rather befuddled look to the camera, as a sample score of his theme song plays.
-<ref name="fierlinger" />
-Teeny Little Super Guy later appeared in [[Hidden Gems|a cameo]] during [[Episode 4196]], as one of the seven items [[Luis]] manages to extract from [[Leela]]'s troubled washing machine. Luis, Leela and [[Elmo]] give a rather befuddled look, indicating that they're surprised to see the famous character after so many years.
+He appeared in the credits of ''[[Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration]]'', flying with [[Super Grover]], wearing a cape.
 ==Segments==
+{| class="episode"
-</gallery>
+|-
+! Picture !! width=100| Theme / [[Muppet Wiki:Earliest Known Appearance|First Appearance]] !! Description
+|- {{divid|baseball}}
-{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" valign="top"
+| [[Image:TLSG.Alice.jpg|250px|center]]
-|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
+| align=center | Baseball<ref name="ottawa">[https://web.archive.org/web/20091215103056/http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <hr/> [[Episode 1900]]
-! Picture !! width="100" | Theme / [[Muppet Wiki:Earliest Known Appearance|EKA]] !! Description
+| Teeny Little Super Guy notices that his friend Alice wants to join a baseball game. He encourages her to go over there and ask them whether she can play. {{Sketchrelease|video=''[[Old School: Volume 3]]''}}
 |-
-| [[Image:|250px|center]]
+| [[Image:TLSG.Reallygoodhat.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | Egg Beater <hr> [[Episode 2243]]
+| align=center | Redhat<ref name="ottawa" /> <hr/> [[Episode 1924]]
+| R.W. Shipshape gets a "really good hat" for his birthday, and it blows into the street. R.W. remembers not to cross the street without an adult; Teeny Little Superguy helps him across.<br>Note: The pet spoon that appears in this cartoon is given the name "Arthur J. Cronk", a reference to a character from ''[[The Electric Company]]''.
-| Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Janey giving up on learning how to ride an eggbeater (as one would ride a bicycle) because she keeps falling off. Teeny Little Superguy tells her that it takes practice to be good at something and gives her a set of training beaters to help keep her balance.
+|-
+| [[Image:TLSG.School.jpg|250px|center]]
+| align=center | School <hr/> [[Episode 1966]]
+| Teeny Little Super Guy reminisces to his friend Eugene, who starts kindergarten tomorrow, about his own first day at school. {{sketchrelease|video=''[[40 Years of Sunny Days]]''}}
 |-
 | [[Image:TLSG.Swing.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | Sharing a Swing <hr> [[Episode 2363]]
+| align=center | Sharing a Swing <hr/> [[Episode 1967]]
 | Two boys are fighting over a swing. Teeny Little Super Guy shows them how to share.
-|- id="baseball" <div   / >
-|[[Image:|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | Baseball<ref>[http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <hr> [[Episode 2481]]
-| Teeny Little Super Guy notices that his friend Alice wants to join a baseball game. He encourages her to go over there and ask them whether she can play.
-|-
-| [[Image:TLSG.sleep.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | The Importance of Sleep <hr> [[Episode 2613]]
-| Teeny Little Super Guy shows his friend Harry the importance of sleep.
-|-
-| [[Image:Superguy school.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | School <hr> [[Episode 2621]]
-| Teeny Little Super Guy reminisces to his friend Eugene, who starts kindergarten tomorrow, about his own first day at school. {{sketchrelease|video=''[[40 Years of Sunny Days]]''}}
-|-
-| [[Image:Superguy pet.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | Pet Spoon <hr> [[Episode 2640]]
-| R.W. Shipshape wants a pet spoon, so Teeny Little Super Guy teaches him the importance of being responsible with a pet.
 |-
 | [[Image:TLSG.Danger.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | Safety and Danger <hr> [[Episode 2675]]
+| align=center | Safety and Danger <hr/> [[Episode 1971]]
 | Teeny Little Super Guy talks about the time he learned the importance of safety.
 |-
-| [[Image:TLSG.Reallygoodhat.jpg|250px|center]]
+| [[Image:Superguy beaters.jpg|250px|center]]
-| align="center" | Redhat<ref>[http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <hr> [[Episode 2755]]
+| align=center | Egg Beater <hr/> [[Episode 1972]]
+| Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Janey giving up on learning how to ride an eggbeater (as one would ride a bicycle) because she keeps falling off. Teeny Little Superguy tells her that it takes practice to be good at something and gives her a set of training beaters to help keep her balance.
-| R.W. Shipshape gets a "really good hat" for his birthday, and it blows into the street. R.W. remembers not to cross the street without an adult; Teeny Little Superguy helps him across.<br />Note: The pet spoon that appears in this cartoon is given the name "Arthur J. Cronk", a reference to a character from ''[[The Electric Company]]''.
+|-
+| [[Image:Superguy pet.jpg|250px|center]]
+| align=center | Pet Spoon <hr/> [[Episode 1986]]
+| R.W. Shipshape wants a pet spoon, so Teeny Little Super Guy teaches him the importance of being responsible with a pet.
+|-
+| [[Image:TLSG.sleep.jpg|250px|center]]
+| align=center | The Importance of Sleep <hr/> [[Episode 2047]]
+| Teeny Little Super Guy shows his friend Harry the importance of sleep.
 |}
@@ Line 64: / Line 61: @@
 [[Image:HiddenGem4196.jpg|thumb|300px|The Teeny Little Super Guy's cameo in episode 4196 in 2009.]]
-*'''Executive Producer:''' [[Dave Connell]] & [[Dulcy Singer]]
+*Executive Producer: [[Dave Connell]] and [[Dulcy Singer]]
-*'''Producer:''' [[Lisa Simon]]
+*Producer: [[Lisa Simon]]
-*'''Supervising Producer:''' [[Edith Zornow]]
+*Supervising Producer: [[Edith Zornow]]
-*'''Director:''' [[Paul Fierlinger]]
+*Director: [[Paul Fierlinger]]
+*Animators: Andrea Ocenas and Tom Sloan
-*'''Writer/Voices:''' [[Jim Thurman]]
+*Writer/Voices: [[Jim Thurman]]
-*'''Engineer:''' John Avarnese
+*Camera: Helena Fierlinger
-*'''Editor:''' Patrick McMahon
+*Engineer: John Avarnese
-*'''Music Composer:''' [[Larry Gold]]
+*Editor: Patrick McMahon
-*'''Theme song vocals:''' [[Essra Mohawk]]<ref name="fierlinger" />
+*Music Composer: [[Larry Gold]]
+*Theme song vocals: [[Essra Mohawk]]<ref name="fierlinger" />
-==External Links==
+==External links==
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYAW-0QdX-E The Making of Teeny Little Super Guy] by animator Tom Sloan
-[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0818883/ IMDB]
 ==Sources==
 <references />
 __NOWYSIWYG__
 [[Category:Animated Characters]]