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Title
SV copy

Some of the cast from "The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence," Nigel, Sam the Eagle and Floyd Pepper.

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore.

Sexandviolencepigs
Beneaththepigs

Return to Beneath the Planet of the Pigs.

S+VTVGUIDEad

March 15, 1975 TV Guide Nevada edition ad

SexAndViolencePostcard

Postcard sent to press and friends to announce the air date.[1]

The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence aired on ABC on March 19, 1975, and was shot on December 10-16, 1974.[2] It was one of the two pilots produced for The Muppet Show. The other pilot, The Muppets Valentine Show, aired in 1974.

In this half-hour variety special, the Muppets parody the proliferation of sex and violence on television.

Nigel, Sam the Eagle, and hippie guitarist Floyd prepare for a Pageant based on the Seven Deadly Sins, with Muppets representing the Sins -- Envy, Anger, Gluttony, Vanity, Lust, Avarice and Sloth.

The original working title for the special was The Muppet Nonsense Show.[3]

Sketches (in order of appearance)[]

Video releases[]

The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence was released on DVD in 2005, as an extra feature on the Muppet Show: Season One box set. On the box and on the DVD menus, it is referred to as The Muppet Show Pilot.

Promotion[]

A postcard was produced and sent to press and friends to announce the air date of the special. The text of the postcard reads "Jim Henson and The Infamous Dr. Teeth invite you to join George Washington, The San Francisco Earthquake, The Seven Deadly Sins and a host of others for an evening of nonsense on The Muppet Show, Wed. March 19, ABC TV." In a word balloon, Janice says "oh yeah!"[1]

Prior to the broadcast of the special, Jim Henson commented on the nature of its title:[4]

"Sex and Violence" is really a spoof on those attitudes engulfing us these days. Our violence is 'puppet violence'—i.e., symbolic--and in no way would be anything other than for family viewing. We've been able to put together in the script all the elements of the Muppets we've wanted to for many years. A lot of our work has always been adult-oriented, so we'll be working a lot with those aspects of the Muppets. Through this pilot, we hope to be able to demonstrate that puppetry can be very solid adult entertainment.

Credits[]

Cast[]

  • Muppets
Nigel, Sam the Eagle, Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, Brewster, Animal, Mount Rushmore, Thudge, The San Francisco Earthquake, The Swedish Chef, Avarice, Janice, Dr. Teeth, Zoot, Statler and Waldorf, Kermit the Frog, Harvey, Clyde, Doris, Shirley, Mel, Duke, Envy, Pencils, Ruler, Heaps, Stalks, Bert, Vanity, Gluttony, Leafy Green Vegetables, Gene Shalit Muppet, Whatnots, Rex, Miss Piggy, Dr. Nauga, Pig, Hoggie Marsh, Lust, Blond Woman, Rowlf the Dog, George the Janitor, Sloth
  • Background Muppets:
Mildred Huxtetter, Zelda Rose, Gonzo, Lothar, Rufus the Dog, Frogs, Catgut, Jim, Frank, Jerry, Male Koozebanian Creature, Female Koozebanian Creature, Miss Kitty, Beautiful Day Monster, Baskerville the Hound, Scudge, Frackles, Droop, Gorgon Heap, Flower-Eating Monster, Mahna Mahna, Miss Mousey, Anger, Harrison
  • Photographed Muppets:
Big Bird

Performers[]

Jim Henson as Nigel, George Washington, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, Kermit, Green Heap, Ernie Woman, Rex, and Rowlf
Frank Oz as Animal, Sam Eagle, Theodore Roosevelt, Clyde, Ruler, Purple Heap, Bert, Pig, and George the Janitor
Jerry Nelson as the Announcer, Floyd Pepper, Thomas Jefferson, Thudge, Thudge's Dancing Partner, Statler, Harvey, Envy, Pencil, Gold Stalk, Gluttony, Gene Shalit Muppet, and Dr. Nauga
Richard Hunt as Crazy Harry, Mel, Hoggie Marsh, and Lust
Dave Goelz as Avarice, Zoot, Duke, Brewster, and Vanity
John Lovelady as Abe Lincoln, and Anger
Fran Brill as Receptionist Voice, Janice, Doris, Pink Stalk, Leafy Green Vegetables, Miss Piggy, and Dancer
Rollin Krewson as Shirley
Caroly Wilcox as others
Jane Henson as others

Gallery[]

Auction

In August of 2018, Savacool and Sons auctioned off several slides of photographs by Charles Rowan from the production of the pilot. One of which featured a musical number with The Country Trio that did not appear in the final cut.[5]

Other photos

Sources[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Muppet Central
  2. Jim Henson's Red Book entry, page scanned here
  3. Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones, page 210.
  4. The Times (Munster, Indiana) TV Time-Line December 29, 1974
  5. savacoolandsons.com "Sale started closing on Thu, Aug 9, 2018 at 7:30 PM PST"

External links[]

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