The Muppets Go to the Movies

The Muppets Go to the Movies title card.

Dudley Moore and Lily Tomlin with Kermit the Frog and Animal.

Lily Tomlin with the cast for A Frog Too Far

Rowlf presents a silent movie.

The opening number "Hey a Movie!"

Link in a J. Arthur Rank parody.

The Muppets Go to the Movies aired on ABC on May 20, 1981 to help promote The Great Muppet Caper.

In this one-hour special, Lily Tomlin and Dudley Moore join the Muppets in a tribute to film classics.

Kermit the Frog hosts the program, which begins with an all-cast rendition of "Hey a Movie!" from The Great Muppet Caper.

Film spoofs include:

• The Three Musketeers: Gonzo, Scooter and Link Hogthrob play Athos, Porthos and Gummo.
• Invasion of the Unpleasant Things from Outer Space: Moore and Tomlin face giant alien rats.
• The Wizard of Oz: Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter and Foo-Foo singing a medley of Oz songs.
• The Fool of the Roman Empire: Moore plays jazz piano as Caesar.
• The Nephew of Frankenstein: Fozzie visits his uncle, mad scientist Dr. Julius Strangepork, who's creating a monster comedian (Mulch).
• A silent movie presented by Rowlf, starring Kermit, Sopwith the Camel and Mulch.
• Silent Strawberries: A parody of Ingmar Bergman films, directed by Ingmar's brother Gummo Bergman.
• Casablanca: Kermit bids a wind-blown Piggy farewell.
• Tarzan and Jane: Tomlin plays Jane opposite Gonzo's Tarzan.
• Heat Wave: Miss Piggy performs a la Marilyn Monroe, with a chorus line of penguins.
• Goon with the Wind: Moore plays Rhett opposite Piggy's Scarlett.
• A Frog Too Far: Kermit is a World War II air force pilot, with Tomlin playing a variety of love interest roles.

Additionally, Floyd and Janice perform "Act Naturally" backstage, and this special includes three clips from The Great Muppet Caper: "The First Time It Happens", Beauregard's taxi-driving sequence, and "Steppin' Out with a Star". A clip from the finale of The Muppet Movie also appears during the special's opening sequence.

This special is unique because it's the first time the entrance to the Muppet Theater is shown at the end of the special. There is a close up of the exit door and the back entrance during the credits as Kermit is locking up.

Cast

Muppets: Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo. Scooter, Statler and Waldorf, Beauregard, Lew Zealand, Sam the Eagle, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Animal, Rowlf the Dog, Link Hogthrob, Rizzo the Rat, The Swedish Chef, Beaker, Rats, Dr. Strangepork, Mulch, Foo-Foo, Penguins, and others.

Background Muppets: Angus McGonagle, Bobby Benson, The Babies, one of the Atrics, Pops, Chickens, Frackles, Sopwith the Camel and others.

Credits

• Executive Producer: David Lazer
• Producer: Jim Henson
• Director: Peter Harris
• Writers: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham
• Guest Stars: Dudley Moore and Lily Tomlin
• Muppet Performers: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen, Brian Muehl, Robert Payne, Rollin Krewson

Reviews

“This is not, obviously, the most elegantly witty humor. It is, by turns, silly, outrageous, sophomoric and hilarious. Old vaudeville gags compete with brisk standup routines. When the energy threatens to wane, an elaborate production number is hauled in... Miss Tomlin is especially suited to the special world of the Muppets. She takes them quite seriously and enters their routines with totally zany but understandable dedication... And so on, right to the entire company finale in which everyone joins in singing "We'll Meet Again." I hope so.”

-- John J. O'Connor, The New York Times. May 20th, 1981.

Video releases

This special was released on video in the United Kingdom by Palace in the 1980s. It was also released on DVD in Israel.

British VHS

Hebrew DVD

See also

• The Muppets Go Hollywood (The Muppet Movie promotional special)