The Muppet Show (partially found advertisements for sketch comedy TV series; 1976-1981)

Status: Partially Found

The Muppet Show was a half-hour family television program, created by Jim Henson, which aired on CBS in the U.S. and ATV in the U.K., from 1976 to 1981. The show starred The Muppets, attempting to put on a weekly variety show, while in between acts showing The Muppet's back stage antics. In addition to the numerous characters, a guest celebrity would perform and become intertwined with the plot. in each episode.

To draw excitement for each new episode, Jim Henson and, Miss Piggy/Fozzie Bear performer, Frank Oz (and occasionally Gonzo performer Dave Goelz) would create short, 10-30 second promos. Many of these were improvised on the spot, with main characters Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear showing announcing that week's guest star and showing a short clip, almost exclusively following this format:

Kermit: This week on The Muppet Show, we're going to have music and comedy, and our guest star is Mr./Ms. (Insert guest star name)!

(Insert guest star clip)

Kermit: Fun for the whole family on The Muppet Show!

(In the background, Fozzie does a gag, often interrupted by Kermit)

Many of these have been, unfortunately, lost overtime. 7 of the shorts used to promote season one were included in the 2005 " The Muppet Show: Complete First Season" boxset. These are Bruce Forsyth, Phyllis Diller, Valerie Harper, Candice Bergen, Paul Williams, Sandy Duncan, and Peter Ustinov promos.

In addition, The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens presented a screening on November 20th, 2016 of many of the previously lost promos for a 40th anniversary celebration. As of right now, no videos from this panel have been released on YouTube.

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List of Promos

Episode 211: Dom DeLuise (Lost) Episode 212: Bernadette Peters (Lost) Episode 213: Rudolf Nureyev (Lost) Episode 214: Elton John (Lost) Episode 215: Lou Rawls (Lost) Episode 216: Cleo Laine (Lost) Episode 217: Julie Andrews (Lost) Episode 218: Jaye P. Morgan (Lost) Episode 219: Peter Sellers (Lost) Episode 220: Petula Clark (Lost) Episode 221: Bob Hope (Found) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDWpLQp3fbo Episode 222: Teresa Brewer (Lost) Episode 223: John Cleese (Lost) Episode 224: Cloris Leechman (Lost) Episode 301: Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge (Lost) Episode 302: Leo Sayer (Lost) Episode 303: Roy Clark (Lost) Episode 304: Gilda Radner (Lost) Episode 305: Pearl Bailey (Lost) Episode 306: Jean Stapleton (Lost) Episode 307: Alice Cooper (Lost) Episode 308: Loretta Lynn (Lost) Episode 309: Liberace (Found) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQP_vF4nk3Y Episode 310: Marisa Berenson (Lost) Episode 311: Raquel Welch (Lost) Episode 312: James Coco (Lost) Episode 313: Helen Reddy (Lost) Episode 314: Harry Belafonte (Lost) Episode 315: Lesley Ann Warren (Lost) Episode 316: Danny Kaye (Lost) Episode 317: Spike Milligan (Lost) Episode 318: Leslie Uggams and Big Bird from Sesame Street (Lost) Episode 319: Elke Sommer (Lost) Episode 320: Sylvester Stallone (Lost) Episode 321: Roger Miller (Lost) Episode 322: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Lost) Episode 323: Lynn Redgrave (Lost) Episode 324: Cheryl Lad (Lost) Episode 401: John Denver (Found) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09Bkr_vdtrU Episode 402: Crystal Gale (Found) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ROytLZP3eM Episode 403: Shields and Yarnell (Lost) Episode 404: Dylan Cannon (Lost) Episode 405: Victor Borge (Lost) Episode 406: Linda Lavin (Lost) Episode 407: Dudley Moore (Lost) Episode 408: Arlo Gurthrie (Found)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Ad-iNEtEA Episode 409: Beverly Stills (Lost) Episode 410: Kenny Rogers (Lost) Episode 411: Lola Falana (Found) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=600q0WPx25g Episode 412: Phyllis George (Lost) Episode 413: Dizzy Gillepsie (Lost) Episode 414: Liza Minelli (Lost) Episode 415: Anne Murray (Lost) Episode 416: Jonathan Winters (Lost) Episode 417: Mark Hamill and Cast of Star Wars (Lost) Episode 418: Christopher Reeve (Lost) Episode 419: Lynda Carter (Lost) Episode 420: Alan Arkin (Lost) Episode 421: Doug Henning (Lost) Episode 422: Andy Williams (Lost) Episode 423: Carol Channing (Lost) Episode 424: Diana Ross (Lost) Episode 501: Gene Kelly (Lost) Episode 502: Loretta Swit (Found) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeqTaOjIop0 Episode 503: Joan Baez (Lost) Episode 504: Shirley Bassey (Lost) Episode 505: James Coburn (Lost) Episode 506: Brooke Shields #1 (Found, Not Available on YouTube) Episode 506: Brooke Shields #2 (Found, Not Available on YouTube) Episode 507: Glenda Jackson (Lost) Episode 508: Senor Welches (Lost) Episode 509: Debbie Harry (Found, Not Available on YouTube) Episode 510: Jean-Pierre Rampal (Lost) Episode 511: Paul Simon (Lost) Episode 512: Melissa Manchester (Found, Not Available On YouTube) Episode 513: Tony Randall Episode 514: Mac Davis (Lost) Episode 515: Carol Burnett (Lost) Episode 516: Gladys Knight (Lost) Episode 517: Hal Linden (Lost) Episode 518: Marty Feldman and cast of Sesame Street (Lost) Episode 519: Chris Langham (Lost) Episode 520: Wally Boag (Found, Not Available on YouTube) Episode 521: Johnny Cash (Lost) Episode 522: Buddy Rich (Lost) Episode 523: Linda Rondstat (Lost) Episode 524: Roger Moore (Lost)

Sources

• The Muppet wiki article on the promos.

Bumper Name	Status	Description/Found By
Season One Promo	Found	Found by: OscarfanMW
Episode 101: Juliet Prowse	Lost
Episode 102: Connie Stevens	Lost
Episode 103: Joel Grey	Lost
Episode 104: Ruth Buzzi	Found	Found by: Jamie Gee
Episode 105: Rita Moreno	Lost
Episode 106: Jim Nabors	Lost
Episode 107: Florence Henderson	Found	Found by: LEMISHDOG
Episode 108: Paul Williams
Episode 109: Charles Aznavour	Lost
Episode 110: Harvey Korman	Lost
Episode 111: Lena Horne	Lost
Episode 112: Peter Ustinov
Episode 113: Bruce Forsyth
Episode 114: Sandy Duncan
Episode 115: Candice Bergan
Episode 116: Avery Schrieber	Lost
Episode 117: Ben Vereen	Lost
Episode 118: Phyllis Diller
Episode 119: Vincent Price	Lost
Episode 120: Valerie Harper
Episode 121: Twiggy	Lost
Episode 122: Ethel Merman	Lost
Episode 123: Kaye Ballard	Lost
Episode 124: Mummenschanz	Lost
Episode 201: Don Knotts	Lost
Episode 202: Zero Mostel	Lost
Episode 203: Milton Berle	Lost
Episode 204: Rich Little
Episode 205: Judy Collins	Lost
Episode 206: Nancy Walker	Lost
Episode 207: Edgar Bergan	Lost
Episode 208: Steve Martin	Lost
Episode 209: Madeline Kahn	Lost
Episode 210: George Burns