The Muppet Movie (1979)

Director:

James Frawley

Writers:

Jack Burns (written by) &
Jerry Juhl (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical

Tagline:

More entertaining than humanly possible

Plot:

Kermit and his new found friends trek across America to find success in Hollywood, but a frog-legs merchant is after Kermit.

Plot Keywords:

Good Versus Evil | Fame | Journey | Videotape | Hope

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Jim Henson	...	Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Doc Hopper's Men / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef (voice)
Frank Oz	...	Miss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle / Doc Hopper's Men / Marvin Suggs (uncredited) / Swedish Chef (hands) (uncredited) / Motorcycle Guy (uncredited) (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	Floyd Pepper / Robin the Frog / Crazy Harry / Lew Zealand / Camilla / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (assistant) (uncredited) (voice)
Richard Hunt	...	Scooter / Statler / Janice / Sweetums / Beaker / Fozzie Bear (assistant) (voice)
Dave Goelz	...	The Great Gonzo / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew / Zoot / Doglion / Iraqian in El Sleezo Cafe / Pig (voice)
Charles Durning	...	Doc Hopper
Austin Pendleton	...	Max
Edgar Bergen	...	Himself / Charlie McCarthy (voice)
Milton Berle	...	Mad Man Mooney
Mel Brooks	...	Professor Max Krassman
James Coburn	...	El Sleezo Cafe Owner
Dom DeLuise	...	Bernie the Agent
Elliott Gould	...	Beauty Contest Compere
Bob Hope	...	Ice Cream Vendor
Madeline Kahn	...	El Sleezo Patron
Carol Kane	...	Myth
Cloris Leachman	...	Lord's Secretary
Steve Martin	...	Insolent Waiter
Richard Pryor	...	Balloon Vendor
Telly Savalas	...	El Sleezo Tough
Orson Welles	...	Lew Lord
Paul Williams	...	El Sleezo Pianist
Scott Walker	...	Frog Killer
Lawrence Gabriel Jr.	...	Sailor
Ira F. Grubman	...	Bartender
H.B. Haggerty	...	Lumberjack
Bruce Kirby	...	Gate Guard
Tommy Madden	...	One-Eyed Midget
James Frawley	...	Waiter
Arnold Roberts	...	Cowboy
Steve Whitmire	...	Fletcher Bird / Scooter (voice)
Kathryn Mullen	...	Camilla (voice)
Bob Payne	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (as Robert Payne)
Eren Ozker	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Caroly Wilcox	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Michael Earl	...	Animal / Beaker / Big Bird / Dr. Teeth / Fozzie Bear / Janice / Scooter (voice) (as Michael Davis)
Olga Felgemacher	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Buz Suraci	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Bruce Schwartz	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Tony Basilicato	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Adam Hunt	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Caroll Spinney	...	Big Bird (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tim Burton	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Lisa Henson	...	Beauty Pageant Model (uncredited)
Jerry Juhl	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)
Earl Kress	...	Ernie (uncredited)
John Landis	...	Grover (voice) (uncredited)
John Lovelady	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
James Frawley

Writing credits
Jack Burns		(written by) &
Jerry Juhl		(written by)

Produced by
Lew Grade	....	executive producer (as Sir Lew Grade)
Jim Henson	....	producer
David Lazer	....	co-producer
Martin Starger	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Paul Williams

Cinematography by
Isidore Mankofsky

Film Editing by
Christopher Greenbury

Casting by
Gus Schirmer

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Art Direction by
Les Gobruegge

Set Decoration by
Richard B. Goddard

Costume Design by
Gwen Capetanos

Makeup Department
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Kurt Neumann	....	production manager
Richard L. O'Connor	....	executive in charge of production
James Potter	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Penny Adams	....	second assistant director (as Penny Adams Flowers)
Ron Wright	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Horst Grandt	....	props
Julia Harmount	....	set designer
Hank Kentop	....	construction foreman (as Henry Kentop)
Julius King	....	set designer
Roy Kirkpatrick	....	construction coordinator
Eric Orbom	....	assistant art director
Kenneth Rickey	....	greensman
Tom Southwell	....	production illustrator
Tommy 'Tom' Tomlinson	....	assistant property master (as Tommy Tomlinson)
Bruce Wayne Mecchi	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ralph Babcock	....	boom operator
David Dockendorf	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles Lewis	....	sound mixer
Paul Nelson	....	playback operator
Michael Perricone	....	assistant sound engineer
Bill Wistrom	....	sound effects editor (as William H. Wistrom)

Special Effects by
Robbie Knott	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Leigh Malone	....	visual consultant: New York
Paul Nelson	....	video playback opticals

Stunts
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer
George A. Clark	....	grip
Joe Collins	....	key grip
Richard J. Edesa	....	camera operator
Lee Heckler	....	gaffer
Bruce Hill	....	camera operator: video camera
Lindsay P. Hill	....	video operator
Bob Lowry	....	video operator
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharon Day	....	costumer
Calista Hendrickson	....	muppets' costumes
Charles E. James	....	costume supervisor (as Charles James)
Marta McElroy	....	assistant to costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ellen Adolph	....	associate editor
Robin Forman	....	post-production assistant
Steven Polivka	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Caper Jr.	....	music editor
Ian Freebairn-Smith	....	music arranger
George A. Martin	....	assistant music editor
Gary Ulmer	....	music scoring mixer
Ian Freebairn-Smith	....	conductor (uncredited)
Paul Williams	....	music adaptor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Donald R. Casella	....	transportation captain (as Don Cosella)

Other crew
Sherry Amott	....	muppet designer
Martin G. Baker	....	muppet workshop technical coordinator: New York
Bill Beaumont	....	craft service (as William Beaumont)
Ulla Bourne	....	script supervisor
Edward G. Christie	....	muppet designer
Buck Edwards	....	location manager
Bonnie Erickson	....	muppet designer
Faz Fazakas	....	muppet designer
Fred Fisher	....	production assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Michael Flynn	....	production assistant
Michael K. Frith	....	design consultant: muppets
Dave Goelz	....	muppet designer
Jim Henson	....	puppeteer: "The Swedish Chef"
Richard Holloway	....	muppet workshop technical coordinator: New York
Jeffrey A. Humphreys	....	studio utility
Larry Jameson	....	muppet designer
Mari Kaestle	....	muppet designer
Saul Kahan	....	unit publicist
Lynn Klugman	....	production coordinator: muppets
Janet Lerman-Graff	....	muppet designer
Kermit Love	....	muppet designer
John Lovelady	....	muppet workshop coordinator
Mireille Machu	....	secretary: Mr. Frawley
Robert McCormack	....	muppet workshop supervisor: New York
Wendy Midener	....	muppet designer
Kathryn Mullen	....	muppet designer
Frank Oz	....	puppeteer: "The Swedish Chef's Hands"
Lee Rose	....	production associate
Don Sahlin	....	muppet designer
Shirley Snyder	....	production coordinator
Teresa Stokovic	....	production coordinator
Amy Van Gilder	....	muppet designer
Amy Van Gilder	....	muppet workshop coordinator
Pamela Varney	....	secretary: Mr. Henson
Rusty Warren	....	production auditor
Caroly Wilcox	....	muppet designer
John Landis	....	additional puppeteer: "Grover" (uncredited)
Bill McCamey	....	set nurse (uncredited)
Lee Solters	....	publicist (uncredited)
Curt Vig	....	puppeteer: "Pigs in Space D & E" (uncredited)
Rik Vig	....	puppeteer: "J. P. Gross" (uncredited)

Thanks
David Odell	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Henson Associates (HA)
• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Distributors

• Associated Film Distributors (AFD) (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1982) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Jim Henson Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1980s) (USA) (video)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS) (Beta)
• VTI Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Solters & Digney  publicity

Runtime:

97 min | USA:95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Canada:G | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:G | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Henson Associates (HA)

Trivia:

Cameo: [Steve Martin]the waiter in the small-town restaurant where Kermit and Piggy eat their first dinner.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Fozzie and Kermit are about to confront Gonzo in his truck, Kermit says, "Fozzie look at that funny little truck!" in which Fozzie responds, "Yeah...cute,huh?" But if you look at the mirror in the car, you can clearly see that Fozzie's mouth isn't moving; it remains shut.

Quotes:

Statler: I'm Statler.
Waldorf: I'm Waldorf. We're here to heckle "The Muppet Movie".
Gate Guard: Gentlemen, that's straight ahead.Private screening room D.
Statler: Private screening?
Waldorf: Yeah, they're afraid to show it in public.

Movie Connections:

References Blazing Saddles (1974)

Soundtrack:

Can you picture that

Misunderstood

MINOR SPOILERS

Misunderstood classic remains one of Henson's finest and most personal films. It may seem funny to call a movie as beloved as this one 'misunderstood,' but people do seem to remember this one mostly for Jerry Juhl's snappy screenplay and Paul Williams's knockout songs. Now while these things are admittedly great, as is the movie's formal playfulness (screenplay-within-the-screenplay, film break, etc.), what distinguishes 'The Muppet Movie' from the other Muppet films is the serious, wistful thread that runs through the picture. It's a road movie, all right, but like most road movies, the pleasure is in the getting there, and the achievement of the characters' goals is tempered by uncertainty, and by the knowledge that they can never really go back again. Throughout the film, we are shown the down side of show business, even before the Muppets have 'made it': Piggy abandons Kermit without a second thought at a phone call from her agent, Gonzo expresses the loneliness and regret of a performer's life on the road in his haunting 'I'm Going to Go Back There Someday,' and, worst of all, Kermit is continually tortured and tested by Doc Hopper, who wants him to commercialize his art for the unholiest of purposes. (One can only wonder what Henson would have made of his family's management of the company after his death.) Kermit himself agonizes over his choices in the desert conversation scene, and the final 'Magic Store' number questions whether it's all been worth it, before concluding that it probably doesn't matter either way. All this is punctuated with the expected Muppet chaos and satire and deliciously awful jokes, and of course the serious stuff wouldn't work if it weren't. But 'The Muppet Movie' isn't just another jokefest, as the rest of the diminishing-return Muppet films would become. No, it's a lovely, gentle metaphor about the relationship between art and entertainment and business, and it's every bit as effective today as it was 25 years ago. 9.5 out of 10.