đItâs 1970, and Santaâs been locked up in an underground cave with 2 giant Muppet monsters.
Join us as we venture through the tunnels under Santaâs workshop to uncover Jim Hensonâs first ever TV holiday special, presented by The Ed Sullivan Show and featuring the first Muppet performances by Richard Hunt, Fran Brill, Marilyn Sokol, and John Lovelady, as well as the first appearances of Thog and a familiar-looking Frackle whoâd later be reworked into the Great Gonzo.
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đ Guests:
Tori Schmidt (Muppets No Context, The Muppetwt Awards)
Tony Whitaker (@muppetdude, Muppet Wiki)
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đŹ Topics & Tangents:
1. âThe Great Santa Claus Switchâ on Muppet Wiki.
2. ToughPigs.comâs transcript of the special, 2004.
3. Jim Henson, Thog, and Lothar on âThe Dick Cavett Show,â 1971.
4. Taminella Grinderfall in âTales of the Tinkerdee.â
5. Jim Hensonâs Red Book entries on the specialâs casting and debut.
6. Tonyâs art of the Two-Headed Monster as the Miser Brothers.
7. So Many Muppets Are Named Fred.
8. Daniel Seagren as Spider-Man on âThe Electric Company.â
9. Richard Hunt as Elmo.
10. Snarl, the Frackle who would become Gonzo.
11. My Emmet Otterâs Teenage Mutant Jug-Band Christmas T-shirt.
12. We have dubbed the green Frackle who looks like Thig with a beak and horns âTheg.â
13. âThis Is Halloweenâ in a Sesame Place parade.
14. â8 Balls of Fur.â
15. Stop calling them âMuppeteers.â
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đŒ Commercial Break:
FritoLay Holiday Party Display Commercial, 1970.
âNoĂ«lcoâ Razor Santa Commercial, 1970.
Merry Britsmas, all things Christmas from a British perspective.
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âThe Great Santa Claus Switchâ © 1970 Sullivan Productions, Inc.
Theme song by Bronwenâs Ghost.
Full show notes and social links at adventcalendar.house.