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:

Frog Leg | Restaurant | The Muppets | Friend | On The Road

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 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 / Swedish Chef / Motorcycle Guy (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	Floyd Pepper / Robin the Frog / Crazy Harry / Lew Zealand / Camilla / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (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:
Bob Baker	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)
Tim Burton	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)
Melinda Dillon	...	Woman with Balloon (uncredited)
Lisa Henson	...	Beauty Pageant Model (uncredited)
Jerry Juhl	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)
Earl Kress	...	Ernie (uncredited)
John Landis	...	Grover (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		(as Chris Greenbury)

Casting by
Gus Schirmer

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Art Direction by
Les Gobruegge

Set Decoration by
Richard B. Goddard		(as Richard Goddard)

Costume Design by
Gwen Capetanos

Makeup Department
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup artist (as Ben Nye II)

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	....	property master
Julia Harmount	....	set designer
Hank Kentop	....	construction foreman (as Henry Kentop)
Julius King	....	set designer
Roy Kirkpatrick	....	construction coordinator
Eric Orbom	....	assistant art director
Ken Richey	....	greensman (as Kenneth Richey)
Tom Southwell	....	illustrator
Tommy Tomlinson	....	assistant property master
Sal Denaro	....	foam technician (uncredited)
Bruce Wayne Mecchi	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Frank White	....	labor foreman (uncredited)

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

Special Effects by
Robbie Knott	....	special effects
Scott Forbes	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

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

Camera and Electrical Department
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin)
Joe Collins	....	key grip (as Joseph Collins)
Richard J. Edesa	....	camera operator (as Richard Edesa)
Lee Heckler	....	gaffer
Bruce Hill	....	camera operator: video
Lindsay P. Hill	....	video operator (as Lindsay Hill)
Robert Lowry	....	video operator (as Bob Lowry)
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer (as John Shannon)
Pat Campea Jr.	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
George A. Clark	....	grip (uncredited)

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

Editorial Department
Robin Forman	....	post-production assistant
Steve Polivka	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Kenny Ascher	....	songs: music and lyrics by
John Caper Jr.	....	music editor
Ian Freebairn-Smith	....	conductor
Ian Freebairn-Smith	....	music arranger
Garry Ulmer	....	music mixer
Garry Ulmer	....	music recordist
Paul Williams	....	music adaptor
George A. Martin	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

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

Other crew
Ellen Adolph	....	associate auditor
Sherry Amott	....	muppet designer
Martin G. Baker	....	muppet technical coordinator (as Martin Baker)
Bill Beaumont	....	craft service (as William Beaumont)
Ulla Bourne	....	script supervisor
Edward G. Christie	....	muppet designer (as Ed Christie)
Buck Edwards	....	location manager
Bonnie Erickson	....	muppet designer
Faz Fazakas	....	muppet designer
Fred Fisher	....	production assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Michael Flynn	....	production assistant
Michael K. Frith	....	muppet design consultant (as Michael Frith)
Dave Goelz	....	muppet designer
Lew Grade	....	presenter (as Sir Lew Grade)
Richard Holloway	....	muppet technical coordinator
Larry Jameson	....	muppet designer
Mari Kaestle	....	muppet designer
Saul Kahan	....	unit publicist
Lynn Klugman	....	muppet production coordinator (as Lynn M. Klugman)
Janet Lerman-Graff	....	muppet designer
Kermit Love	....	muppet designer
John Lovelady	....	muppet workshop coordinator
Mireille Machu	....	secretary to director
Leigh Malone	....	muppet visual consultant
Robert McCormack	....	muppet workshop supervisor: New York
Wendy Midener	....	muppet designer
Kathryn Mullen	....	muppet designer
Frank Oz	....	creative consultant
Lee Rose	....	production associate
Don Sahlin	....	muppet designer
Shirley Snyder	....	production coordinator
Martin Starger	....	presenter
Teresa Stokovic	....	production coordinator
Amy Van Gilder	....	muppet designer
Amy Van Gilder	....	muppet workshop coordinator
Pamela Varney	....	secretary to producer
Rusty Warren	....	production auditor
Caroly Wilcox	....	muppet designer
Tim Burton	....	additional puppeteer (uncredited)
Jeffrey A. Humphreys	....	studio utility (uncredited)
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)
• ITC Films

Distributors

• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• 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)
• Elephant Films (2005) (France) (all media)
• VTI Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Westheimer Company  opticals
• Children's Television Workshop (CTW)  Big Bird courtesy of
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Beta Technik  German dubbing
• Solters & Digney  publicity (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:G (No. 25675) | Brazil:Livre | Singapore:PG | Canada:G | Portugal:M/6 | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Grauman's Chinese Theater - 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Henson Associates (HA)

Trivia:

The illusion of Fozzie driving the Studebaker was achieved by having a midget drive the car via remote control from the trunk, using a television monitor to guide his steering. The puppeteers would lay on the seat or floor and couldn't see a thing. The first time they tested it, the television monitor went on the blink, and the driver had to be talked through the scene by an assistant director on a walkie-talkie ("A little to the right, now, to the left...hold it...").

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: At the end of the song "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along", when Kermit and Rowlf harmonize on a final pair of long notes, they both hold the notes, audibly, until the end of the song, but Rowlf's mouth changes to a scat/improv line that he sings and we hear. (In other words, his voice is heard on two different musical lines at the same time).

Quotes:

[first lines]
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.
[they laugh as their car proceeds forward]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Hewy's Animated Movie Reviews: The Top 11 Tear Jerking Songs in an Animated Feature" (2010)

Soundtrack:

America The Beautiful

Write your own ending: Existential awareness in hand puppets

In many ways, the perfect movie. The "Incredible Journey" and Horatio Alger tale come together for a positive spin on the usually depressing subject of existentialism. In essence, the travails of the muppets boil down to the finale song of the movie: "Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending." They create their own reality, which has all the trappings of every epic tale: a lofty goal at the end of what is necessarily a obstacle-laden journey; an ever-increasing group of like-minded individuals for camaraderie; a nasty set of villians who are not beyond all redemption; and a big-budget Hollywood ending because, darn it all, they CAN.

Only Jim Henson could pull this off. He walks the line between sentimentality and philosophy without swerving too long or too hard into either. Of course it seems odd that invest such weight into a film starring puppets, but in the end perhaps they are the perfect, uh, puppet to make these points. The movie's atmosphere allows for the pure enjoyment of the Hollywood dream, the "happy" ending, unnecessary cameos, and bursting into song at the drop of a hat. Usually these aspects are anathema to quality in film, but the self-deprecating manner under which the story is delivered makes for guilt-free viewing. One of the few films that can truly be called "suitable for all ages."

The other muppet-related films (including "The Empire Strikes Back"), while palatable, do not touch the simple grace of this film. Take, for instance, the musical number "Hope that Something Better Comes Along," the duet of Kermit and Rowlf. Amusing in its vaudevillian goofiness, yet makes a bitingly crucial point about the motivations behind life choices. Brilliant.