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| Little Muppet Monsters | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Jim Henson |
| Starring |
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| Voices of |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 3 (10 unaired) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Production locations | Manhattan, New York City |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | Marvel Productions Henson Associates |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 14 (1985-09-14) – September 28, 1985 (1985-09-28) |
| Related | |
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Little Muppet Monsters is a Saturday morning television series featuring the Muppets that aired three episodes on CBS in 1985. The first season of Muppet Babies did so well in the ratings, that CBS decided to expand the series from a half-hour to an hour, pairing Muppet Babies with Little Muppet Monsters. They called the hour-long package Muppets, Babies and Monsters.
Plot
The show was anchored by three young Muppet monsters: Tug (performed by Richard Hunt), Molly (performed by Camille Bonora), and Boo (performed by David Rudman). The three have started their own basement show following an incident where Scooter has them put in the basement after Molly and Boo played water polo in the living room. They are joined by Nicky Napoleon (performed by James Kroupa) and his Emperor Penguins as their music act.
Production
Storyboard director Scott Shaw discussed the show in MuppetZine issue #3 (Winter 1993). "The concept of this second half-hour was neither simple nor particularly well-developed," he said. "A trio of new (live-action) Muppet Monster Kids, working from the basement of the adult Muppets' home, create their own television station which broadcasts only to the TV sets in the house upstairs. Their 'shows' were such regular segments as "Pigs in Space: The Animated Series", "Kermit the Frog, Private Eye", "Muppet Sport Shorts" with Animal, "Gonzo's Freaky Facts and Oddball Achievements," and "Fozzie's Comedy Corner", among others.
Although thirteen episodes were produced (most of which were incomplete at the time of cancellation), only three of them ever aired. According to Muppet performer Kathryn Mullen, and the Henson Company archives, Marvel Productions failed to deliver the full season's animated segments in time for airing. CBS responded by rerunning episodes of Muppet Babies to fill the second half hour until Marvel finished the series' animated segments. Due to high ratings from the Muppet Babies reruns, the network decided not to pick up the remaining episodes of Little Muppet Monsters. The three completed episodes never appeared on television after their initial air dates. Plans to officially re-release the three episodes have not been made.
Despite its quick cancellation, the theme song to Little Muppet Monsters lived on; the instrumental version of the song became the closing theme for Muppet Babies and remained so until the show ended in 1991.
In 1991, segments of the animated "Pigs in Space" and "Kermit the Frog, Private Eye" from the second episode of Little Muppet Monsters titled "Space Cowboys" were re-shown in the final episode of Muppet Babies titled "Eight Flags Over the Nursery".
Cast
Muppet performers
Main article: List of Muppets- Richard Hunt as Tug Monster, Scooter, and Janice
- Camille Bonora as Molly Monster
- David Rudman as Boo Monster
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog and Dr. Teeth
- Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Animal
- Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper
- Dave Goelz as Gonzo the Great and Zoot
- Pam Arciero as Penguin
- Cheryl Blalock as Cow, Raggmopp
- Michael Earl Davis as Penguin
- Jim Kroupa as Nicky Napoleon
- Noel MacNeal as Rat, Cow, Magic Book
- Kathryn Mullen as Penguin, Rat
- Martin P. Robinson as Rat, Cow, Walrus
Animated segments voice cast
- Greg Berg as Fozzie Bear, Dr. Julius Strangepork
- Bob Bergen as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Link Hogthrob
- Richard Hunt as Beaker, Animated Muppet Shorts Narrator
- Hal Rayle as Animal, Gonzo the Great, Miss Piggy
- Frank Welker as Kermit the Frog, Chicken Who Crossed the Road, Banana Nose Maldonado (episode 1), Milo Sockdrawer (episode 3)
Episodes
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| No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "In the Beginning" | September 14, 1985 (1985-09-14) |
| 2 | "Space Cowboys" | September 21, 1985 (1985-09-21) |
| 3 | "The Great Boodini" | September 28, 1985 (1985-09-28) |
Unaired Episodes
- Hi, Mars
- Monster Measles
- Gonzo's Talent Hunt
- Can't Stop the Music
- Boo Monster Ace Reporter
- Feels Like Rain
- Foo-Foo Phooey
- Penguin for a Day
- Gunko
- Mail-Order Guest
Crew
- Hank Saroyan – Producer, Voice Director
Creators
- Characters designed by: Michael K. Frith
- Tug built by: Ed Christie
- Molly built by: Joanne Green
- Boo built by: Rollie Krewson
References
- "6/29/1985 - 'To NY for Muppet Monster Shoot. End June – buy Falcon – Rabi Gallery.'". Jim Henson's Red Book -. June 27, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- Joe Hennes (August 13, 2013). "Mokey Fraggle Speaks: The Kathy Mullen Interview, part 3". toughpigs.com. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
- tkane (September 14, 2013). "9/14/1985 – 'Little Muppet Monsters goes on air- also 2nd Season- Mup. Babies.'". Jim Henson's Red Book. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
External links
| Children's programming on CBS in the 1980s | |
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| First-run animated series |
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| First-run live-action series |
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| Rebroadcasts |
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| Related topics | |
- 1985 American television series debuts
- 1985 American television series endings
- 1980s American animated television series
- 1980s American children's comedy television series
- American animated television spin-offs
- American children's animated comedy television series
- American television series with live action and animation
- American television shows featuring puppetry
- CBS original programming
- CBS animated television series
- American English-language television shows
- The Muppets television series
- Animated television series about children
- Animated television series about monsters
- Television series by The Jim Henson Company
- Television series by Marvel Productions
- Television series by Claster Television