The Muppet Show

Tv muppet show opening The Muppet Show opening

The Muppet Show, a program featuring puppet characters, was broadcast in syndication between 1976 and 1981. Each episode included a celebrity guest appearance alongside the Muppets. The Jim Henson Company conceived the Muppets, which have been under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company since 2004.

In an episode broadcast on February 23, 1980, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Peter Mayhew made guest appearances portraying their well-known characters; this occurred four months prior to the theatrical debut of the film The Empire Strikes Back. While Daniels and Mayhew only play their Star Wars roles, Hamill takes on the role of both Luke Skywalker and a character referred to as "Luke's cousin," who is essentially himself.

Star Wars episode

Luke and "Leia"?

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), and R2-D2 (operated remotely) find themselves having crash-landed on Earth and, unexpectedly, on the Muppet Show stage. Following their meeting with Mark Hamill (playing himself) who is presented as Luke's "cousin", they reveal they are in search of Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew, who, according to a hyperspace telegram, has been "captured by a bunch of weird turkeys." To aid in their search, they commandeer the Pigs in Space skit's ship, the Swine Trek. Miss Piggy (Frank Oz), now smitten with Luke, dons a Princess Leia costume.

The team inadvertently crashes on the planet Koozebane and is confronted by "Dearth Nadir," a Muppet Gonzo character wearing a Darth Vader costume. (In a prior episode, "Nadir" invaded the Swine Trek with chickens as his "stormtroopers.") Nadir possesses a Krypto-Anagon Transmitter, which nullifies blasters, rendering Luke's weapon useless and weakening Artoo, who temporarily powers down.

Chewbacca, who was being held captive, escapes and attacks Nadir. However, the villain summons Angus McGonagle the Argyle Gargoyle, who uses his Gershwin gargling to subdue Chewbacca. Luke and his "cousin" meet once again. Just before the action escalates, Kermit the Frog signals the start of a musical performance. The Star Wars characters join in with enthusiasm, and C-3PO showcases his dancing abilities with a soft-shoe routine (having previously viewed some Fred Astaire films). Mark Hamill, portrayed distinctly from Luke, dances along, while a frustrated Luke walks away.

The episode is officially included on the DVD "The Best of The Muppet Show - Mark Hamill / Paul Simon / Raquel Welch." However, fan-made bootleg copies are widespread and often bundled with bootlegs of The Star Wars Holiday Special. The episode can also be officially streamed on Disney+.

Related works

Daniels also played C-3PO in an episode of Sesame Street, another Muppet-related production, where he and R2-D2 became friends with Big Bird, and R2 developed a fondness for a fire hydrant. While R2-D2 appeared in The Muppet Show episode, it was the radio-controlled "three-legged" version, not the one operated by Kenny Baker. Baker did, however, later collaborate with Jim Henson, portraying a goblin in the film Labyrinth (with George Lucas serving as executive producer).

From 1985 to 1989, Marvel Comics, under their Star Comics imprint, published a monthly Muppet Babies comic book series, which ran for 26 issues. One issue featured a Star Wars fantasy, with baby Piggy as Leia and baby Gonzo as Darth Vader. The Muppet Babies cartoon also featured numerous episodes parodying Star Wars, most notably Gonzo's Video Show.

Frank Oz, the puppeteer for Yoda, was a key puppeteer and creative consultant on The Muppet Show, performing Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, and others. Kathryn Mullen, another Muppet Show regular, assisted as Yoda's right hand in The Empire Strikes Back. Unused storyboards from the 1984 film The Muppets Take Manhattan, directed by Oz, depict Yoda and Darth Vader among the guests at Kermit and Piggy's wedding, surrounded by non-Henson puppet and costumed characters. As the couple departed the chapel by car, Yoda was intended to use the Force to lift them into the skies of New York City.

Legacy

A segment from The Muppet Show's Star Wars episode was shown in the 2004 MTV documentary titled When Star Wars Ruled the World.

During Anthony Daniels' appearance at Celebration IV, he presented clips showcasing his work as C-3PO, including his appearances on The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, a C-3POs cereal commercial, and The Star Wars Holiday Special. Daniels shared insights and anecdotes about his experiences working on these projects.

Koozebane was featured in The Essential Atlas's appendix.

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Notes and references

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Appearances