Sesame Street's First Episode

Continuing my acknowledgment of the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street this past weekend, here is the very first episode to air on November 10, 1969 in its entirety. Matt Robinson stars as Gordon, introducing new neighbor Sally, and in turn viewers, to the street. In addition to Gordon, we meet Susan, Bob, Mr. Hooper, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch (he's orange!), and Bert and Ernie. The rest is history.

Enjoy!

Happy 50th Anniversary Sesame Street!

Sunday November 10th marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of Sesame Street. Not only is it one of the most impactful TV series on my life, but one of the most impactful in the history of television. No other series has the biggest sense of mission than Sesame Street has. For half a century, the show has provided education and entertainment for millions of children in the US and around the world.

In celebration of this great milestone for this great program, here are some of my favorite moments from the series.

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

Tooth Brushing and It's Dental Flossophy, Charlie Brown

I've had both my semiannual dental cleaning and oral surgery within the past couple of weeks, and I go back to my dentist this weekend for more work. Needless to say, my teeth have been on my mind a lot lately. Your teeth will be on your mind too after you see today's findings.

Here are two educational short films for children's dental health produced by the same people that created the Peanuts TV specials. In the first, Charlie Brown learns how to properly brush his teeth, and then he learns to floss in the second. Snoopy provides hilarity along the way, as he usually does.

As a huge Peanuts fan, I love finding Peanuts-related material I didn't know about, and these films certainly fit the bill.

Enjoy!

Halloween Odds and Ends

With October 31st mere days away, I'm running out of both time and material. So today I just want to give you a few small treats that I think you will enjoy that may not necessarily warrant a blog post unto themselves. Consider these items Halloween hors d’oeuvres to tide you over until the full course of Halloween night. Let’s get to it!

By the way, I had to Google how to spell “hors d’oeuvres.” See how much I love you fine folks?

First up: the Muppets’ own Dr. Bunson Honeydew and Beaker go ghost hunting—with hilarious results!

Next, here is an adorable video about how to greet deaf or hard-of-hearing trick-or-treaters this season!



Here is the recording of the great Vincent Price's voiceover for Michael Jackson's Thirller without the music, plus with extra text that didn't make it into the single. You really get to hear how amazing Price's work is on the song--not that you couldn't tell that with the music. This is further evidence that Vincent Price was the ultimate pro!



You've never heard the theme from Alfred Hitchcock Presents until you've heard it played on the banjo!



Here is a fun TV promo for the much beloved 80s horror series Tales From The Darkside!



Speaking of TV promos, I can't let a Countdown to Halloween season go by without mentioning It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown at least once!



Finally, here is by far the most bizarre and graphic clip I have for you today. This is  John Carpenter's The Thing as recreated with characters from the foreign children's program Pingu the penguin. Even if you're not familiar with Pingu--and you probably aren't--you should find this both disturbing and hysterical! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED!

 

Time's running short! Get your Halloween on now!

Tuesday's Forgotten Film: Teachers

Happy September everyone! As promised, I'm back, and I start the month off with this week's Tuesday's Forgotten Film, Teachers.

Teachers stars Nick Nolte as a high school teacher who is temporarily made school psychologist during a time of controversy. A graduate of the school files a lawsuit for being allowed to graduate without the abilities to read and write; one teacher (Richard Mulligan) is an outpatient at a mental hospital; and a student is shot and killled in a standoff with police on school grounds. Amidst all the chaos, Nolte befriends a promising student (Ralph Macchio) and tries to steer him in the right direction. Also among the cast are Judd Hirsch, JoBeth Williams, Crispin Glover, and Morgan Freeman.

The film goes back and forth between comedy and drama, and does so with relative ease, although the drama aspects are sometimes overwrought. Still, with students of every level returning to classes at this time of year, Teachers is a fine way to spend an hour and a half.

Below is the film's trailer. Thanks!

TEACHERS: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: Teachers, Arthur Hiller

Know Your Way Around...with Batman and Robin!

Welcome to a brand new week, folks! The first day of the week is always a great time to make a new start and maybe learn a few things.  What better way to get an education than with Batman and Robin?

Here, in late 60s animated form, the Dynamic Duo teach us up, over, around, and through, then show us why it's dangerous to cross in the middle of the street--especially if you're the Joker. These two quick segments aired during the very first few seasons of Sesame Street.

Enjoy!