Storyline
Go behind the curtains as Kermit the Frog and his muppet friends struggle to put on a weekly variety show.
Episodes
Specials
No overview available for this season.
The Muppets Valentine Show
Jan 30, 1974
The Muppets Valentine Show was a variety special that aired on ABC. Internally, Jim Henson regarded this as a pilot for what would eventually become the The Muppet Show in syndication. Although a later special, The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, would more closely resemble The Muppet Show in cast and content, The Muppet Valentine Show would introduce several characters who would become regulars on that series, as well as the concept of having one human guest (Mia Farrow), and a tone aimed toward both adults and children.
The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence
Mar 19, 1975
In this half-hour variety special, the Muppets parody the proliferation of sex and violence on television. Nigel, Sam the Eagle, and hippie guitarist Floyd prepare for a Pageant based on the Seven Deadly Sins.
The Original Muppet Pitch Reel
Jun 29, 2026
The Pitch Reel Jim Henson used to pitch The Muppet Show to TV executives.
Tales of the Tinkerdee
Jun 29, 2026
This unaired pilot, produced by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl, was shot in Atlanta in the summer of 1962. The pilot featured Kermit the Frog, Taminella Grinderfall and King Goshposh, characters who would all reappear a few years later in the Tales From Muppetland TV specials.
The Land of Tinkerdee
Jun 29, 2026
The Land of Tinkerdee was a pilot for a daily children's television program produced by Muppets, Inc. in 1964. Jim Henson's company had produced a previous pilot in 1962, "Tales of the Tinkerdee", a fast-paced puppet show with many sets and a complicated narrative. That show wasn't picked up, and the 1964 version was a much simpler and more conventional puppet show. Ten plot outlines were written, and Jerry Juhl wrote several full scripts. The pilot was taped on August 9, 1964.
The Great Santa Claus Switch
Dec 20, 1970
The show, narrated by Ed Sullivan, begins at the North Pole with Santa Claus and his elves getting ready for another Christmas. However, Cosmo Scam has hatched a plan to kidnap Santa and take his place. As part of the plan, Cosmo plans to abduct Santa's elves (one at a time) and replace them with his evil henchmen.
Hey, Cinderella!
Mar 16, 1969
Cinderella lives with her wicked stepmother (as everyone who ever read the fairy tale knows), but what part of the story is never told is how Cinderella's fairy godmother had help from monsters, a prince pretending to be a gardener, and none other than Kermit the Frog.
Tales From Muppetland: The Frog Prince
May 12, 1971
Enchanted by an evil witch, a beautiful princess is forced to speak only in nonsense phrases. One day, she finds a small frog who can understand what she says. The frog claims to really be a prince, also enchanted by an evil witch. Together they must try to break their spells.
Tales from Muppetland: The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
Jan 01, 1972
Four mistreated farm animals seek refuge as a band of traveling musicians in this musical tale narrated by Kermit the Frog.
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
Dec 15, 1977
A poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic
Mar 26, 1986
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
Dec 05, 1979
In this beloved holiday classic, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and all the Muppets join John Denver for a heart-warming Christmas celebration, with traditional carols as well as lesser-known holiday songs.
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Nov 21, 1990
Jim Henson's classic Muppets put on a tribute to their creator, but also ponder the question: Who was he? To help them figure that out are some of Jim's human friends, as well as some rare clips from the Henson legacy.
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Jan 21, 1986
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years is a 1986 one-hour special that aired on CBS starring Jim Henson's Muppets.
The Muppets at Walt Disney World
May 06, 1990
A special which aired as part of The Magical World of Disney, this show was designed to promote a planned merger between The Walt Disney Company and The Jim Henson Company that would ultimately fall through upon Henson's untimely death. In the show, Kermit and Robin take the Muppet gang to the Florida swamps for the annual Bug Fry and a frog family reunion. However, the other Muppets, unexcited by a stinking bog, become excited when they learn they can see the fireworks from nearby Walt Disney World. Kermit agrees to let the gang "take a short peek" and be right back. As the Muppets accidentally break into the park, security tries to round them all up as they visit the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Center, and Disney/MGM Studios. Finally, after being rounded up, Kermit meets Mickey Mouse, and the show ends with a huge musical number.
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show
Sep 17, 1982
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show is a one-hour television special starring the glamorous Miss Piggy, which aired on ABC on September 17, 1982. Miss Piggy hosts her own variety show, with special guests John Ritter, George Hamilton, and Andy Kaufman (as "Tony Clifton"). Under the direction of Kermit the Frog, the Muppets work in the studio control room and, amidst chaos, manage to keep the show on the air. Throughout the show, a romantic triangle develops among Miss Piggy, Ritter (who is smitten with the pig) and Hamilton (who is deeply uncomfortable with the star's romantic inclinations).
The Muppets Go To the Movies
May 20, 1981
The Muppets Go to the Movies aired on ABC on May 20, 1981 to help promote The Great Muppet Caper. The special was taped between March 9 and 17, 1981. In this one-hour special, Lily Tomlin and Dudley Moore join the Muppets in a tribute to film classics. Kermit the Frog hosts the program, which begins with an all-cast rendition of "Hey a Movie!" from The Great Muppet Caper.
The Muppets Go Hollywood
May 16, 1979
When Kermit the Frog throws a glamorous party at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub to celebrate the premiere of the Muppets' first feature film, The Muppet Movie, hosts Dick van Dyke and Rita Moreno interview the wide array of celebrities and Muppets who attend the event.
Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets
May 12, 1983
John Denver takes the Muppets on a camping trip in the mountains of Colorado.
A Muppet Family Christmas
Dec 16, 1987
When Fozzie and the Muppet Show gang drop in unexpectedly on Fozzie's mother, she is forced to cancel her winter vacation plans and entertain them all. Soon the Sesame Street gang comes by as carolers, and then Kermit and his nephew Robin discover a Fraggle Rock hole in the basement. A snow storm blows in, stranding everyone at the house, except for Miss Piggy, who arrives just in time for all the Muppets to celebrate Christmas together.
Studio DC: Almost Live! - The First Show
Oct 05, 2008
Hosted by Dylan Sprouse, Cole Sprouse, and Miley Cyrus. With songs, dancing, and backstage antics, The Muppets and Disney Channel's biggest stars team up for another fun variety show.
Studio DC: Almost Live! - The Second Show
Oct 05, 2008
Hosted by Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and Sabrina Bryan. With songs, dancing, and backstage antics, The Muppets and Disney Channel's biggest stars team up for another fun variety show.
Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular
Nov 29, 2013
A holiday extravaganza features Lady Gaga singing tunes from her 2013 album, "ARTPOP," and performing with Kermit the Frog and other Muppet favorites. Also included are duets with Elton John, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and RuPaul; an appearance by Kristen Bell; and renditions of seasonal classics by the Swedish Chef, Beaker, and Animal.
Disneyland's 35th Anniversary
Feb 04, 1990
The celebrity-laden special, directed by John Landis and hosted in part by Tony Danza, focused on the changes to Disneyland over the years, as stars recalled their favorite attractions. Miss Piggy and Gonzo are prominently featured in a story-sketch titled "Pigerella," written by Bill Prady. Piggy, recalling her first visit to Disneyland, longs to replace Cinderella (played by Debbie Carman) in the big parade. After much conniving, Piggy succeeds, after "fairy god-thing" Gonzo gets himself and the real Cinderella lost (though Gonzo seems to develop a fondness for Cinderella). Another sketch involved cast members from Cheers, including Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, Kelsey Grammer, and Bebe Neuwirth; Will Smith, Ernest P. Worrell, and C-3PO also made appearances.
Season 1 Promo Gag Reel
Aug 09, 2005
The Muppets on Puppets
Jan 01, 1968
The Muppets on Puppets aired on NET in 1968, as part of the Adventure in the Arts anthology series. In this one-hour special, Jim Henson -- with the help of Muppet character Rowlf the Dog -- explains the art of puppetry, from building to performance. Henson describes the various kinds of puppets; demonstrates how to operate a hand puppet; and provides a brief history of puppet development and performance throughout the world, beginning with the influence of the character Punch from the Punch and Judy shows of the 1800s. Jerry Juhl and Frank Oz demonstrate how other kinds of puppets work, such as the string puppet or marionette, the Javan rod puppet, the finger puppet, and the Sicilian puppet.
Of Muppets and Men
Jan 01, 1981
This made-for-TV documentary treats Muppet fans to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of their favorite program, The Muppet Show. Includes interviews with creators Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and the rest of the crew of the series, as both themselves and as their Muppet characters, who share their experiences from working on the set, as well as discuss the special efforts that went into bringing each episode to life.
A Company of Players
May 20, 2008
The documentary includes previously unseen interviews with Martin Baker, Bill Barretta, Kevin Clash, Bonnie Erickson, Karen Falk, Michael K. Frith, Amy Van Gilder, Dave Goelz, Jane Gootnick, Jerry Juhl, Brian Henson, Kathryn Mullen, and Steve Whitmire. They talk about the cooperation between the puppeteers on The Muppet Show, and how a few of the core characters were developed.
The Christmas Toy
Dec 06, 1986
When no people are around, the toys still play in the playroom. But since a toy will be frozen forever if a person catches it out of position, they have to be very careful. It's Christmas Eve, and Rugby the Tiger remembers how he was the Christmas Toy last year, and thinks he's going to be unwrapped again. And it's up to Apple the Doll, who Rugby supplanted as the favorite toy, to tell him what's in store. But Rugby won't believe her, and tries to get into the Christmas package and lets Meteora, Queen of the Asteroids, loose. Unfortunately, she doesn't know she's a toy and thinks she's landed among aliens. And it's up to Apple, Mew (the Cat's toy mouse), and the other toys to get Rugby out of the box and Meteora back in it before they're found and frozen.
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Dec 06, 1995
The special begins with the song “The Perfect Tree,” which features both Mr. Willowby (Robert Downey Jr.) singing about his desire to find the perfect Christmas tree and, within Willowby’s house, a father mouse singing that he will go out to get a tree for his family (his two children, Beverly and Ned, decide to come with him). After the song is finished, Willowby asks his butler, Baxter (Leslie Nielsen), where his tree is.
Muppets Commercials - Purina Dog Chow
Dec 31, 1962
Rowlf the Dog made his television debut in these rare commercials produced for Purina Dog Chow between 1962 and 1963. Designed by Jim Henson and constructed by master puppet builder Don Sahlin, Rowlf went on to become a national television star on "The Jimmy Dean Show" (1963-1966) before settling into his role as The Muppet Show's resident piano-playing hound dog. His sidekick in these spots, Baskerville, was also occasionally seen on The Muppet Show.
Weezer - Keep Fishin
May 21, 2008
The music video features Weezer as guests on The Muppet Show as drummer Patrick Wilson is held captive by Miss Piggy.
The Muppets On Muppets
Aug 07, 2007
Feature filmed in the late 1990s for Muppet Show reruns airing on the Odyssey Network, but not seen by the public until it was included as a bonus feature on Muppet Show: Season Two DVD box set. Kermit, Gonzo, Rizzo, Animal and some special guest pals sit down for these personal, revealing interviews. Notable for including multiple characters who were created for Muppets Tonight and had never appeared on The Muppet Show.
The Muppet Show (2026 TV special)
Feb 04, 2026
Music, comedy, and a whole lot of chaos is bound to ensue when The Muppets once again take the stage of the original Muppet Theater with their very special guest, Sabrina Carpenter!
Season 1
No overview available for this season.
Joel Grey
Sep 05, 1976
Fozzie works on a new act -- jokes on any subject -- and drives everyone crazy. Finally, he gets on stage and asks for any word. Statler and Waldorf call his bluff by yelling out: "Amoeba!"
Rita Moreno
Sep 12, 1976
Fozzie Bear becomes embroiled in a running gag involving the backstage phone. Throughout the episode, Rita parodies her combative image. She battles with several Muppets, including Miss Piggy, a Full-Bodied Muppet, and Animal, who's backing her on drums in her closing number, "Fever."
Sandy Duncan
Sep 19, 1976
Fozzie performs Gags Beasley's famous "banana sketch," which everyone has heard of except Kermit. When Kermit asks Sandy and Fozzie to tell him what it is, they laugh too hard to explain it.
Jim Nabors
Sep 26, 1976
A young kid named Scooter applies for a job as a go-fer. When Kermit remarks that he doesn't even look like a gopher, Scooter explains that he'll go-fer coffee, he'll go-fer sandwiches, he'll go-fer anything. Kermit says he doesn't have the money to hire him, until Scooter mentions that his uncle owns the theater.
Ruth Buzzi
Oct 03, 1976
Scooter's uncle sends a mechanical, wind-up TV show host, an exact duplicate of Kermit. The robot harasses Kermit and flirts with Miss Piggy.
Paul Williams
Oct 10, 1976
Scooter talks Fozzie into doing "the telephone pole bit," and Fozzie practices dutifully until he finds out what the bit is: Fozzie dresses up as a public telephone, and Scooter asks what his name is. "Mike Oznowiczki," Fozzie says, and Scooter exclaims, "Oh, so you're the telephone Pole!"
Florence Henderson
Oct 17, 1976
The Muppet Theatre is plagued by a variety of pig-related problems, both onstage and off. First, The Bouncing Borsalino Brothers flub their act and crash through the stage floor. Backstage, Miss Piggy throws herself at an uninterested Kermit and then jealously interrupts his onstage Talk Spot, physically threatening guest star Florence Henderson, whom she thinks is horning in on her frog. The feud continues in the Panel Discussion as Florence throws pig slurs around.
Peter Ustinov
Oct 24, 1976
Kermit becomes jealous when Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Hilda and Scooter rave about Peter Ustinov. At the end, Peter admits that he's jealous of Kermit; he's always wanted to be a frog.
Lena Horne
Oct 31, 1976
Kermit cuts Miss Piggy's scheduled song so she won't look foolish following Lena Horne. He tells her that "there are singers and there are singers," making her think that he doesn't want her to show up Lena.
Harvey Korman
Nov 07, 1976
Embarrassed about being the "token person" on the show, Harvey is dressed up as a giant chicken.
Candice Bergen
Nov 14, 1976
Fozzie brings a series of deliveries to Kermit, pestering the frog with lousy gags.
Ben Vereen
Nov 21, 1976
Fozzie gets stuck in a magician's trick cabinet. The cabinet is dragged onstage so that he can perform his act -- and at the end of the act, two pig stagehands tip the box over so he can take a bow. Crazy Harry, who makes frequent appearances (and frequent explosions) during the show, blows up the cage before the end of the show so that Fozzie can escape.
Charles Aznavour
Nov 28, 1976
When he's unable to get a spot on the show, Gonzo asks Scooter to be his manager. Scooter advises Gonzo to do a rock act, banging on a large rock with a mallet. Later, Gonzo tries his hand at female impersonation, wearing a dress and a blonde wig. Scooter gives up managing when Gonzo eats his contract.
Phyllis Diller
Dec 05, 1976
Aging wardrobe woman Hilda puts on a wig and makeup to try to make herself look younger. She is spotlighted in a backstage plot for the first and last time.
Avery Schreiber
Dec 12, 1976
To make Kermit jealous, Miss Piggy instructs Scooter to tell him that Avery is in love with her. Kermit finds out that it's all a trick, and Piggy karate-chops everybody.
Twiggy
Dec 19, 1976
Kermit is skeptical when everyone backstage is terrorized by "the Phantom of the Muppet Show." There turns out to be one, though -- Uncle Deadly, a monster-actor who performed in the theater years ago. After being panned by the critics, he vowed never to perform there again, and not to let anyone else perform either. He warns the Muppets, "Leave or be doomed!"
Valerie Harper
Jan 02, 1977
This is one of only a few Muppet Show episodes that open the show after the theme song with some kind of offstage scene. There's also a couple of scenes with the guest star in her dressing room conversing with Muppets instead of onstage in the Talk Spot. In last week's "At The Dance", Boppity danced in drag with another monster. This week Boppity appears as normal but his partner is in drag. In both instances, he ends up headless.
Mummenschanz
Jan 09, 1977
Miss Piggy is repulsed when Gonzo tells her that he loves her. Kermit tries to help by asking Piggy if she would like to go to dinner -- and when she accepts, he fixes her up with Gonzo. Everybody gets karate-chopped.
Juliet Prowse
Jan 16, 1977
Muppy, the favorite pet of The Muppet Theatre owner J. P. Grosse, becomes a prima donna when Kermit reluctantly allows him to do a musical number with Scooter. Muppy even gets his own dressing room and star billing, but Kermit draws the line when the dog asks to change the show's title to The Muppy Show. When Muppy locks himself in his dressing room and refuses to perform, Scooter does the number with Fozzie instead.
Kaye Ballard
Jan 23, 1977
Tired of the "embarrassingly square" theme song, bass player Floyd Pepper informs Kermit that he and the rest of the orchestra pit (except Rowlf) are quitting. Kermit says their conductor Nigel will write a new theme, but Floyd refuses: "He wrote the first one, man." Floyd performs his idea for a new theme, a dreadful Zappa-esque piece called "Fugue for Frog." Kermit won't use it and refuses that Floyd submits to Kaye Ballard a petition about the theme song, so the band leaves. The closing theme is performed solo by Rowlf on the piano.
Bruce Forsyth
Jan 30, 1977
Fozzie Bear has a plan to get back at Statler and Waldorf when he does his act, but is crushed when he's replaced by Bruce Forsyth. Fozzie throws some nasty jokes and, for the first (and last) time, leaves the two old codgers speechless. Then Fozzie and Bruce end up performing together, and sing "Side by Side." A duck appears frequently in the sketches and skits.
Ethel Merman
Apr 09, 1977
Fozzie's agent, Irving Bizarre, negotiates Fozzie's contract with Kermit. Kermit ends up offering Fozzie ten times as much money; unfortunately, Fozzie made nothing before. "Yeah, and don't forget," Irving says, "I get ten percent of that."
Connie Stevens
Apr 16, 1977
When Fozzie overhears Hilda, Kermit, and Scooter talking about getting rid of "that bear," he thinks they're talking about him, only to find out later it's actually Gonzo's teddy bear that everyone is badmouthing.
Vincent Price
Apr 23, 1977
In honor of guest star Vincent Price, the show is filled with monsters, ghosts, bats, vampires and spooky situations. A three-headed monster auditions for the show: "We sing!" "No, we dance!" "No, we tell jokes!"
Season 2
No overview available for this season.
George Burns
Sep 30, 1977
Kermit is hassled by Daily Scandal reporter Fleet Scribbler, who blackmails his way backstage at The Muppet Show and is determined to spin everything he hears in a negative light. He even offers Miss Piggy a picture spread if she'll give him the real dirt on the Muppets. Soon, even the Swedish Chef is talking to Fleet, who answers in mock-Swedish.
Madeline Kahn
Oct 07, 1977
Madeline tells Gonzo she thinks he's terrific on the show, and the ego-starved Gonzo instantly falls in love with her. He drops in to Miss Piggy's dressing room to tell her he no longer has a crush on her, which pleases her until she finds out that he likes someone else. Gonzo's obsession takes him to the brink of marrying her until hearing her comments to Kermit of his going off the deep end breaks his fragile heart.
Milton Berle
Oct 14, 1977
Fozzie Bear is so intimidated by the thought of meeting Milton Berle, "the King of Comics," that he spends the whole show hiding from the guest star. His flimsy disguises don't fool Kermit or Scooter, but when Fozzie finally overhears Milton saying that he'd like to do a song-and-dance with him, Fozzie springs out of hiding, and the pair performs "Top Banana" together in baggy pants and big shoes.
John Cleese
Oct 21, 1977
Gonzo catches a cannonball with his bare hand, which stretches his arm out. Fozzie and Floyd crack jokes about the situation. Gonzo turns to John for help, but John ends up pulling the rest of his limbs out to match. Meanwhile, John isn't pleased with being on the show. He's tied to his chair before the show, he complains about the number of pigs and monsters on the show, and he gets roped into doing a closing number.
Nancy Walker
Oct 28, 1977
Kermit is at home sick so Fozzie has to run the show and proves how bad he could be by having Crazy Harry of all people have an opening skit "Target Practice", then getting "Vets' Hospital" and "At The Dance" on the same stage at the same time, causing a lot of trouble for the bear and his costars.
Rich Little
Nov 04, 1977
Gonzo auditions real chickens for his dancing chicken act. Due to a last-minute cancellation, he finally gets on stage, but his chicken Lolita hardly moves.
Edgar Bergen
Nov 11, 1977
Inspired by Edgar and his dummies, Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, Fozzie tries his hand at a ventriloquism act. Unfortunately, he doesn't really understand the principle behind the act, and expects his dummy to talk on his own.
Bernadette Peters
Nov 18, 1977
Robin wants his own spot on the show, but his uncle Kermit doesn't even notice him with bigger costars like Thog, Sweetums, and Timmy stomping around. The little frog even tries to run away but just ends up locked in his own suitcase. When Bernadette Peters notices him and tries to cheer him up, however, Robin finds out that all the Muppets believe in him. He becomes so confident that he demands to sing "They Call the Wind Maria," but Kermit settles on a cute, little song called "I'm Five" instead.
Dom DeLuise
Nov 25, 1977
Miss Piggy hires Scooter to pay off the audience to go wild for her. She also has him send her dozens of bouquets and write her piles of fan mail, all part of an attempt to get Kermit to notice her more. Piggy and Scooter stage a conversation for Kermit to overhear, in which she pretends to have an offer from another show, but Kermit isn't fooled. After finding out from Scooter what's really going on, he tells Piggy he's heard about her offer and has decided to let her go. When she breaks down in tears, sobbing that she can't leave him, Kermit agrees to take her back, but at a lower salary. After all, if she can afford to have Scooter pay off the audience for her... Miss Piggy gets hysterical and depressed, but is refreshed by Dom DeLuise.
Teresa Brewer
Dec 02, 1977
Miss Piggy overhears Kermit tell Scooter that she's getting too fat to do her ballet number next week, so she decides to go on a diet. She breaks a scale weighing herself, and collapses after exercising with a TV show for a few minutes.
Steve Martin
Dec 09, 1977
Kermit cancels the show in order to audition new acts. Guest star Steve is angry at first, but he goes on to perform for the cast. Fozzie worries that Kermit plans to hire replacements, especially after the audition of a canine comedian, Baskerville the Hound. Kermit tells Fozzie that he should appreciate seeing another artist's work -- until Lenny the Lizard auditions as a new emcee. A young singing girl, called Mary/Terry/Carrie Louise, is systematically removed off, when she makes an attempt of audition with her croaking partner.
Lou Rawls
Dec 16, 1977
Fozzie Bear has a new rollerskating act, but since he doesn't know how to skate, he spends the entire episode careening around backstage. He eventually manages to roll out onto the stage to tell his jokes, but when he gets too ambitious and tries to skate backwards on one leg, he falls off the stage.
Julie Andrews
Dec 25, 1977
Sketches/Songs: "The Lonely Goatherd", "Muppet Newsflash", Gonzo's Act, "Moonlight Sonata", "Won't Somebody Dance With Me?", "Borneo", "When You Were a Tadpole and I Was a Fish", "An Editorial by Sam The Eagle", "Muppet Labs", "I Whistle a Happy Tune"
Peter Sellers
Jan 01, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "A Gypsy's Violin", "When", "Down Memory Lane", Masseur sketch, "It's Not Easy Bein' Green", "Muppet Labs", "Cigarettes & Whiskey"
Elton John
Jan 08, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Crocodile Rock", "Swedish Chef", "Benny and the Jets", "Veterinarian's Hospital", "Any Old Iron", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Pigs In Space", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"
Cleo Laine
Jan 15, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Limbo", "Ain't Got That Swing", "Pigs In Space", Bruce Schwartz, "Mad Dogs and Englishmen", "Swedish Chef", "(I Wonder Why) You're Just In Love", Fozzie's Act, "If"
Rudolf Nureyev
Jan 22, 1978
Sketches/Songs: The Electric Mayhem, A Wagner opera performed, "Swine Lake", "Something's Missing", "Veterinarian's Hospital", "It's Cold Outside", "Clair De Lune", "Top Hat"
Judy Collins
Jan 29, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Leatherwing Bat", "Pigs In Space", "An Editorial by Sam The Eagle", "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly", "Muppet Newsflash", "Talk to the Trees", "Koozebanian Phoob", "Do-Re-Mi", "Swedish Chef", "Send in the Clowns"
Don Knotts
Feb 05, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Cuento Le Gusta", "Train Back Home", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "Veterinarian's Hospital", "Wotcher (Knocked 'Em in the Old Kent Road)", "I Won't Dance", "World's Most Powerful Explosive", "Medley"
Cloris Leachman
Feb 12, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "That's Entertainment", "My Hero", Fozzie's Act, "Swedish Chef", "Vedgetarian's Hospital", "Muppet Newsflash", "Pigs In Space", "Just in Time"
Bob Hope
Feb 19, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "The Pig Calypso", "For What It's Worth", "Muppet Newsflash", "Swedish Chef", "Muppet Newsflash", Rowlf plays piano, "Long Long Ago", "Muppet Labs", Rowlf plays piano, "Don't Fence Me In"
Jaye P. Morgan
Feb 26, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Tweedle Dee Dee", "Swedish Chef", "At the Dance", "English Country Garden", "Talk Spot", "Pigs In Space", "Muppet Newsflash", "An Editorial by Sam The Eagle", "That Old Black Magic"
Zero Mostel
Mar 05, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Chopin's Polonaise in a Flat", "What do the Simple Folk Do?", "At the Dance", "Muppet Labs", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "Fears", "Drum Solo by Animal", "Lady Wrestling"
Petula Clark
Mar 12, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Tweedle Dee Dee", "Swedish Chef", "At the Dance", "English Country Garden", "Talk Spot", "Pigs In Space", "Muppet Newsflash", "An Editorial by Sam The Eagle", "That Old Black Magic"
Roy Clark
Mar 19, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""Rocky Top"", ""Swedish Chef"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""Yesterday When I Was Young"", ""I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"", ""Talk Spot"", ""At the Barn-Dance"", Gonzo's Act, ""Sally Was a Good Ol' Girl""
Leo Sayer
Mar 26, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""You Make Me Feel Like Dancing"", ""Carbon Paper"", ""The Daffodills"", ""The Show Must Go On"", ""She was a Dear Little Dicky Bird"", Fozzie's Act, ""When I Need You""
Gilda Radner
Apr 02, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""The Lullaby of Broadway"", ""Modern Major General"", ""Muppet Melodrama"", ""Witch Doctor"", ""A Saucy Little Bird on Nellie's Hat"", ""Muppet Labs"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""Tap Your Troubles Away""
Pearl Bailey
Apr 09, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""My Soul is a Witness"", ""Muppet Labs"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""In the Good Old Summertime"", ""An Actor's Life For Me"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""At the Dance"", The Camelot joust
Jean Stapleton
Apr 16, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""Tico Tico"", ""Play a Simple Melody"", ""At the Dance"", ""Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow-Wow"", ""Talk Spot"", ""Muppet Melodrama"", ""Muppet Labs"", ""I'm Just Wild About Harry""
Loretta Lynn
Apr 23, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""You're Looking at Country"", ""I'm All Alone"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", Fozzie's Act, ""At the Dance"", ""Sentimental Journey"", ""Oh, Lonesome Me"", ""Veterinarian's Hospital"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""The Rhyming Song"", ""One's on the Way""
Season 3
No overview available for this season.
Raquel Welch
Nov 17, 1978
Gladys and the Swedish Chef provide service at the canteen as Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge guest star.
Alice Cooper
Nov 24, 1978
Miss Piggy becomes increasingly jealous as Kermit appears to give a young pig performer attention.
Helen Reddy
Dec 01, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""Staying Alive"", ""How Can You Be"", Fozzie's dance number, ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""Beethoven's Sonata No.8, Opus 13"", ""You and Me Against the World"", ""Veterinarian's Hospital"", ""Tie Me Kangaroo Down"", ""We'll Sing in the Sunshine""
James Coco
Dec 08, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""Octopus's Garden"", ""The Medium"", ""Eight Little Notes"", ""Swedish Chef"", ""Catch a Falling Star"", ""Veterinarian's Hospital"", ""Short People""
Marisa Berenson
Dec 15, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""Russian Pig Dance"", ""Dance"", ""Muppet Sports"", ""Someone to Watch Over Me"", ""Do-Re-Mi"", ""Our House"", ""The Wedding""
Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
Dec 22, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""Help Me Make It Through the Night"", Gonzo's Act, ""Muppet Labs"", ""My Wild Irish Rose"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""We're All Alone"", ""A Frog He Would a Wooing Go"", ""New York State of Mind"", ""An Actor's Life For Me"", ""A Song I'd Like To Sing""
Danny Kaye
Dec 25, 1978
Sketches/Songs: "Aquarius," "Lunchtime," "Cheek to Cheek," "Jogging," "Swedish Chef," "The Flying Zucchini Brothers," "The Municipal Vermin Abatement Code," "Inchworm"
Cheryl Ladd
Dec 29, 1978
Sketches/Songs: ""True Love"", ""South Rampart Street Parade"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""There's a New Sound"", ""I Enjoy Being a Girl"", Gonzo's Act, ""Sunshine on my Shoulder""
Harry Belafonte
Jan 05, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Day-O"", ""Tea For Two"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""Honeysuckle Rose"", Animal and Harry play the drums, ""Muppet Sports"", ""Turn the World Around""
Lesley Ann Warren
Jan 12, 1979
Sketches/Songs: Gonzo's first motorcycle jump, ""Beauty and the Beast"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""Mack the Knife"", ""Just the Way You Are"", Gonzo's second motorcycle jump, ""Last Dance""
Liberace
Jan 19, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Never on Sunday"", ""Swedish Chef"", ""Veterinarian's Hospital"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""She Wants to Sing in Opera"", ""Liberace bird concert""
Leslie Uggams
Jan 26, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Hey There, Good Times"", ""Muppet Labs"", ""Here You Come Again"", ""Mad About the Frog"", ""Bear on Patrol"", ""Vendawish"", ""Camilla"", ""Love Will Keep Us Together""
Elke Sommer
Feb 02, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Pennsylvania 6-5000"", ""Animal Crackers"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""Tuxedo Junction"", ""Pigs In Space"", ""Muppet Sports"", ""Row, Row, Row""
Sylvester Stallone
Feb 09, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Hawaiian War Chant"", ""Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"", ""Lady Be Good"", ""The William Tell Overture"", ""Veterinarian's Hospital"", Fozzie's Act, ""Bird in a Gilded Cage""
Roger Miller
Feb 16, 1979
Song: Penguins in Mayflower: ""Alabama Bound"" Cluckitis (best running gag they ever had IMHO) Roger sings with watermelons Bear on Patrol: assaulting an officer Song: Roger: ""A Hat Like That"" Rowlf Vet's Hospital Song: Roger: ""Whack-a-Doo"" Song: ""Dang Me"".
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans
Feb 23, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Blue Skies"", ""Skyball Paint"", ""Muppet Sports"", ""Deep in the Heart of Texas"", ""A Four Legged Friend"", ""Bear on Patrol"", Cowboy and Skyball sketch, ""Medley""
Spike Milligan
Mar 02, 1979
Sketches/Songs: ""Oklahoma"", ""An Editorial by Sam The Eagle"", ""The Music of Scotland"", ""Muppet Newsflash"", ""Dog Walk"", ""America"", ""The Intergalactic Brotherhood of Man, Including Things"", ""It's a Small World""
Lynn Redgrave
Mar 09, 1979
The Muppets perform the classic tale of Robin Hood.
Season 4
No overview available for this season.
Dudley Moore
Oct 24, 1979
Dudley has a surprise for Kermit, a robot that can do the work of the entire band and of course the Electric Mayhem feel threatened by this fact.
Crystal Gayle
Nov 02, 1979
The Prairie Dog Glee Club sings very well, but Scooter says they have "pack rat blood in 'em -- they keep stealing everything!" The prairie dogs go wild, taking everything Kermit has -- including his collar, which leaves him naked on stage.
Victor Borge
Nov 09, 1979
When Bobby Benson has to talk to a police officer someone has to take care of his babies. Unfortunately, the babies go wild without their daddy around and beat up people they don't like.
Beverly Sills
Nov 16, 1979
The pigs are excited that guest star Beverly Sills plans to perform the opera "Pigoletto" as the closing number.
Shields & Yarnell
Nov 23, 1979
Inspired by mimes Shields & Yarnell, Fozzie Bear works on a mime act, including "Bear walking against the wind". Kermit suggests that Fozzie find a more original act, so Fozzie tries out "Bear feeding spaghetti to an elephant" and "Bear going to a drive-in movie with a porcupine".
Kenny Rogers
Nov 30, 1979
During a sketch Kermit hurts himself and keeps getting frightened by jungle animals in his hospital room or injured further by some crazy inconvenience.
Linda Lavin
Dec 07, 1979
Miss Piggy announces that this show is Kermit's birthday, and before he can react, she launches into the tribute she's organized. They've planned a This Is Your Life-style show with birthday greetings, including one from Mr. Dawson, Kermit's old acting coach from Leland, Mississippi. Wayne and Wanda, the singing duo from the first season, show up and give Kermit such a guilt trip that he rehires them. When they sing, Kermit remembers why he fired them in the first place.
John Denver
Dec 14, 1979
John and Kermit have a surprise for the cast; they're all going to Kermits' home the swamp! But even Gonzo, even with his love of the nasty and strange, thinks it's a bad idea and no one is willing to take him up on the offer even when Kermit offers them to go.
Arlo Guthrie
Dec 21, 1979
For guest star Arlo Guthrie, the stage is turned into a farmhouse. The Swedish Chef plans a home-cooked meal, but the turkey refuses to be skewered, the pig busts him in the face, and the "beef" stampedes over him.
Liza Minnelli
Dec 28, 1979
The Muppets present a murder mystery. Kermit is a private eye hired by Liza O'Shaugnessy, an actress whose production is being terrorized by a killer. The director, Fritz (Strangepork), is shot. The police assign Patrolbear Fozzie to the case, and he interrogates the cast: "All right, which one of you killed the director?" The suspects are themselves killed one by one, until Kermit and Liza team up to unmask the true killers.
Dizzy Gillespie
Jan 04, 1980
Statler is sick (of the show), so Waldorf brings his wife Astoria to the show. Meanwhile, Inspector LaBrea of the County Environmental Department arrives backstage to monitor the noise level of the show. LaBrea tells Kermit that to keep the noise down, he has to cut the trumpets for the show. Kermit tries to keep LaBrea busy while Dizzy performs.
Phyllis George
Jan 11, 1980
Phyllis hosts the 1st annual Muppet Awards, recognizing the greatest Muppet Show performers. Kermit, who hates awards shows, sits out the show, but Miss Piggy is absolutely determined to win.
Lola Falana
Jan 18, 1980
After years of failure Gonzo is actually appriciated for the actor he is and decides to quit the Muppet Show and move on to movies. Piggy, more jealous than sad, asks Gonzo to refer her to the director. This is one of the episodes that teeters on the edge of being very sad.
Dyan Cannon
Jan 25, 1980
As Miss Piggy prepares for her act, she leaves her dog Foo-Foo in the care of Floyd. Piggy tells Floyd he has to spoon-feed and floss the pampered Foo-Foo, so Floyd locks the dog in a drawer. Frantic, Piggy searches everywhere for Foo-Foo.
Anne Murray
Feb 01, 1980
Scooter bugs everyone by leaving his skateboard lying around. Kermit trips on it and smashes a set. Later, Anne performs while the Muppets all dance on skateboards.
Jonathan Winters
Feb 08, 1980
Jonathan is convinced that a gypsy has put a curse on the show, and while Kermit scoffs at the idea, he does notice that everything is going wrong. A few acts have to be canceled, but Kermit refuses to believe there's a curse until a meteorite falls on his flipper. In the final stage of the curse, everyone begins to speak in mock Swedish.
Christopher Reeve
Feb 15, 1980
Everyone has a superhero bug, donning costumes and trying acts to impress the star of Superman: The Movie.
Lynda Carter
Feb 22, 1980
In honor of "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter, Scooter buys a mail-order course on how to be a superhero. Soon, a crowd of Muppets are wearing silly costumes and reading Invincibility Made Easy. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy appears as "Wonder Pig", and battles a giant chicken.
Mark Hamill
Feb 29, 1980
The regularly-scheduled guest (a terrible singer) is bumped when four stars of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope suddenly appear in the theater. It's a natural for the Pigs in Space.
Alan Arkin
Mar 07, 1980
Alan accidentally drinks Bunsen Honeydew's Jekyll-and-Hyde potion, and turns into a rampaging monster. He runs amuck, as the ultra-cute Bun-Bun Brothers sing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." When Kermit catches Alan in a net, he turns back into himself. Soon, Kermit takes a sip of the potion himself.
Doug Henning
Mar 14, 1980
Fozzie Bear tries out a magic act, pulling a rabbit from a hat. Instead, he gets a rabbi, and then a robot. He taps the hat too hard, and gets dozens of rabbits, who follow him around and call him "Daddy."
Andy Williams
Mar 21, 1980
Miss Piggy asks Andy to sing "Love Story" for her and Kermit, who have just become engaged. Unfortunately, Kermit hasn't heard about the engagement yet. The rumor slips out, and soon everyone thinks Kermit and Piggy are getting married.
Carol Channing
Mar 28, 1980
Miss Piggy buys a cute new pair of shoes, but they're too small, and she can't walk in them. She wants to take them back, but Kermit compliments them, so she has to keep wearing them. She complains to Carol, who says she should have them stretched, and gives them to the gigantic Timmy Monster, who runs around the block in them.
Diana Ross
Apr 04, 1980
The show's audience members are getting horrified at everyone on stage except Diana Ross.
Season 5
No overview available for this season.
Roger Moore
Oct 05, 1980
Kermit calls the Secret Service to hire real spies for Roger's closing number. (They're listed in the Yellow Pages.) However, Roger wants to do a cute, cuddly version of "Talk to the Animals". The spies, anxious for a chance to rub out James Bond, pose as fluffy animals to infiltrate the number.
Loretta Swit
Oct 12, 1980
How well can Loretta fit into Miss Piggy's roles? It all comes to a dramatic climax with the ""Pigs in Space"" installment.
James Coburn
Oct 19, 1980
Animal hits it off with tough guy James Coburn -- but James decides that Animal isn't centered enough, and introduces him to meditation and Zen. Animal doesn't take well to Zen.
Linda Ronstadt
Oct 26, 1980
Afraid that Linda will steal her frog away, Piggy locks Kermit up in a chest owned by Gonzo when Scooter helps him move his mildew ""collection"" and hides it.
Tony Randall
Nov 02, 1980
Browsing through an old book of magic spells, Tony accidentally turns Miss Piggy into stone. He considers bringing her to a stonemason for help. Fozzie, Gonzo and Floyd crack stone jokes as Kermit and Tony try to find a spell to change her back. Of course, the show must go on, and the Piggy statue takes the stage for "Pigs in Space".
Brooke Shields
Nov 09, 1980
Thinking she was booked to do "The Muffin Show," Brooke finds herself growing and shrinking as the Muppets stage Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Melissa Manchester
Nov 16, 1980
Kermit is plagued by a night of backstage crises. A group of skiers get hurt during the opening number, and after Kermit says that the theater will cover their medical costs, Scooter forgets to cash the check. The Teeterini Family are angry that their teeter board won't fit on the stage. The Swedish Chef prepares spring chicken, and the bouncing chicken drives Kermit crazy. And let's not even talk about the blindfolded, hang-gliding yodelers.
Señor Wences
Nov 23, 1980
In honor of Señor Wences and his puppets, Kermit decides to do something new -- a puppet show! Fozzie wants to do a marionette act with a Dancing Clown puppet, but the marionette eventually pulls Fozzie down on the stage with him and takes control of the strings himself.
Jean-Pierre Rampal
Nov 30, 1980
Miss Piggy is cornered by flautist Jean-Pierre, who wants to speak French with her. She claims to have laryngitis, whispering, "My vocal coach told me not to speak French. I'm not even supposed to eat French fries!"
Gladys Knight
Dec 07, 1980
The theater is under repair, but the workers have to destroy in order to build. They take the roof right off, leaving this show victim to the elements.
Joan Baez
Dec 14, 1980
Rizzo and the other rats bother Kermit for a spot on the show, so Kermit asks Beauregard to "take care of them." Of course, Bo takes that literally, and treats them as guests. The rats make Beau their president, and manipulate him into giving them food. The rats eventually become so bold that they decide to take over the show. Kermit says Beau has to kick them out, or he goes with them. Beau chooses to stick with his new rat friends, until Miss Piggy enlightens him.
Marty Feldman
Dec 21, 1980
The Muppets present their version of 1001 Arabian Nights, with guest star Marty Feldman playing the role of Scheherazade, telling tales to an evil Caliph (played by the Swedish Chef).
Glenda Jackson
Dec 28, 1980
Glenda reveals herself to be Black Jackson the pirate captain, and she takes over the Muppet Theater with the help of Short John Silver (Sweetums) and Eric, a heartless pirate parrot (in disguise as a penguin). They tie Kermit up, turn the theater into a ship, and cast off to look for buried treasure. The show ends with a musical battle at sea, with Gonzo and a crew of chickens fighting to save Kermit and the theater.
Gene Kelly
Jan 04, 1981
Gene is under the impression that he's a "guest" -- that is, he's going to sit and watch, but not perform onstage. Frantic, Kermit tricks him into performing by asking him to give him a dance lesson on-stage. Kermit plans a surprise closing number, "Singin' in the Rain," Gene refuses, saying that he doesn't think he'll ever sing the song as good as he did in the movie, but he does eventually sing it backstage. Meanwhile, Scooter uses his Tarot cards to predict that the world is coming to an end. Beauregard believes him, and tries to convince the rest of the cast the apocalypse is near.
Hal Linden
Jan 11, 1981
Statler and Waldorf get their chance to do a better show than Kermit--they play host, while Kermit and Fozzie heckle from the balcony. Unfortunately, Statler and Waldorf's acts don't turn out exactly as they plan. The Berlin National Opera Company cancels and are replaced by the Salzburg Sauerkraut Singers. Hal's Fourth of July number is invaded by Gonzo on a sleigh singing Christmas songs. Finally, Statler and Waldorf admit that the show is harder to put together than it looks and happily go back to complaining from the balcony.
Wally Boag
Jan 18, 1981
In honor of vaudeville-influenced guest star Wally Boag, the Muppets salute vaudeville, with a balloon animal act, a bagpipe player and a hypnotist. Wally performs acts he made famous at the Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland, including the Pecos Bill teeth-spitting sketch.
Debbie Harry
Jan 25, 1981
Robin's Frog Scout troop visits the show, getting in everyone's way backstage. They ask Debbie for help earning their punk merit badges, and she teaches them how to do the pogo. When Gonzo cancels his act, the Frog Scouts get their chance to do a performance of close-order drills.
Johnny Cash
Feb 01, 1981
In honor of Johnny Cash's appearance, the show is simulcast over country radio station WHOG, and the radio broadcast threatens to overwhelm the actual show. The head of WHOG, Big Tiny Tall Saddle, insists on making all the decisions. He refuses to let Rowlf go on, and instead schedules Grampaw McGuire and his whistling bricks. Kermit tries to run his own show, but Big Tiny is one of the toughest men alive -- when he's annoyed, he has a habit of wrapping microphone stands around people's necks. Fozzie is replaced by Wally Whoopie, a stand-up comedian who makes fun of the bear -- which inspires Kermit to stand up for his friend, and his show.
Carol Burnett
Feb 08, 1981
There's no show today, almost; the theater is turned into a dance marathon hosted by Gonzo.
Buddy Rich
Feb 15, 1981
Thanks to Gonzo's refrigerated mildew collection, the power goes out in the theater, and Beauregard almost electrocutes himself trying to fix it. Half of the acts have to perform in the dark, until Dr. Bunsen Honeydew hooks up a generator that runs on Beaker-power. Beaker runs on a huge wheel to generate power, and when he gets tired, Bunsen helps to motivate him by releasing a hungry tiger onto the wheel.
Paul Simon
Feb 22, 1981
Paul inspires Gonzo to be a songwriter. Unfortunately, Gonzo writes songs like "For You": "For youuu... I'd wash my hair with stinky glue, I'd fry my legs and eat them too, I'd put a spider in my shoe -- for yoouuuu!" Paul is stunned. Later, Gonzo's chickens run off with Paul, so Gonzo develops a new obsession -- asparagus. But at the end of the episode both the chickens and the asparagus run away when Paul asks for chicken with a side of asparagus.
Chris Langham
Mar 01, 1981
A messenger brings a message from the scheduled guest star -- Benny Brillstein, the Yiddish yodeler. Benny refuses to be on the show, so Kermit asks Chris, the messenger boy, to be the guest. Chris knows a joke, so Kermit introduces him as a comedian.
Mac Davis
Mar 08, 1981
Beaker tests Muppet Labs' new copier machine, ultimately falling into it and making seven copies of himself. The multiple Beakers gang up on Bunsen, and the doctor is forced to wear a disguise and hide from his assistants.
Shirley Bassey
Mar 15, 1981
Kermit borrows fifty million dollars worth of gold for Shirley's closing number, "Goldfinger". Security guard Bruno is suspicious that Kermit wants to steal the gold, but keeping an eye on the frog makes him overlook a band of pig thieves, who steal all the gold as Shirley sings.