Hot air balloon

A hot air balloon consists of a large bag filled with heated air that is capable of lifting a capsule, usually a wicker basket, containing a small number of occupants. They have been in use since the 1780s and mostly used for recreation, but have served other purposes in warfare and scientific research.
==The Great Muppet Caper==
In The Great Muppet Caper, Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo are first seen flying in a hot air balloon, as the opening credits show up. After the credits are over, Fozzie asks how the movie starts, to which Kermit replies that they pull on a rope. Fozzie complies, also causing the hot air to go out of the balloon, which causes them to fall down into a busy street, leading up to the "Hey a Movie!" number.
Radio-controlled Muppets were used in wide shots of the balloon. For closeups, the Muppets were performed in a balloon on the ground.
As seen in the film, the hot air balloon has a variety of colors on it and a pattern to go with it - light green, purple, yellow, red, yellow, pink/green, yellow, red, purple and green. The whole sequence was shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico, famous for its annual Hot Air Balloon Festival, in February 1981Jim Henson's Red Book - 2/1/1981 – ‘To Albuquerque for balloon sequence.’.
Jim Henson's difficulties filming the balloon sequence (including the Fozzie puppet getting singed, challenges filming with helicopters, and performing remote-controlled Muppets in a remote-controlled hot air balloon) were documented in The Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter (volume 3, issue 2), Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (page 324), and a deleted scene from Muppet Guys Talking . A behind the scenes look at the sequence was filmed by CBS News Sunday Morning when Charles Kuralt visited the Muppets on location for a 1981 report. 
Gmc-promo.jpg|Promotional photo
GMC-BalloonPose.jpg|Promotional photo
GMC_balloon_behind_the_scenes.png|Behind the scenes from CBS News Sunday Morning
GMC_balloon_behind_the_scenes_2.png|Behind the scenes from CBS News Sunday Morning
Gmc bts by steve kanter 1.jpg|Behind the scenes, courtesy of Steve Kanter
Gmc bts by steve kanter 2.jpg|Behind the scenes, courtesy of Steve Kanter
GMCballoonposter.jpg|Poster
Fp puzzle balloon.jpg|Balloon puzzle
Gmcgame7.jpg|The Great Muppet Caper Game
Gmc glass promo ad.jpg|The Great Muppet Caper glasses (McDonald's)
C-post 43.jpg|Crayola Coloring Posters
==Other hot air balloons==
Other hot air balloons have appeared in Muppet productions and merchandise, most notably as the landmark feature atop the Muppet*Vision 3D attraction in Walt Disney World.
Wdwexterior.jpg|Atop Muppet*Vision 3D in Florida (1991-2017)
Prizelogic01.png|The Muppet*Vision balloon used for Give a Day. Get a Disney Day. ad 
Wilkins80dayswithwilkins.jpg|Wilkins and Wontkins in Wilkins Coffee ad
Red_Diamond_Balloon.png|Wilkins and Wontkins in Red Diamond Coffee ad
AMs-UpUpAway.jpg|Anything Muppets in "Up, Up and Away" 
0604_05a.jpg|Cookie Monster in Episode 0604
1330_02.jpg|Oscar the Grouch in Episode 1330
1459-ImFlying.jpg|Big Bird and Maria in Episode 1459 ("I'm Flying")
3942g.jpg|The letter B in Episode 3942
02Bbook.jpg|The Sesame Street Muppets in The B Book
Vanderbilt big bird.jpg|Big Bird on a Sesame Street suncatcher
Worldglobe2.jpg|Bert and Ernie on the Sesame Street World Globe
MB311-UK-BigBen01.png|The Muppet Babies in "Around the Nursery in 80 Days"
Let's Visit 05.jpg|The Muppet Babies in Let's Visit...
StatlerWaldorf-HotAirBalloon.jpg|Statler and Waldorf in The Muppets comic strip (August 12, 1982)
Gonzo-HotAirBalloon.jpg|Gonzo in The Muppets comic strip (October 31, 1982)
Skys_the_limit_stories_to_share.JPG|Gonzo, Mr. Sammis and Ariel in The Sky's the Limit
UpInTheAir.jpg|Kermit, Lindy and balloonist in Things That Fly
noimage.png|The Porcupine Hot-Air Balloon Race in Muppets Tonight episode 105
PS936a.jpg|Pancho and Lola in Plaza Sésamo Episodio 936
LolaBalloon.jpg|Lola and Barón Púrpura on Plaza Sésamo 
Folge2498-4.jpg|Rumpel in Sesamstrasse Folge 2498
Ueberdenwolken101 v-original.jpg|Wolle, Pferd and Rike in Eine Möhre für Zwei
WandChase-Balloons.png|Various characters in themed balloons in The Magical Wand Chase
DisneyJuniorMusic-13-Lullabies-TwinkleTwinkleLittleStar.png|Baby Kermit balloon in Disney Junior Music: Lullabies video "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
Hotairballoon.jpg|Kermit and Miss Piggy on 2008 Disney pin
The_Balloon_Race_2.jpeg|"The Great Hot Air Balloon Circus" by John Henson and John Kahn in the Henson Townhouse lobby
==Notes==
* An unproduced concept for a Fraggle Rock spin-off, featured Uncle Traveling Matt and two new Fraggle characters exploring the globe in a hot air balloon.
* The plot for the unproduced special In Search of Bernice featured Grover giving Bert and Ernie a ride in a hot air balloon.
==Sources==
==See also==
*Lifted by balloons
==External links==
* Jim Henson Red Book: 2/1/1981 – ‘To Albuquerque for balloon sequence.’
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Category:Muppet Vehicles