Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street

Kermit the Frog was a fixture in multiple Jim Henson productions and appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s. This was no exception when Sesame Street premiered in 1969, where the frog became a significant presence all while continuing to appear in other Muppet projects.
==Early years==
Even before Sesame Street hit the airwaves, Kermit was being used in a pitch reel for the purposes of explaining the concept to broadcasters, and ultimately featured in the premiere episode. He would go on to star in several sketches and songs, as well as the occasional street plot.
At one point in 1970, Kermit was going to be dropped from the show due to criticism that the character was too commercial. Look magazine reported that "when the new season starts November 9, expect changes. There will be no more know-it-all frog, since Kermit, the one Muppet who is not exclusive to Sesame Street, is opting out to do commercials."Look, Sept. 22, 1970 Time magazine reported with slightly more detail: "Kermit the Frog is being canned for commercialism. When Sesame Street was just a glint in Joan Ganz Cooney's eye, Kermit taped a special in Canada. When it was given a network airing, the frog was compromised. Or so Henson decided. .... He is being phased out of the show. He will be replaced by such Muppets as Herbert Birdsfoot and Sherlock Hemlock."Time, November 23, 1970
However, Kermit's absence from the show did not last. The frog returned in the third season but was considered more of a guest than a regular character.Jim Henson's Red Book — 3-8-1977 In fact, Ernie refers to Kermit as a guest star in the introductory special This Way to Sesame Street, and some merchandise names him as such.
==Later years==
Kermit was involved in other Sesame-related media over the years. In the 1985 feature film Follow That Bird, Kermit reports on Big Bird's disappearance from the Dodos, and he appeared in the television specials Julie on Sesame Street, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Sesame Street, Special, Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting, Elmo Saves Christmas (Steve Whitmire's first Sesame performance as Kermit), Elmopalooza, and CinderElmo. He was also included among the Sesame Street Muppets as guests on the 1974 special Out to Lunch and the 1975 special Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten (shot on the Sesame Street set), and when the Sesame Street cast performed at the 1982 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Since Disney's acquisition of The Muppets in 2004, Kermit has made two minor appearances on Sesame Street, the first being a brief cameo for Elmo's World: Frogs in the season 40 premiere. Ten years later, Matt Vogel provided his first performance as Kermit in a Sesame-related venture with a return appearance in Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration. In the special, he interacted briefly with host Joseph Gordon-Levitt, shared screen-time with Cookie Monster and Gonger, and sang "Bein' Green" with Elvis Costello.
On social media, the Disney-owned Twitter account for Kermit posted a congratulatory tweet@KermitTheFrog Nov 10, 2019 on the show's 50th anniversary, while @SesameStreet responded in kind.@SesameStreet Nov 10, 2019 The same account later shared a memorial tweet to Emilio Delgado in March 2022@KermitTheFrog Mar 11, 2022 and Bob McGrath in December 2022,@KermittheFrog Dec 5, 2022 both referencing Kermit’s time with the actors on the show.
==Sketches and songs==
One of Kermit's most famous roles on Sesame Street was that of a news reporter for the Sesame Street News Flash segments, interviewing characters from nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Kermit's lectures have covered such topics as letters, body parts, and opposites, and he has taken part in several talk spots with kids. Kermit often appeared alongside Grover or Cookie Monster in these segments.
Kermit also served as a director in several sketches including a film adaptation of Oklahoma! with Forgetful Jones, directing Forgetful Jones going through the door in a western, a stage adaptation of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," working with Gladys the Cow on a dance sequence, and casting for a performance of "The Three Little Pigs." He also appeared in the "Monsterpiece Theater" segment "Gone with the Wind," as well as a "Miami Mice" sketch.
Kermit was also seen at his home on Sesame Street: Grover the Salesman would often come to Kermit's house and sell things a frog can't use (such as toothbrushes and earmuffs). He also appeared outside the home in such situations as buying a custom T-shirt and delivering a package to the post office.
Some of his most notable songs include "Bein' Green," "This Frog," "I Love My Elbows," "African Alphabet," "A Song from Kermit," "On My Pond," and "Caribbean Amphibian" among several others.
Thumb-news.jpg|Sesame Street News|link=Sesame Street News Flash
W_Lecture_-1.JPG|Kermit's Lectures|link=Kermit's Lectures
Khome.polliwog.jpg|At Home|link=Kermit at Home Sketches
Mysterybox.jpg|Cookie Monster and Kermit|link=Cookie Monster and Kermit
1041Joey.jpg|Muppet & Kid Moments|link=Muppet & Kid Moments: Kermit
Ladysmithblackmambazo.jpg|Songs|link=Kermit's Sesame Street songs
Tshirtsalesman2.JPG|Miscellaneous|link=Kermit Sketches: Miscellaneous
==Episodic appearances==
While the majority of his appearances on Sesame Street were in inserts, Kermit has occasionally appeared in street scenes and plots as well.
0001i.jpg|Episode 0001Scene 9
0028Smiling-ScrunchyFrog.jpg|Episode 0028Scene 8
Kermitsusansomeofthese.jpg|Episode 0276Scene 7
Kermit on Oscar's can.jpg|Episode 0295Scene 5
Kermitsapartment.jpg|Episode 0376Scenes 1-4, 6, 9-10
0406 K for Kermit.jpg|Episode 0406Scene 1
0551 F Quickie 03.jpg|Episode 0551Scene 3
HerryExercises.JPG|Episode 0808Scene 2
0915 04.jpg|Episode 0915Scenes 2 & 4
3740-kermit.jpg|Episode 3740Scene 1-4
3785-parade1.jpg|Episode 3785Scene 5
3865 Reporter Kermit.jpg|Episode 3865Scene 1
3976k.jpg|Episode 3976Scenes 1 & 2
==Allusions==
Occasionally, Kermit's presence on the show would be referenced by the rest of the cast and characters:
* Episode 0521 (1973) — Big Bird does an impersonation of Kermit during his alphabet show.
* Grover's Favorite Color (1977) — When discussing the color green, Grover alludes to "a certain frog, who shall remain nameless." An unseen amphibian in the nearby pond remarks, "It isn't easy being green."
* Episode 1052 (1977) — A cow tries to finagle her way into Big Bird's variety show by doing impressions, including one of Kermit.
* Episode 1128 (1978) — Bob asks the kids what their favorite animals at the zoo are and has them pretend to be one so they can all guess what it is. One girl pretends to be a frog and after they correctly guess it, Bob responds, "I bet Kermit would have guessed that right away, wouldn't he?"
* Episode 1193 (1978) — Big Bird, David and the kids play a similar game, and after one boy pretends to be a frog and the others correctly guess it, Big Bird exclaims, "It's Kermit the Frog!" 
* Episode 1317 (1979) — After encountering one of native coqui frogs of Puerto Rico, Big Bird exclaims, "Wait'll I tell Kermit the Frog about this!"
* Big Bird's Super Spectacular Totally Amateur Show (1981) — After Marshal Grover mistakes Gladys the Cow for Fred the Wonder Horse doing an impression of a cow, she tells him, "I do frogs, too. Ahem, (flatly) 'Hi ho, Kermit the Frog here.'"Bailey, Joseph Memoirs of a Muppets Writer page 248
* Bert & Ernie Camp Out (1983) — While listening to the sounds of the night, Ernie hears a croaking frog in the distance. He asks Bert, "Does that remind you of anybody we know?"
* Episode 1835 (1983) — David tells the viewer they're going to draw shapes using their "pointy finger, ya' know, like Kermit says" (referencing the series of segments in which Kermit draws something onscreen with his own finger).
* Episode 2656 (1990) — One of Telly Monster's hypothetical worries is waking up one day to find his fur has turned green and he starts saying "Hi ho, Kermit the Frog here."
* Episode 2669 (1990) — Big Bird wishes to conduct a TV interview, claiming he "[watches] Kermit the Frog all the time."
* Episode 3607 (1997) — After the first couple of lines of dialogue from Gone with the Wind, Zoe comments that "Green" in their book greatly resembles Kermit the Frog. Elmo guesses he might be Kermit's cousin from the deep South.
* Being Green (2009) — Elmo (magically rendered green by Abby Cadabby) preludes the titular song by saying, "As one of Elmo's friends once said..."
==Merchandise==
===Toys===
* Magic Talking Kermit the Frog — listed on box as "Sesame Street's #1 Guest Star"
===Books===
;Fiction
* The Sesame Street Book of People and Things (1970)
* The Sesame Street Book of Puzzlers (1970)
* The Sesame Street Book of Letters (1971 edition)
* The Sesame Street Dictionary (1980)
* The Sesame Street Storybook Alphabet (1980)
* Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1981)
* Follow That Bird coloring book (1985)
* Follow That Bird storybook (1985)
* Count All the Way to Sesame Street (1985)
;Non-fiction
* Sesame Street Unpaved (1998)
* Sesame Street and the Reform of Children's Television (2005)
* Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street (2008)
* Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street (2009)
===Videos===
Bestofkermit-NEW.jpg|The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street(1998)referenced as "guest star"
DVD-40years.png|40 Years of Sunny Days(2009)
SesameStr 20YearsAndCountin.jpg|Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting(2010)listed as "guest star"
SillyStorytime-FinalVersion.jpg|Silly Storytime(2011)listed as "guest star"
SesameSpoofs.jpg|Best of Sesame Street Spoofs!(2011)
OSV3.jpg|Old School: Volume 3(2012)
* Follow That Bird — also on the back cover of the 2002 DVD
* Learning About Letters — also in the original activity booklet
* Learning About Numbers
* Getting Ready to Read
* I'm Glad I'm Me — also in the original activity booklet
* The Alphabet Game — also in the original activity booklet
* Big Bird's Storytime — also cameo in new footage
* Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
* Count it Higher: Great Music Videos from Sesame Street — also on the back cover
* Sing Yourself Silly
* Rock & Roll — brief cameo in "Forty Blocks From My Home"
* Shalom Sesame
** "Show 3: Kibbutz"
** "Show 6: Chanukah"
** "Show 8: Journey to Secret Places"
** "Show 10: Passover"
** "Show 11: Kids Sing Israel"
* Elmo's Sing-Along Guessing Game — also in the original lyrics poster and the back cover of the 2010 DVD
* Sing-Along Earth Songs — also in the original lyrics poster
* Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years
* Put Down the Duckie
* Elmo Saves Christmas
* Quiet Time
* Elmopalooza
* CinderElmo
* Tingo's Crush
* Bert & Ernie's Word Play
* The Street We Live On — brief clip during the opening montage
* What's the Name of That Song? — also in booklet
* Friends to the Rescue
* A Celebration of Me, Grover!
* Playtime with Ernie
* Head, Shoulders, Fur and Toes
* Animals Everywhere
* Old School: Volume 1
* Playtime with Grover
* Old School: Volume 2
* ABCs with Elmo
* Elmo's World: Penguins and Animal Friends
* Elmo's Travel Songs and Games — "Forty Blocks from My Home"
* Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey — two clips and in four photos
* Old School: Volume 3
* Fairytale Fun
* Elmo's World: All About Animals
* Awesome Alphabet Collection
* 50 Years and Counting
===Albums===
CC1970Animals.jpg|"All About Animals"(1970)
SSBeinGreen.jpg|"Kermit the Frog & Grover"(1976)
Thisfrogsingle.jpg|"This Frog / Proud of Me"(1977)
DiscoLP.jpg|Sesame Disco!(1979)listed as "guest star" and featured in booklet
Wwoss.jpg|The Wonderful World of Sesame Street(1980)
Album.jimhensonsesame.jpg|Jim Henson: A Sesame Street Celebration(1991)also in the booklet
* The Sesame Street Book & Record — also in the booklet
* Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street
* Sesame Street Gold
* 60 Favorite Songs from Sesame Street
* Sesame Street Story Time
* Sesame Street Treasury
* 10th Anniversary Album
* Aren't You Glad You're You?
* 25 Greatest Hits
* Follow That Bird
* The Gang's All Here
* Surprise!
* We Are All Earthlings
* Cheep Thrills
* Sesame Street Celebrates!
* Platinum All-Time Favorites
* Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs
* Platinum Too
* Splish Splash: Bath Time Fun
* Dreamytime Songs
* Sesame Street Best
* Elmopalooza
* Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music — also in the booklet
* Old School: Volume 1
* Elmo's Dance Party
* All-Time Favorites 1
* All-Time Favorites 2
===Other===
* 1979 Sesame Street Calendar (1979)
* Magic on Sesame Street (1988)
* Oscar's Letter Party (1988)
* Letters (computer game) (1991)
* Numbers (computer game) (1991)
* Vanity Fair two-page Sesame Street cast spread (1998)
* People two-page Sesame Street Muppet performer spread (1999)
* Despite a lack of Sesame Street iconography, the copyright on Kermit the Frog postcards made by Central Hobby states they were made in cooperation with Children's Television Workshop.
* Berkshire Fashions hat (2005)
* Singing with the Stars parody poster
* iTunes downloads
** Sesame Street, Volume 1 - appears in "Do De Rubber Duck," included on Episode 4066
** Sesame Street, Selections from Season 40
** Sesame Street Classics: Volume 1
** Sesame Street Classics: Volume 2
** Sesame Street: Extra Episodes! - appears in "Everybody Be Yo'Self," included on both Episode 4173 and Episode 4205
* An achievement in Kinect Sesame Street TV is awarded if the player watches a Kermit the Frog clip from the in-game video library.
==See also==
* Kermit the Frog's Sesame Street sketches
* Did Miss Piggy appear on Sesame Street?
==Sources==
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