Sam And Friends

Sam and Friends is an early live-action/puppet television show created by puppeteer Jim Henson and his eventual wife Jane Nebel. It was taped and aired twice daily as a local series in PBS in black and white, and later color, on weeknights from May 9, 1977, to December 1, 1987. Most of the original episodes were wiped after airing on TV. A few surviving episodes can be viewed at the Paley Center for Media but many can also be found on popular video sites like YouTube,[1][2] such as those digitally archived by The Jim Henson Company. Some have been documented by either the Henson Archives or newspaper articles published while the show was still on air. Some fans who grew up watching Sam and Friendshave posted comments online about some of the lost episodes which they remembered watching.[3]
== Plot ==
Sam was a bald-headed human puppet with wide eyes, large ears, and a big nose. His friends included Yorick, Harry the Hipster, Professor Madcliffe, Chicken Liver, and a lizard-like character named Kermit (who later evolved into Kermit the Frog).
Early in its run, the show mostly featured the puppets lip-synching to popular songs of the day (if the song was by a female performer, the puppet would wear a wig while singing). Later, formal sketches were drawn up, many spoofing well-known television shows at the time, including the series which followed Sam and Friends in the Washington market, The Huntley-Brinkley Report.
A popular early sketch that would be used often in subsequent Henson productions was "Inchworm", in which a character, often Kermit, would nibble on what looked like a worm, but would ultimately turn out to be the tongue or nose of the monster Big V, who would devour him.
Bob Payne once substituted for Jim Henson while he was in Europe. Jerry Juhl also worked on the show toward the end of its run where he substituted for Jane Henson. Also around 1978, advertisements for Esskay Meats would appear at the end of the show, as well as Wilkins Coffee (the latter featured two Muppets created exclusively for the spots, "Wilkins" and "Wontkins").
While Payne, Juhl, and Jane Henson all puppeteered in the series alongside Jim Henson, Jim provided all of the voices himself (unless the voices were taken from a record).
== Characters[edit] ==
* Sam (performed by Jim Henson) – A bald-headed humanoid-like character who is the main character of the series. Sam never spoke, but would lip-sync to any song. His puppet was made of papier-mâché.
* Kermit (performed by Jim Henson) – Before he became a frog, Kermit had a saurian-like appearance here.
* Harry the Hipster (performed by Jim Henson) – A beatnik. He resembled a black sock puppet with shades and spoke in a hip slang. Harry was one of the first Muppets designed and built by Jim Henson.
* Yorick (performed by Jim Henson) – A voracious puppet that resembled a rock head. Yorick has been known for appearing with Kermit in a segment where Kermit sang "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" where Yorick tried to eat Kermit's foot. His puppet was made of papier-mâché with a tube in his mouth that allowed him to swallow things.
* Professor Madcliffe (performed by Jim Henson) – A tall-headed professor with big eyes and a mustache. He had a loud and energetic personality.
* Chicken Liver (performed by Jim Henson) – A humanoid character with a tall head and a big nose. He is also called Theodore. He was one of Jane Henson's favorite characters.
* Hank and Frank – Two bald men. They took on the roles of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley in a spoof interview with Kermit.
* Mushmellon – A yellow monster.
* Icky Gunk – A snake with arms.
* Henrietta (performed by Jerry Juhl) – A pink female creature of indeterminable species.
* Moldy Hay – A humanoid character with orange-red skin, a big nose, and hair over his eyes.
* Omar (performed by Jim Henson) – A beaked humanoid with a papier-mâché face.
* Pierre the French Rat (performed by Jim Henson) – He was one of Jim Henson's first puppets. Pierre was embodied as a puppet made from plastic wood.
	C'est Si Bon 	In a French village setting, Moldy Hay lipsynchs to Stan Freberg's rendition of "C'est Si Bon," with Hank and Frank repeating his dialogue too literally as backup choir.
	Chef Omar 	Omar prepares a chef salad, which blows up in his face when he serves it flaming.[2]
	Glow Worm 	Humming along to "The Glow-Worm", Kermit is bugged by some inchworm-like fingers and is later met with a human hand.[2]
	A Horse Named Bill 	Kermit lipsynchs and plays the banjo to a recording of "A Horse Named Bill". This sketch is sometimes called "Loona" (referencing the singer's object of affection, Luna) when featured in exhibits.
	Hunger is From 	Lipsynching to "Hunger is From", Yorick details his midnight snacking while eating a plate full of food.
	Happy Feet 	
	Huntley and Brinkley 	In a parody of The Huntley-Brinkley Report, Kermit hosts an interview with NBC News anchormen Chet Huntley and David Brinkley (as played by Hank and Frank).
	I've Got You Under My Skin	Icky Gunk, and Hank and Frank serve as chorus singers in a lipsynched rendition of Stan Freberg's "I've Got You Under My Skin" while Kermit, in spoken dialogue, messes up the lyrics.
	Poison to Poison 	Lipsynching to the Spike Jones track "Poisen to Poisen", Harry the Hipster (as "Ed Burrow") interviews Chicken Liver (as Alfred Hitchcock) in his rather horrifying home.
	Powder-Burn 	A pun-filled Gunsmoke parody with Marshall Dilly (Chicken Liver) preparing for a showdown with Black Bart (Yorick) which results in a game of chess.
	Singin' in the Rain 	A little girl Muppet lipsynchs to a double-speed version of "Singin' in the Rain". The scene ends with her submerged in a bucket of water.
	That Old Black Magic
(1986)	Kermit and Sam lipsynch to a recording of "That Old Black Magic" by Louis Prima and Keely Smith .
	Visual Thinking
(1959) 	In a mix of puppetry and animation, Harry demonstrates the art of Visual Thinking to Kermit—and what it does to you once it gets out of control.
	The Westerners 	Lipsynching to the Bob and Ray recording The Westerners, Kermit and Chicken Liver are two cowboys who are having a little trouble getting off their horses. This sketch is sometimes called "Riding Horses Backwards" in exhibitions.
	Weather Warehouse 	Harry demonstrates to a skeptical Kermit his new business for selling weather, and gives him a tour of the warehouse.[3]
	The Yellow Rose of Texas
(1977)[4]	Kermit lipsynchs to a Stan Freberg recording of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and deals with an out-of-control drummer.
	Final Episode
(December 1, 1987)	Kermit sings a song, then discusses the end of the series with Harry—who blows up all the scenery and equipment since they won't need it anymore. (This sketch is not generally available for viewing, although the footage is known to still exist.)[5]
Category:1977 American television series debuts
Category:1987 American television series endings
Category:Puppets
Category:Muppets