The Best of Elmo (video)

The Best of Elmo is a 1994 Sesame Street video originally released on VHS as part of the "My Sesame Street Home Video" series.
In this video, Elmo prepares for the "Monster Art Show", but he must choose only one of his drawings. He shows the drawings to his friends, who all like his drawings so much that he gives them the drawings. Will he have any left to enter?
Three follow-ups have been produced, including The Best of Elmo 2 (2010), The Best of Elmo 3 (2015), and The Best of Elmo 4 (2018).
==Segments==
Image	Segment 	Description
 	FRAME 1 	As Maria leaves the Fix-It Shop carrying a large board of wood, Elmo walks by and accidentally bumps into her, dropping a bunch of pictures from his hands. After Maria helps pick them up, Elmo reveals that he's bringing them to the Monster Art Show, and wants his friends to help decide what picture is best. Maria notices a drawing with Ernie...
 	Muppets 	Ernie and Elmo sing about the parts that make up "One Fine Face."
 	FRAME 2 	Maria tells Elmo that she likes the previous drawing the most, which Elmo, to her surprise, says she can keep (as there's plenty more pictures to choose for the show). Maria spots another picture and asks where he got all his ideas; Elmo says it's because of using his imagination.
 	Muppets 	Elmo sings "In Your Imagination."
 	FRAME 3 	At Finders Keepers, Ruthie startles Elmo while fiddling with a chandelle boa. After Elmo regains posture, Ruthie looks at his pictures and learns they're for the Monster Art Show, which incidentally she also bought pictures from. She notices two of his – one of Elmo scaring Julia Roberts, and one of Elmo sitting on the ledge with tap shoes...
 	Muppets 	"Happy Tappin' with Elmo"
 	Muppets / Celebrity	Julia Roberts and Elmo show afraid.
 	FRAME 4 	Elmo assures Ruthie there's lots of drawings left for the show, as the two look at a couple of more pictures. She finds one of the number 3 (from Elmo's number collection), and one with two backup singers. Elmo explains the latter is about the number 5, despite having no numbers on the picture.
 	Muppets 	"Elmo's Jive Five"
 	Muppets 	Elmo, Herry Monster and Prairie Dawn sing about the number "Three."
 	FRAME 5 	Now at the Park, Elmo has laid his drawings on the ledge, commenting about how he's already just given out a few of them. Zoe suddenly appears and sees his pictures, asking one by one if she can keep them as they go down the line. Two pictures in particular stand out – one with Elmo and Telly, and one with Elmo and Whoopi.
 	Muppets / Celebrity	Elmo thinks that Whoopi Goldberg's skin is a very pretty brown. Whoopi likes Elmo's soft red fur. Elmo admires Whoopi's bouncy hair, too. Elmo suggests that they trade, but Whoopi says that they can't – it doesn't come off. But even if she could trade, she wouldn't want to. She likes her skin and her hair, and she wants to keep it. Elmo says that he wants to keep his fur, too.
 	Muppets 	Telly and Elmo sing about the difference between "Heavy and Light."
 	FRAME 6 	Grasping the previous two pictures, Zoe notices two more – one with a face and one with trees. Elmo, meanwhile, starts to feel bummed as the number of pictures gets smaller ("It's not easy being the best.").
 	Muppets 	Elmo sings about "The Sound That's in the Air."
 	FRAME 7 	Zoe bids farewell to Elmo, clinging onto the pictures she likes. Now alone, Elmo shows his last picture to the viewer – a drawing of Elmo playing the piano...
 	Muppets 	Elmo writes his own song and sings it for Big Bird and Snuffy, who then wish that they had their own songs. Elmo lets them insert their own names into the lyrics, resulting in "Big Bird's Song" and "Snuffy's Song." (ending cut)
 	FRAME 8 	Elmo decides it's time to pick the best drawing for the Monster Art Show, but finds he just has the last picture remaining in his hand. He decides to hang it up at the show, but a sad blue Honker comes by, explaining that he's never gotten one of Elmo's pictures and feels left out. This leaves Elmo with a conundrum, asking the viewer what they would do. He realizes that friends' feelings are more important than a contest, and generously gives his last drawing to the Honker. However, now Elmo feels sad that there's no pictures left to enter, and walks away.
 	FRAME 8cont'd 	Elmo finds everyone gathered in front of 123 Sesame Street looking at his pictures, and explains his problem. They all decide to give their pictures back, with Maria telling Elmo that he can return the pictures to them after the show. Elmo gleefully thanks them for their good deed, but now faces another problem: what picture should he pick for the show? Everyone laughs together as Elmo asks the viewer what they liked best.
==Releases==
Image:BestOfElmoVHSRH.jpg|1994Random House Home Video
Image:BestElmoSonyVHS.jpg|1996Sony WonderLV 51229
Image:LV 55235.PNG|1999Sony WonderDouble Feature with Learning to ShareLV 55235
Image:The best of elmo.jpeg|2001Sony Wonder (front)LVD 51229
BestofElmoDVDbackcover.jpg|2001Sony Wonder (back)LVD 51229
Thebestofsesamestreet3dvdpacks.jpg|2002Sony Wonder3 disc set with Elmopalooza and Do the Alphabet
Image:Newbestofelmo.jpg|Genius Entertainment
Newbestofelmo40thanniversaryedition.jpg|2010Warner Home Video
Elmo USB.jpg|2010ATP
TheBestofElmoVols1and2.jpg|2012Warner Home Video2 disc set with The Best of Elmo 2
BestOfSSCollection.jpg|2013Warner Home VideoDVD set with Elmo's Potty Time, Elmo's World: What Makes You Happy, Guess That Shape and Color, Elmo's Alphabet Challenge, Singing with the Stars, Counting with Elmo and a bonus disc
===International releases===
Ulitsa Sezam DVD 2.jpg|1996cat. no 400643Double feature with The Best of Ernie and Bert
Elmodouble Aus VHS.jpg|1998ABC Video for KidsDouble feature with Elmocize
Image:Thebestofelmoelmosaysboo.jpg|2006ABC Video for KidsDouble feature with Elmo Says BOO!
Image:Thebestofelmo-disney.jpg|1999Walt Disney Home VideoDouble feature with Fiesta!
Barriosesamothebestofelmodvd.jpg|2003Planeta JuniorDouble feature with Elmocize
Barrio-sesamo-lo-mejor-de-elmo.jpg|2008Planeta JuniorDouble feature with Elmocize
HetbestevanElmo.jpg|2004Weton-Wesgram
JapaneseBestofElmoVHS.jpg| Sony
JapaneseBestofElmoDVD.jpg |Sony
Image:ElmodvdJP.jpg|2006Interchannelcat. no 1004143671
Image:Thebestofelmoasianvcd.jpg|2000Berjaya HVN cat. no 257004
Thebestofelmo2009vcd.jpg|2009Berjaya HVN
Elmo HVN DVD.jpg |2009Berjaya HVN 
Vilasesamomdvdboxset.jpg|2009ST2 KidsPart of a quadruple DVD boxset, along with Kids' Favorite Songs, Elmo's World: Springtime Fun and The Best of Ernie and Bert
Thebestofelmobrazildoublefeaturedvd.jpg|2010ST2 Kidscat. no 21814908Double feature with Kids' Favorite Songs
Thebestofelmovilasesamodvd.gif|cat. no 102440
LomejordeElmo.jpg|2010Ventura Entertainment
==Notes==
*Other segments seen in Elmo's pictures, but not played during the program, include "Right in the Middle of My Face" and "Seven Goldfish."
*In her first scene with Elmo, Ruthie startles him while singing "When the Buzzards Return to Hinckley Ridge," a song that Ruth Buzzi (Ruthie) had performed for the 1969 Walt Disney animated short It's Tough to Be a Bird.
==Cast==
*Starring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets:
**featuring Kevin Clash as Elmo
**and with Caroll Spinney as Big Bird
**and Muppet Performers: Fran Brill, Joey Mazzarino, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, David Rudman, Carmen Osbahr, Pam Arciero, Jim Martin, Noel MacNeal, Peter Linz, Bryant Young, Rick Lyon, Tyler Bunch, and Jim Henson
*Cast:
**Ruth Buzzi: Ruthie
**Sonia Manzano: Maria
*With Special Appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts
==Credits==
*Produced by Emily Squires 
*Directed by Emily Squires
**Richard Hunt, Lisa Simon, Jon Stone (archive material)
*Written by Sonia Manzano
**Judy Freudberg, Tony Geiss, Jeff Moss, Nancy Sans, Norman Stiles (archive material)
*Muppets, Costumes, and Props by Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop
**Supervised by Ed Christie, with Peter MacKennan
*Muppet Coordinator: Kevin Clash
*Songs by Chris Cerf, Sarah Durkee, Tony Geiss, Bob Golden, Jeff Moss, Norman Stiles
*Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
*Graphic Designer: Mike Pantuso
*Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
*Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
*Associate Director / Stage Manager: Cher Jung
*Lighting Director: Mitchell Bogard
*Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
*Production Manager: Christina Delfico
*Assistant to the Producer: Danette DeSena
*Production Associate: Tim Carter
*Special Thanks to Marjorie Kalins, Sharon Lerner, Tish Rabe, Leslie Raicer
==See also==
*The Best of Ernie and Bert
*The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street
*Big Bird Sings!
*Cookie Monster's Best Bites
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Category: Sesame Street Video