Dr. Seuss on the Loose

***Dr. Seuss on the Loose*** (also known as ***Green Eggs and Ham and Other Favorites***) is a 1973 American animated made-for-television film based on *Green Eggs and Ham* and *The Sneetches and Other Stories*. This special is hosted by the Cat in the Hat, who introduces three animated adaptations of Dr Seuss stories. The three stories include *The Sneetches*, *The Zax*, and *Green Eggs and Ham*. The first two segments are adapted from the 1961 book The Sneetches and Other Stories, while the last is based on the 1960 book of the same name. Allan Sherman reprised his role as the Cat in the Hat from the 1971 special of the same name. *Dr. Seuss on the Loose* would be Sherman's last acting role before his death one month later.

The special became a popular annual repeat for most of the decade until its last CBS showing on July 12, 1979.

The special aired in various countries, including ITV in England on January 1, 1975, and ABC-TV in Australia on September 21, 1975.

The anthology was released as *Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories* for a sing-a-long videocassette and 2012 Blu-ray deluxe edition release.

## Plot

### The Sneecthes

The first and longest story tells us about the yellow bird-like creatures called the Sneetches, with some of them have stars. A con man named Sylvester McMonkey McBean appears and offers the plain-bellied Sneecthes to get stars with his Star On Machine, costing three dollars. Although the treatment is popular, the original star-bellied Sneecthes are upset at this turn of events. Eventually, McBean then explains the star-bellied Sneecthes about his Star Off Machine, costing ten dollars, and the Sneetches who originally had stars happily pay the money to have them removed in order to remain special. Yet, everything went into chaos and cause confusion as every Sneetch on the beach have a hard time finding a good conclusion until all the Sneetches ran out of money and McBean departs as a rich man. Nevertheless, the Sneetches learn their lesson that neither the star-bellied nor plain-bellied are superior and form a good friendship.

### The Zax

The second and shortest story tells us about the two stubborn old Zax standing in their respective headings and could not move, due to their stubborness and did not move until the highway is build all over them.

### Green Eggs and Ham

The third and last story tells us about Sam-I-Am trying to get Guy-Am-I to eat Green Eggs and Ham, but Guy refused his request multiple times. Sam further asks Guy to eat them in various locations (House, box, car, tree, train, dark, rain and boat) and with a Mouse, a Fox, and a Goat, but the Fox in this segment ended up getting chased away by a pair of hounds and two horse riding hunters. After the train crashes the boat, Guy vainly accepts Sam's offer to eat Green Eggs and Ham. When Guy eats them, he declares that he likes Sam's dish after all.

## Why You Should Try Green Eggs and Ham

1. Traditional animation that fits the Dr. Seuss style.
2. Great voice acting by the late Allan Sherman, the late Paul Winchell, the late Bob Holt, and the late Hans Conried.
3. Some likable characters.
4. Some funny moments such as the running gag when the fox runs away from a pair of dogs and two horse riding hunters each time when the word "Fox" is mentioned in the *Green Eggs and Ham* segment.
5. Catchy songs and music by the late Dean Elliot.
6. Nice messages such as equality and trying new things.
7. It's 100% faithful to the books, but with some differences that contrasts their original stories that were not included, such as the Fox ended up being chased by dogs and two horse riding hunters.
8. Dr. Seuss was involved in making the movie.
9. "Do you like green eggs and ham?"
10. The late Hans Conried does a wonderful job as the Narrator of *The Sneetches* and *The Zax,* as well as portraying a Sneetch by the bonfire in *The Sneetches* segment, both the North-Going-Zax and the South-Going-Zax in *The Zax* segment and as a Fox in the Green Eggs and Ham segment.
11. Guy having the same laugh as Tigger from *Winnie the Pooh* is well executed. It is easy for the viewers because that same laugh was done by the late Paul Winchell.

## "I Do Not Like Green Eggs and Ham" Qualities

1. During the Star Off Machine sequence in *The Sneetches*, a shot of the Sneetch’s eyes in the dark, breaking the fourth wall, is **way too frightening** for younger viewers and for some older viewers.
	* This also happens in the unedited shots that were included in the 2003 VHS/DVD re-release afterwards.
2. **Continuity Error**: As the train goes in the tunnel, we see Guy in the passenger car, trying to escape from Sam-I-Am; but in the next shot after he refuses to eat Green Eggs and Ham in the dark, he mysteriously uses a handcar to carry on his voyage.

## Trivia

* Allan Sherman's final acting credit before his death.
* The laugh Guy has near the end of the special is the same laugh Paul Winchell used for Tigger from the *Winnie the Pooh* series.
* In the introduction to "The Zax," The Cat in the Hat mentions a "zinniga-zanniga tree." This is a reference to one of the "lost stories" of Dr. Seuss, "The Rabbit, The Bear and the Zinniga-Zanniga Tree."
* This is the only Dr. Seuss special to have three segments instead of one. Because Green Eggs and Ham is the shortest story, *The Sneetches* and *The Zax* from *The Sneetches and Other Stories* were filled as two additional stories to help fill out the run time. And for some reason, *Green Eggs and Ham* gets to be the last segment of the special.
* The last Dr. Seuss special until *The Butter Battle Book* to be based on any of Dr. Seuss’ books.
* On the laserdisc release, the *Dr. Seuss on the Loose* opening title sequence was cut and replaced with the "A Cat in the Hat Presentation" logo from the previous special and for unknown reasons, *Green Eggs and Ham* was also positioned as the first segment before *The Sneetches* and *The Zax*.
* This is the last animated appearance of the Cat in the Hat by DePatie-Freleng during Friz Freleng’s involvement. Due to the loss of Allan Sherman which aired posthumously, the character would not return until *The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat* in 1982 as the Cat was voiced by Mason Adams.
* On all VHS releases and the laserdisc until the 2003 re-release onwards, numerous edits were made.
	+ On the Sing-Along Classics release and the 1998 VHS reprint, the opening title sequence has the title card edited: The video title "Green Eggs & Ham and Other Stories" is plastered over the original title "Dr. Seuss on the Loose". The Playhouse Video VHS release however keeps the original title card intact.
	+ During the Star Off Machine sequence and in some TV airings, several shots where a machine makes a Sneetch look hairy/wet/skinny, then getting pushed among colored windows in the dark, and the extreme close up shot of their eyes breaking the fourth wall again were cut, most likely due to being frightening for children.
	+ The scene where the daytime/sunset/night/sunrise/daytime cycle and the hurricane thunderstorm while the Zax were standing still was cut for unknown reasons.

## External links

* Template:IMDb
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