In this one-hour special taped between March 9-17, 1981, Lily Tomlin and Dudley Moore join the Muppets in a tribute to film classics. Kermit the Frog hosts the program, which begins with an all-cast rendition of "Hey a Movie!" from The Great Muppet Caper.
Acting
Tomlin and Moore game for absolutely anything, dignity be damned.
Production
Rapid-fire costume changes and set pieces in 49 minutes flat.
Writing
Puns so terrible they achieve transcendence.
Director
Peter Harris
Dudley Moore
Himself
Lily Tomlin
Herself
Jim Henson
Kermit / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf
Frank Oz
Miss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam Eagle
Jerry Nelson
Lew Zealand / Pops / Julius Strangepork /Floyd Pepper (voice)
Richard Hunt
Beaker / Janice / Scooter / Sheriff / Statler (voice)
Dave Goelz
The Great Gonzo / Joe / Beauregard / Fireman (voice)
Steve Whitmire
Rizzo the Rat / The Scarlet Pimpernel / Jed (voice)
Kathryn Mullen
Gaffer / Muppet Performer (voice)
Louise Gold
Popcorn Girl (voice)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This special aired just months before The Great Muppet Caper hit theatres, making it essentially a stealth promo with Tomlin and Moore doing unpaid overtime.
The 1981 TV special format was dying—this was network television's last gasp of variety-show absurdist before MTV and cable fractured everything.
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