Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
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Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is a Sesame Street Christmas special first broadcast on PBS on December 3, 1978.
The story has three principal plotlines. In the main one, Oscar the Grouch tells Big Bird that there will be no Christmas presents if Santa Claus is unable to get down chimneys. Distraught, Big Bird enlists the help of Kermit the Frog and Grover to ask children how Santa does it. Their responses vary. Big Bird's friend Patty (a girl around age seven) tries to comfort him, but fails. Big Bird winds up trying to stay up all night on an apartment roof, watching for Santa Claus, but falls asleep while the residents of Sesame Street become very worried looking for him. When Big Bird tries to go inside the apartment building to warm up, Gordon and Susan make sure he stays. They comfort him by showing that there were indeed presents brought.
Meanwhile, Bert and Ernie want to give each other Christmas presents, but have no money. Bert trades away his prize paper clip collection to buy a soap dish for Ernie's Rubber Duckie, but Ernie has traded Rubber Duckie away to get Bert a cigar box for the paper clips. Mr. Hooper, the store owner, realizes this and gives both characters their treasured possessions back, while also reminding the audience that although he himself does not celebrate Christmas, he understands the spirit of the holidays better than almost anyone. This, of course, is a spirited retelling of the O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi".
While all this is going on, Cookie Monster tries to communicate with Santa Claus and request cookies for Christmas. However, he eats the pencil, typewriter, and telephone that he tries to use.
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[edit] Music
A variety of Christmas and other holiday songs help interweave these three plot lines and make the production much more touching, including:
- "Feliz Navidad," by Jose Feliciano while Big Bird skates with one of the children.
- "True Blue Miracle," sung during the gang's trip from the skating party back to Sesame Street.
- "Keep Christmas with You," sung in Bob's apartment with Linda leading a group of children in signing the chorus.
- "I Hate Christmas," sung by Oscar the Grouch outside on Sesame Street.
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," sung by Bert and Ernie after opening their Christmas gifts to each other.
- & "Keep Christmas with You (Reprise)" Sung by everyone at the end.
[edit] Awards
- 1979: Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program - Jon Stone (executive producer), Dulcy Singer (producer)
Interestingly, one of this special's competitors that year was a lesser-known, critically-panned Sesame Street special on CBS -- A Special Sesame Street Christmas.
[edit] Cast
- Carroll Spinney as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- Jim Henson as Ernie/Kermit the Frog
- Frank Oz as Bert/Cookie Monster/Grover
- Jerry Nelson as The Count/Mr. Snuffleupagus
- Richard Hunt as Ernie (assistant)/Mr. Snuffleupagus (assistant)
- Linda Bove as Linda
- Northern Calloway as David
- Debbie Chen as Patty
- Will Lee as Mr. Hooper
- Loretta Long as Susan
- Sonia Manzano as Maria
- Bob McGrath as Bob
- Roscoe Orman as Gordon
- Alaina Reed as Olivia
[edit] Crew
- Producer: Dulcy Singer
- Directed by Jon Stone
- Written by Jon Stone and Joseph A. Bailey
- "True Blue Miracle" Composed by Carol Hall
- "Keep Christmas With You" and "I Hate Christmas" Composed by Sam Pottle and David Axelrod
- Music by Dick Lieb
- Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
- Music Assistant: Dave Conner
- Associate Director: Ozzie Alfonso
- Production Supervisor: Robert Braithwaite
- Muppet Designers: Kermit Love, Caroly Wilcox, Don Sahlin
- Art Director: Alan J. Compton
- Production Stage Manager: Chet O. Brien
- Stage Manager: Emily Squires
- Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
- Lighting Directors: David M. Clark, Tony DiGirolamo
- Graphic Artist: Gerri Brosio
- Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
- Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
- Production Assistants: Mercedes Polanco, Sharen Gray, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow
- Technical Advisor: Walt Rauffer
- Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
- Sound Effects: Dick Maitland, Roy Carch
- Audio: Mike Shoskes, Jay Judell
- Executive Producer: Jon Stone
