Follow That Bird

CHARACTERS • HOME VIDEO SOUNDTRACK • MORE
Released	August 2, 1985
Duration	89 minutes
Director	Ken Kwapis
Written by	Tony Geiss & Judy Freudberg
Music	Van Dyke Parks and Lennie Niehaus (score), Jeff Moss, Jeff Pennig, Jeff Harrington, Steve Pippin, Randy Sharp, Karen Brooks (songs)
Studio	Warner Bros. Pictures
Rated	G

The film's theatrical poster.

Sesame Street's North by Northwest spoof.

Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird is the first feature-length film to star characters from Sesame Street.

Synopsis

The plot involves an organization of birds called the Feathered Friends sending Big Bird to Oceanview, Illinois, to live with a bird family called the Dodos. However, after deciding that he isn't happy with them, he heads back to Sesame Street, not realizing that it will take more than just three hours to get back home.

Big Bird's road trip makes the news, and his friends on Sesame Street team together to find him. Also seeking him are Miss Finch, the social worker from Feathered Friends who sent him to live with the Dodos, and the Sleaze Brothers, owners of a carnival who want him as their main attraction.

Notes

• The street set used in this movie is a rebuilt version of the show set, made to look more realistic. The expanded street includes a bakery, a grocery store, a fire station, an auto body shop, and a bookstore.

• The Dodo family's home address is 35 Canary Row, Oceanview, Illinois.

• The movie was filmed on location in Ontario, Canada, and at Toronto International Studios. Thus, in addition to the regular Sesame Street puppeteers, many of the performers from Fraggle Rock were used for the film.

• The movie was also filmed shortly after production wrapped on Sesame Street’s 15th season. It is noted as Marty Robinson's first performance as Telly Monster (following the departure of Brian Muehl), who would continue to perform him from season 16 onwards.

• In addition to its own storybook adaptation, this movie inspired five storybooks, Big Bird's Day on the Farm, Big Bird Visits the Dodos, Big Bird Joins the Carnival, Count All the Way to Sesame Street and Welcome Home, Big Bird which takes place after the movie.

• The aircraft that Big Bird flies on from Sesame Street to Oceanview, Illinois is a Fokker F27 Friendship.

• A widescreen DVD presented in the film's original 1.85:1 screen-aspect ratio was available for the first time in 2009, when a 25th-anniversary Deluxe Edition DVD of the film was released. Previously, all region-1 copies of the film were presented full screen 1.33:1.

• Just before Big Bird's entrance roller-skating down the street you can see him through the Fix-It Shop window waiting for his cue for just a moment or two before he skates home.

• The turkey-truck driver's license plate reads "GOBBLE."

• The scene with Big Bird running from Ernie and Bert's approaching plane is a spoof on a visually very similar scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film North by Northwest, in which Cary Grant's character hides in a cornfield after a crop duster attack. The following pesticide cloud, in this version, is exchanged with Bert's falling bottlecap collection.

Songs

• Grouch Anthem
• Ain't No Road Too Long
• One Little Star
• Easy Goin' Day
• Upside Down World
• I'm So Blue

Cast

Copies of the film presented on home video prior to 2009 featured a cropped 1.33:1 screen aspect ratio. The deluxe edition DVD released in 2009 presents the film in its original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio.

Elmo's very brief appearance. Seen with an unnamed yellow monster, Roosevelt Franklin and Prairie Dawn.

Big Bird's dream family, animated by The Animation House Limited.

• Muppet Performers

Caroll Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Kathryn Mullen, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Bryant Young, Fred "Garbo" Garver, Cheryl Wagner, Patricia Leeper, Gordon Robertson, Jeff Weiser, Shari Weiser, Tim Gosley, Noel MacNeal, Robert Stutt, Lee Armstrong, Robert Mills, John Pattison, Frank Meschkuleit, Terry Angus, Matthew Pidgeon, Stephen Brathwaite, Tom Vandenberg, Francine Anderson, Ron Wagner, Martine Carrier, Karen Valleau, Michelle Frey, Gus Harsfai, Patricia Lewis, Charlotte Levinson, Carolanne MacLean, Peter McCowatt, Brian Moffatt, Myra Fried, Jani Lauzon, Sandra Shamas, Kevin Clash, Pam Arciero

• Sesame Street Cast

Linda Bove as Linda

Emilio Delgado as Luis

Loretta Long as Susan

Sonia Manzano as Maria

Bob McGrath as Bob

Roscoe Orman as Gordon

Alaina Reed as Olivia

Kermit Love as Willy

• Human Cast

Dave Thomas as Sam Sleaze

Joe Flaherty as Sid Sleaze

Alyson Court as Ruthie

Benjamin Barrett as Floyd

Richard Campbell as Boy with apple

Liston Bates as Rescue Boy

Tawny Richard as Rescue Girl

Adrian McCalla as Kid at map

Tanya Marie Cook as Tanya

Shawna Stoll as Airline Announcer

• Cameo Guest Stars

Paul Bartel as Grouch Cook

Sandra Bernhard as Grouch Waitress

John Candy as State Trooper Nelson

Chevy Chase as Newscaster

Waylon Jennings as Truck Driver

Muppet cast

• Muppet Characters

Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Ernie, Bert, Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster, Grover, Count von Count, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, Miss Finch, Mommy Dodo, Daddy Dodo, Donny Dodo, Marie Dodo, Madame Chairbird

• Background Characters

Grundgetta, Osvaldo, el Gruñón, Grouches, Bruno the Trashman, Barkley, Herry Monster, Gladys the Cow, Elmo, Two Headed Monster, Sherlock Hemlock, The Amazing Mumford, Biff, Sully, Buster the Horse, Forgetful Jones, Simon Soundman, Dr. Nobel Price, Poco Loco, Maurice Monster, Bruce Monster, Prairie Dawn, Roosevelt Franklin, Ferlinghetti Donizetti, Mr. Honker, Old McDougal, Honkers, Slimey, Anything Muppets, Sesame Street Monsters, Board of Birds, Preposterous

Additional credits

• Producer: Tony Garnett
• Executive Producer: Joan Ganz Cooney
• Associate Producers: Pat Churchill, Martin G. Baker
• "Sesame Street" Muppet Consultant: Kermit Love
• New Character Design: Michael K. Frith

See also

• Follow That Bird (soundtrack)
• Follow That Bird (video)
• Follow That Bird Wendy's Kids Meal

External links

• IMDb
• DVD review at DVDizzy.com
• Interview with director Ken Kwapis at babble.com