Old King Cole was a merry old soul. The nursery rhyme, dating to England circa the 16th century, and its title character have featured in many Muppet productions.

Adaptations

• In a Sesame Street News Flash sketch, Old King Cole (voiced by Jerry Nelson) called for his fiddlers three, accompanied by the royal drummer, bassist and saxophone player. It ends with a jam session.

• Mother Goose Stories included its own adaptation.

Recordings

• The 1978 Sesame Street album Sing Sang Song Singalong included "Old King Cole."

• Kermit sings a version of the song in the book-and-tape set Sing Me a Story!

References

• In a ca. 1983 sketch, Ernie plays Old King Cole and calls for his pipe and bowl. When he calls for his fiddlers three, they each appear one at a time allowing Ernie to practice his addition. The introduction to the story is narrated by Sonia Manzano. (EKA: Episode 2571)

• A 2001 episode of Sesame Park featured Eric Peterson as Old King Cole. The role was Gemini Award nominated.

• In a 2004 "Journey to Ernie" segment with a nursery rhyme theme, Ernie appeared in the prologue as Old King Cole, calling for his pipe and bowl from an Anything Muppet page.

• Ernie appears as the King once again in the 2007 book Guess Who, Abby! and also the storybook Elmo's Mother Goose.

• Ernie played the King for a third time in the book Sesame Street's Mother Goose Rhymes, where the king only eats healthy food and he calls for his bread, cheese, and fruit (nicely stirred).

• Oscar the Grouch appears as Old King Cole in the 2008 book Storybook ABCs. He calls for his junk, and he calls for his skunk, and he calls for his kazoo-players three.

• A similar illustration was used on a Sesame Street Puzzle.

• Chundo, one of William Wegman's dog appears as Old King Cole in a Sesame Street insert. (EKA: Episode 3664)

• The Muppet Babies take on the rhyme in Big Book of Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales.

• The Sesame Street Library Volume 8 and The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 8 both feature version of the rhyme.

• Cookie Monster plays "Old King Cookie" in the On My Way with Sesame Street volume "Just Pretend." In the rhyme he calls for his pie, cake, and cookie jars three.

Ernie as Old King Cole in Guess Who, Abby!

Oscar as Old King Cole in a tray puzzle

Oscar in Storybook ABCs

Old King Cole and his healthy food

Oscar in "The Sesame Street Storybook Alphabet"

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