Sesame Street Movie Viewer Cartridges

From Muppet Wiki

Before home video was common, Fisher-Price produced "Movie Viewers" for kids where they could hand-crank a film cartridge featuring cartoon and puppet stars. There was no sound, but the cartridges contained actual film cells. Also, the viewer could crank as fast or as slow as he/she wanted, and go backwards or forwards. There was both a TV screen version, and a more common hand-held crank viewer.

Several cartridges were produced for Sesame Street from 1974 to 1980, including Alphabet, Big Bird's Birthday Party, Cookie Monster Kitchen, Numbers, and On My Way to Sesame Street. Footage from the show is used as well as new bridging material.

Descriptions

Alphabet

• Cookie Monster presents the word "ALPHABET" on a magnetic board, then proceeds to eat the letters.
• Cartoon: The alphabet is displayed against morphing backgrounds.
• Cartoon: The letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G come out of a construction worker's lunchbox.
• Film: The letters H and I are zoomed-in by the camera on street signs.
• Cartoon: A man turns the crank on a jack-in-the-box, with the lid crushing him.
• Cartoon: A kangaroo hops around the letter K.
• Cartoon: A fishing boy pulls out the letters L, M, N, O, and P.
• Film: The letters Q, R, S, and T are zoomed-in by the camera on street signs.
• Lefty the Salesman reveals the letters U and V inside his coat.
• Cartoon: The fishing boy pulls out the letters W, X, Y, and Z.

Numbers

• The Count displays the word "NUMBERS" on a chalkboard, then turns it over to reveal the number 1.
• Film: Animal zoo pairs (parrots and deer)
• Number Three Ball Film -- the ball travels through swinging doors
• Henson #4 -- A girl counts four dolls, then the baker presents four root beer floats.
• 1-2-3-4-5! -- fives are counted out on diamonds.
• The Count returns and holds up three fingers on each hand, then turns around to reveal a 6 on his cape.
• The Mad Painter paints a 7 on a woman's purse.
• Candy Man #8
• Martian Beauty #9
• Jazz #10 -- ten spies reveal their numbers.

On My Way to Sesame Street

• Cartoon: Birds appear out of boxes, eggs, and hats. (The opening used in Episode 0131.)
• Cartoon: Letters of the alphabet appear as a heart grows bigger and smaller behind them, changing color.
• Bert and Ernie attempt to assemble the letter R.
• Henson #5 -- five fruitcakes
• Animation: Shapes form, among other things, a bird, a clown, and a baby carraige
• Cartoon: A four-armed guru counts to 20 on his fingers.