Sneegle

Sneegle, far right, in a Mike Douglas Show scene.

One of Jim Henson's storyboards for the Sneegle PSAs.

"No Tailgating!"

Sneegle is a dark red, pointy-headed monster originally created for an unfinished set of safety commercials in the mid 60s. In these PSAs for the Citizen's Advisory Committee on Highway Safety, Sneegle tempted Billy and Sue to do unsafe things, like cross the street against the light.

Sneegle was always "punished" for his carelessness -- getting hit by a car, for example. Still, he was a more appealing character than the dull Billy and Sue, and when the commercials were tested with children, the kids were more interested in emulating Sneegle's dangerous actions. The commercials were never used, and the character was dropped.

The puppet was used as a background Muppet monster in a few mid 60s appearances, including the Muppets' guest-hosting week on The Mike Douglas Show.

Transcripts

The following are transcripts for two PSAs created for the Citizen's Advisory Committee on Highway Safety. They can be viewed at the Museum of Television and Radio as the last two films on a compilation video entitled The First Part of This Film is Silent/The Second Part is with Sound on Film.

Cast: Sneegle (Jim Henson), Billy and Sue (Jerry Juhl)

Don't Play in the Street

	Open on city playground. Enter Billy and Sue camera right, in front of a large wire fence. Billy is holding a large kick ball. Enter Sneegle camera left behind the fence.
Sneegle	Hey kids, come out and play in the street!
Sue	But it's safer to play in the playground.
Sneegle	Playgrounds are for kids!
Billy	We have lots of fun in the playground.
Sneegle	I have lots of fun in the street! I live dangerously!
Sue	That doesn't sound like a very good idea.
Sneegle	Watch this! Doesn't this look like fun?
	Sneegle runs off screen camera right. Sound FX: Car screeching, bonk! Oh!!!
Billy	It looks like more fun to play in the playground.
	Cut to card: Citizen's Advisory Committee on Highway Safety.

No Tailgating!

	Sneegle is driving a top-down car. In front of him is the back of a bigger car where Billy and Sue can be seen through the back windows. Both cars are in front of a blue-screen, indicating fast driving.
Sue	That man is following us too close!
Billy	Hey, you're following us too close!
Sneegle	If you don't want me to follow so close, then speed up!
Billy	We're going the speed limit now!
Sneegle	I don't see any speed limit sign!
Sue	Here comes a...
	Extreme closeup of Sneegle. Cut to brief Henson animation of star-like shapes, coinciding with "Kaboom" sound effect. Back to cars again, both have stopped, and the blue-screen background is stationary. Sneegle's car is mangled up and emitting smoke; his eyes are cock-eyed, and the top of his pointy head is twisted
Sneegle	(in a dazed voice) A speed limit sign?
Billy	No, a stop sign.
Sue	I told you you were following us too close!
	Cut to card: Citizen's Advisory Committee on Highway Safety.