Muppet Wiki

Kermiteye Welcome to Muppet Wiki!


Please visit Special:Community to learn how you can collaborate with the editing community.

READ MORE

Muppet Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
Muppet Wiki
Muppet Wiki
44,519
pages
in: Animated Characters, Sesame Street Characters, Sesame Street Animated Segments, Superheroes

Changes: Teeny Little Super Guy

Back to page
Sign in to edit
No edit summary
Tag: sourceedit
No edit summary
Tag: sourceedit
(2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{character|image=TeenySuperGuy.jpg|performer=[[Jim Thurman]]|debut=1983|design=[[Paul Fierlinger]]|designnote=designer}}
  
{{character|image=TeenySuperGuy.jpg|performer=[[Jim Thurman]]|debut=1983|design=[[Paul Fierlinger]]|designnote=designer}}
  +
[[File:TeenyDisplayCase.jpg|thumb|300px|Teeny Little Superguy as part of the display at the Brooklyn Public Library]]
   
 
'''Teeny Little Super Guy''' appeared in animated segments created by [[Paul Fierlinger]] for ''[[Sesame Street]]'', beginning in [[Season 15]].<ref>[[CTW Archives]], Season 15 presskit.</ref> Though ostensibly a superhero, Teeny Little Super Guy was actually more of a practical problem solver. Writer Jim Thurman provided the character's gravelly voice, and scripted the segments. The segments were distinguished by Fierlinger's unique animation method, wrapping cels around transparent plastic cups, so that a movement cycle could be achieved by simple rotation of the cups. This also allowed Fierlinger to use a kitchen counter and assorted dishes and kitchenware as props, inside his own kitchen. Some segments featured flashbacks to Teeny Little Super Guy's childhood. Reruns of these segments carried on until 2001.
  
'''Teeny Little Super Guy''' appeared in animated segments created by [[Paul Fierlinger]] for ''[[Sesame Street]]'', beginning in [[Season 15]].<ref>[[CTW Archives]], Season 15 presskit.</ref> Though ostensibly a superhero, Teeny Little Super Guy was actually more of a practical problem solver. Writer Jim Thurman provided the character's gravelly voice, and scripted the segments. The segments were distinguished by Fierlinger's unique animation method, wrapping cels around transparent plastic cups, so that a movement cycle could be achieved by simple rotation of the cups. This also allowed Fierlinger to use a kitchen counter and assorted dishes and kitchenware as props, inside his own kitchen. Some segments featured flashbacks to Teeny Little Super Guy's childhood. Reruns of these segments carried on until 2001.
Line 13: Line 14:
 
|- bgcolor=#eeeeee
  
|- bgcolor=#eeeeee
 
! Picture !! Theme / [[Muppet Wiki:Earliest Known Appearance|EKA]] !! Description
  
! Picture !! Theme / [[Muppet Wiki:Earliest Known Appearance|EKA]] !! Description
  +
  ⚫
|-
  ⚫
| [[Image:Superguy beaters.jpg|250px|center]]
  ⚫
| align=center | Egg Beater <br> [[Episode 2243]]
  ⚫
| Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Janey giving up on learning how to ride an eggbeater (as one would ride a bicycle) because she keeps falling off. Teeny Little Superguy tells her that it takes practice to be good at something and gives her a set of training beaters to help keep her balance. {{sketchrelease|online={{SSvideo|7c5ad0c0-4231-11dd-8df7-9909703b6a2f}}}}
   
 
|-
 
|-
Line 22: Line 28:
 
|[[Image:TLSG.Alice.jpg|250px|center]]
  
|[[Image:TLSG.Alice.jpg|250px|center]]
 
| align=center | Baseball<ref>[http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <br> [[Episode 2481]]
  
| align=center | Baseball<ref>[http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <br> [[Episode 2481]]
−
| Teeny Little Super Guy notices that his friend Alice wants to join a baseball game. He encourages her to go over there and ask them whether she can play. {{sketchrelease2|video=''[[Old School: Volume 3]]''|online={{SSvideo|df6b1056-1552-11dd-8ea8-a3d2ac25b65b}}}}
 +
| Teeny Little Super Guy notices that his friend Alice wants to join a baseball game. He encourages her to go over there and ask them whether she can play. {{sketchrelease|video=''[[Old School: Volume 3]]''|online={{SSvideo|df6b1056-1552-11dd-8ea8-a3d2ac25b65b}}}}
   
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[Image:TLSG.sleep.jpg|250px|center]]
  
| [[Image:TLSG.sleep.jpg|250px|center]]
 
| align=center | The Importance of Sleep <br> [[Episode 2613]]
  
| align=center | The Importance of Sleep <br> [[Episode 2613]]
−
| Teeny Little Super Guy shows his friend Harry the importance of sleep. {{sketchrelease2|online={{SSvideo|a910f572-155f-11dd-a62f-919b98326687}}}}
 +
| Teeny Little Super Guy shows his friend Harry the importance of sleep. {{sketchrelease|online={{SSvideo|a910f572-155f-11dd-a62f-919b98326687}}}}
   
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[Image:Superguy school.jpg|250px|center]]
  
| [[Image:Superguy school.jpg|250px|center]]
 
| align=center | School <br> [[Episode 2621]]
  
| align=center | School <br> [[Episode 2621]]
−
| Teeny Little Super Guy reminisces to his friend Eugene, who starts kindergarten tomorrow, about his own first day at school. {{sketchrelease2|video=''[[40 Years of Sunny Days]]''|online={{SSvideo|6efdd47d-156d-11dd-bb51-597ab51d2e81}}}}
 +
| Teeny Little Super Guy reminisces to his friend Eugene, who starts kindergarten tomorrow, about his own first day at school. {{sketchrelease|video=''[[40 Years of Sunny Days]]''|online={{SSvideo|6efdd47d-156d-11dd-bb51-597ab51d2e81}}}}
−  
⚫
|-
  
⚫
| [[Image:Superguy beaters.jpg|250px|center]]
  
⚫
| align=center | Egg Beater <br> [[Episode 2628]]
  
⚫
| Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Janey giving up on learning how to ride an eggbeater (as one would ride a bicycle) because she keeps falling off. Teeny Little Superguy tells her that it takes practice to be good at something and gives her a set of training beaters to help keep her balance. {{sketchrelease2|online={{SSvideo|7c5ad0c0-4231-11dd-8df7-9909703b6a2f}}}}
  
   
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[Image:Superguy pet.jpg|250px|center]]
  
| [[Image:Superguy pet.jpg|250px|center]]
 
| align=center | Pet Spoon <br> [[Episode 2640]]
  
| align=center | Pet Spoon <br> [[Episode 2640]]
−
| R.W. Shipshape wants a pet spoon, so Teeny Little Super Guy teaches him the importance of being responsible with a pet. {{sketchrelease2|online={{SSvideo|f77163f9-eaeb-49de-9965-ff85cf199a72}}}}
 +
| R.W. Shipshape wants a pet spoon, so Teeny Little Super Guy teaches him the importance of being responsible with a pet. {{sketchrelease|online={{SSvideo|f77163f9-eaeb-49de-9965-ff85cf199a72}}}}
   
 
|-
  
|-
Line 52: Line 53:
 
| [[Image:TLSG.Reallygoodhat.jpg|250px|center]]
  
| [[Image:TLSG.Reallygoodhat.jpg|250px|center]]
 
| align=center | Redhat<ref>[http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <br> [[Episode 2755]]
  
| align=center | Redhat<ref>[http://ottawa.awn.com/archives/hamilton86.html Ottawa International Animal Festival program]. 1986</ref> <br> [[Episode 2755]]
−
| R.W. Shipshape gets a "really good hat" for his birthday, and it blows into the street. R.W. remembers not to cross the street without an adult; Teeny Little Superguy helps him across.<br />Note: The pet spoon that appears in this cartoon is given the name "Arthur J. Cronk", a reference to a character from ''[[The Electric Company]]''.{{sketchrelease2|online={{SSvideo|bcdd706d-1562-11dd-a62f-919b98326687}}}}
 +
| R.W. Shipshape gets a "really good hat" for his birthday, and it blows into the street. R.W. remembers not to cross the street without an adult; Teeny Little Superguy helps him across.<br />Note: The pet spoon that appears in this cartoon is given the name "Arthur J. Cronk", a reference to a character from ''[[The Electric Company]]''.{{sketchrelease|online={{SSvideo|bcdd706d-1562-11dd-a62f-919b98326687}}}}
   
−
|-
  
−
| [[Image:HiddenGem4196.jpg|250px|center]]
  
−
| align=center | Grouch Messing Machine <br> [[Episode 4196]]
  
−
| During the street story, Luis pulls the Teeny Little Super Guy out of the broken washing machine.
  
 
|}
  
|}
   
 
==Credits==
  
==Credits==
−
[[File:TeenyDisplayCase.jpg|thumb|300px|Teeny Little Superguy as part of the display at the Brooklyn Public Library]]
 +
[[Image:HiddenGem4196.jpg|thumb|300px|The Teeny Little Super Guy's cameo in episode 4196 in 2009.]]
  +
 
*'''Executive Producer:''' [[Dave Connell]] & [[Dulcy Singer]]
  
*'''Executive Producer:''' [[Dave Connell]] & [[Dulcy Singer]]
 
*'''Producer:''' [[Lisa Simon]]
  
*'''Producer:''' [[Lisa Simon]]

Revision as of 04:27, 3 January 2016

TeenySuperGuy
PERFORMER Jim Thurman
DEBUT 1983
DESIGN Paul Fierlinger designer
TeenyDisplayCase

Teeny Little Superguy as part of the display at the Brooklyn Public Library

Teeny Little Super Guy appeared in animated segments created by Paul Fierlinger for Sesame Street, beginning in Season 15.[1] Though ostensibly a superhero, Teeny Little Super Guy was actually more of a practical problem solver. Writer Jim Thurman provided the character's gravelly voice, and scripted the segments. The segments were distinguished by Fierlinger's unique animation method, wrapping cels around transparent plastic cups, so that a movement cycle could be achieved by simple rotation of the cups. This also allowed Fierlinger to use a kitchen counter and assorted dishes and kitchenware as props, inside his own kitchen. Some segments featured flashbacks to Teeny Little Super Guy's childhood. Reruns of these segments carried on until 2001.

The first Teeny Little Super Guy cartoon took two months to create. Fierlinger spoke at length about the character and production process in a 2005 Livejournal post. He initially pitched the idea to producer Dave Connell.

“It was his [Connell's] idea that the character be a super hero, which made me hate him for that for about a week. I couldn’t understand people who couldn’t come up with anything more original for an animated character than yet another super guy. But Jim Thurman started playing him down and I dropped my resentments. We all followed Sesame Street’s curriculum of topics and I was given a contract to develop the series. I had a couple of months to create the hundreds of cups that were needed to play out any possible scenario and create the sound tracks.[2]”

A total of 13 segments were produced. The theme song and background score were composed by Larry Gold, with lyrics by Stuart Horn. Essra Mohawk sang the vocals, recorded to create the illusion of four-part harmony.[2]

Teeny Little Super Guy later appeared in a cameo during Episode 4196, as one of the seven items Luis manages to extract from Leela's troubled washing machine. Luis, Leela and Elmo give a rather befuddled look, indicating that they're surprised to see the famous character after so many years.

Segments

Picture Theme / EKA Description
Superguy beaters
 Egg Beater
Episode 2243 		Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Janey giving up on learning how to ride an eggbeater (as one would ride a bicycle) because she keeps falling off. Teeny Little Superguy tells her that it takes practice to be good at something and gives her a set of training beaters to help keep her balance.
Online: Template:SSvideo
TLSG.Swing
 Sharing a Swing
Episode 2363 		Two boys are fighting over a swing. Teeny Little Super Guy shows them how to share.
TLSG.Alice
 Baseball[3]
Episode 2481 		Teeny Little Super Guy notices that his friend Alice wants to join a baseball game. He encourages her to go over there and ask them whether she can play.
Video: Old School: Volume 3
Online: Template:SSvideo
TLSG.sleep
 The Importance of Sleep
Episode 2613 		Teeny Little Super Guy shows his friend Harry the importance of sleep.
Online: Template:SSvideo
File:Superguy school.jpg
 School
Episode 2621 		Teeny Little Super Guy reminisces to his friend Eugene, who starts kindergarten tomorrow, about his own first day at school.
Video: 40 Years of Sunny Days
Online: Template:SSvideo
Superguy pet
 Pet Spoon
Episode 2640 		R.W. Shipshape wants a pet spoon, so Teeny Little Super Guy teaches him the importance of being responsible with a pet.
Online: Template:SSvideo
TLSG.Danger
 Safety and Danger
Episode 2675 		Teeny Little Super Guy talks about the time he learned the importance of safety.
TLSG.Reallygoodhat
 Redhat[4]
Episode 2755 		R.W. Shipshape gets a "really good hat" for his birthday, and it blows into the street. R.W. remembers not to cross the street without an adult; Teeny Little Superguy helps him across.
Note: The pet spoon that appears in this cartoon is given the name "Arthur J. Cronk", a reference to a character from The Electric Company.
Online: Template:SSvideo

Credits

HiddenGem4196

The Teeny Little Super Guy's cameo in episode 4196 in 2009.

Sources

  1. ↑ CTW Archives, Season 15 presskit.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Paul Fierlinger. Teeny Little Super Guy Livejournal community comment. April 11, 2005
  3. ↑ Ottawa International Animal Festival program. 1986
  4. ↑ Ottawa International Animal Festival program. 1986
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.