The Muppet Show Alternate Closings
From Muppet Wiki
Episodes of The Muppet Show that featured completely different closings than usual:
- Episode 123: Kaye Ballard: Only Rowlf plays in the closing, personally conducted by Nigel.
- Episode 308: Loretta Lynn: The band plays at the train station in a more cacophonous version of the theme due to playing a time-table.
- Episode 314: Harry Belafonte: The cast continues singing "Turn the World Around". Gonzo eventually meshes the theme in after Statler and Waldorf's shot.
- Episode 317: Spike Milligan: The cast continues singing "It's a Small World" as a higher pitch version of the closing plays in the background. Meanwhile, Spike tries to sleep on stage.
- Episode 321: Roger Miller: Due to having cluck-itis, chicken versions of the orchestra members play during the closing.
- Episode 407: Dudley Moore: M.A.M.M.A. plays a medley of instrumental songs through the credits, one of which is the real Muppet Show closing song.
- Episode 412: Phyllis George: The cast is shown on-stage throughout the closing credits as a higher pitch version of the closing plays in the background.
- Episode 514: Mac Davis: Multiple Beakers perform in the closing.
Episodes that featured an opening shot of the orchestra with all of the credits rolling:
- Episode 101: Juliet Prowse
- Episode 102: Connie Stevens
- Episode 201: Don Knotts: in this version there is an additional shot of the blinking Floyd Pepper before the first shot of Animal.
- Episode 319: Elke Sommer
- Episode 401: John Denver
- Episode 409: Beverly Sills
- Episode 507: Glenda Jackson: in this version the shot of Trumpet Girl and Lips from their solos is seen at the beginning instead of a pan-out of the orchestra pit, which was probably never filmed with Lips, Trumpet Girl on the trombone, and the new Zoot puppet. (There was a pan-out shot during the beginnings of the UK spots of After You've Gone and How High the Moon.)
Episodes with a one-frame shot of the orchestra before the closing begins:
Episodes with a additional solo or note in the closing.
- Episode 208: Steve Martin: Steve plays his banjo during the first part of the credits and we hear some (dubbed) pickin, before the scene cuts to the regular stock footage.
- Episode 308: Loretta Lynn: Rowlf's solo is replaced by a trumpet solo performed by a chicken.
- Episode 317: Spike Milligan: Half of Rowlf's solo is replaced by a saxophone solo by Zoot.
- Episode 412: Phyllis George: Rowlf's solo is replaced by Zoot's sax solo from the first season
Episodes where the credits rolled longer before the closing was shown:
- Episode 205: Judy Collins - the closing begins during Trumpet Girl's shot.
- Episode 217: Julie Andrews - the closing began with the new Floyd's shot
- Episode 222: Teresa Brewer - the closing begins with Animal's shot
- Episode 322: Roy Rogers & Dale Evans - the closing began with Floyd's shot
- Episode 323: Lynn Redgrave - the closing began with Rowlf's solo
- Episode 406: Linda Lavin
Episodes that didn't feature a regular Statler and Waldorf scene during the closing:
- Episode 123: Kaye Ballard: Rowlf complains to Nigel on the theme.
- Episode 217: Julie Andrews: Gonzo dates Julie's cow.
- Episode 314: Harry Belafonte: Statler and Waldorf's shot is shown during the credits.
- Episode 316: Danny Kaye: Statler and Waldorf are not on the balcony, returning to the boxes they were sitting on in protest of Manny Kaye.
- Episode 503: Joan Baez: Statler and Waldorf are replaced by two rats.
- Episode 514: Mac Davis: Two Beakers take over the balcony.
- Episode 515: Carol Burnett: Carol finally begins the "Lonely Asparagus" sketch.
5th Season Episodes without Lips' trumpet heard during the closing:
Episodes with a different version of the final orchestra shot:
- Episode 123: Kaye Ballard: The final orchestra shot with Rowlf and Nigel wasn't shown during Nickelodeon reruns; it cut straight to the backstage shot while Rowlf plays the final note on the piano. (The orchestra shot of this episode is eventually shown on Season One DVDs.
- Episode 308: Loretta Lynn: The shot takes place at the train station.
- Episode 314: Harry Belafonte: There is a shot of Harry and the Muppets finishing the song.
- Episode 407: Dudley Moore: Animal runs over to M.A.M.M.A.
Some of the different shots of the orchestra were replaced by a new orchestra shot (either the orchestra shot from the first or third seasons) or would cut straight to the Zoot shots during reruns and on DVD.
Episodes with a different version of Zoot's final note:
- Episode 123: Kaye Ballard: The last note is a chord on the piano as Rowlf finishes the closing. Two separate final shots were used: one of Rowlf covering his mouth and Nigel bowing, another with the band still backstage while Kermit waves.
- Episode 217: Julie Andrews: The last note is a "moo".
- Episode 308: Loretta Lynn: The last note is off-key.
- Episode 314: Harry Belafonte: The last note is a higher pitch and played by one of the African puppets.
- Episode 317: Spike Milligan: The last note is a much lower pitch than usual.
- Episode 321: Roger Miller: The last note is played by Zoot as a chicken.
- Episode 407: Dudley Moore: The last note is an electronic chord from M.A.M.M.A.
- Episode 514: Mac Davis: The last note is played by a Beaker clone.
- Episode 515: Carol Burnett: After Zoot plays the last note, Carol immediately responds with "Oh, rats".
All of the "different" shots of the final note, except the one from episode 123, were replaced by a new Zoot ending (either from Sax and Violence, a new shot, or simply the Jim Henson logo) when shown in syndication or on DVD. (Somehow some of the "different" shots don't really match with the alternate closings). However, the different sounds of the final note remained the same.
