Muppet Treasure Island Turns 21!

Hard to believe, but Muppet Treasure Island turned 21 yesterday!

The Brian Henson directed film opened on February 16th, 1996.

The film is now old enough to legally drink all the rum it wants!

To help mark the occasion D23,The Official Disney Fan Club, posted 7 things you may not know about the making of the film.

Cheers!

Throwback Thursday: Muppets Tonight Valentine's Cards!

This week marked the 20th anniversary of the short-lived ABC series Muppets Tonight.

Since the show only ran for a short amount of time, very little merchandise was produced around the show. In 1997, a year after the show's debut not one - but two packs of Muppets Tonight Valentine's Day cards were released. 

A set of 34 Valentines,

and a set of 42 Valentines:

The cards in each packaged were the same and featured Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Clifford, and Sal Minella:

The Muppets Tonight cast, Andy and Randy Pig, Johnny Fiama:

Seymour & Pepe, Clifford & Kermit, and Kermit:

The back of the 34 count box featured 4 cards on the back, while the 42 count box only had the Miss Piggy and Gonzo cards. 

These Valentine's Day cards were the only official Muppets Tonight items ever released. Other products featuring the Muppets Tonight characters were labeled as general Muppet items, with no mention of the show on the package.

Throwback Thursday: Too Late for Kermit Letterfrog!

Last night was David Letterman's last "Late Show," and with it caps a 33 year career in late night television. 

What better way to honor him then with a Throwback Thursday "Too Late" Top Ten list!

Here we go:

10: The Muppets spoofed Letterman's The Late Show with "Too Late for Kermit Letterfrog."

9. The image first appeared in "Kermit the Frog's 1996 Advertising Parodies!" calendar

8. "Too Late" was used for the month of January

7. it was released as a poster

 6. and as a t-shirt

5. with its own Top Ten list on the back!

 4. "David Letterguy" made his was to Sesame Street in 1996

3. Johnny Fiama was accused of stealing Letterman's bit with his "Top Ten Reasons Chicks Dig Me" segments on Muppets Tonight's 'The Johnny Fiama Show'

2. The "Too Late" image was a big part the Muppet Parodies product line - the tag line was "The Sincerest Form of Flattery"

And the number 1 Top Ten Throwback Thursday is:

1.  We can't think of a better tribute to a 33 year career then that!


Thanks Dave!

Throwback Thursday: Gulliver's Travels and Robert Halmi Sr Tribute

This week veteran TV producer Robert Halmi Sr, passed away. He may be best known to Henson fans as the man who helped bring Gulliver's Travels, Merlin, Alice in Wonderland, and Animal Farm to the small screen.

In 1996, Halmi began his collaboration with the Henson Company when he executive produced the two-part NBC miniseries Gulliver's Travels with Brian Henson.

According to the Muppet Wiki : The production had been in the works since 1989, shortly after the cancellation of The Jim Henson Hour, when it was intended as a four hour mini-series combining animatronics and live actors

Poster used for ads and DVD

In 2008, a widescreen "Special Edition " DVD was released, which is available through Amazon. 

Throwback Thursday: Muppet Treasure Island Happy Meal

For this week's Throwback Thursday we look at 1996's Muppet Treasure Island McDonald's Happy Meal bath toys.

MickeyD's released a different character  each week in some sort of flotation devise, Kermit in an armed ship with a very holy sail, Gonzo in a pink(?) raft with green(?) barrels, Miss Piggy in Green lounge chair, and Fozzie in a blue barrel. 

Each toy also had some sort of hidden trick. Kermit's cannon could squirt water, pressing the gold coins Gonzo had would propel his raft with using a hidden paddle wheel underneath, Fozzie's head moved up and down to play hide an seek in his barrel, and Miss Piggy's skirt changed color in warm water.

There was also an under three toy that consisted of a plastic book, because what toddler doesn't enjoy a good read while bathing. 

As with most McDonals's toys, each restaurant had a display advertising the toys and the Muppet Treasure Island Happy Meal was no different. The display featured Kermit, Fozzie,and Gonzo in a small raft on their way to to find the treasure running over the Happy Meal toys which someone (Mr. Bimbo perhaps?) carelessly threw over bored.

Judging on how many of these toys I spot at thrift stores, flee markets and yard sales, I'd say these sold pretty well, but sadly didn't keep their play value once tub time was over. 

You can watch the original ad, and sail set for bath tub fun below!