RIP Joe Flaherty (1941 - 2024)

Character actor Joe Flaherty, best known for his work on the sketch comedy series SCTV, has died. 

On SCTV Flaherty played Count Floyd, station owner Guy Caballero, and talk show host Sammy Maudlin.

In 1985, he starred in Sesame Street's first movie Follow That Bird as Sid Sleaze, one half of the Sleaze Brothers. 

Flaherty was later heard in two episodes of Dinosaurs as the Chief Elder. 

 

He also appeared on the TV series Freaks and Geeks, Family Guy, The Big Bang Theory, The King of Queens and more, as well as the feature films One Crazy Summer, Happy Gilmore, and Back to The Future Part II.

Joe Flaherty was 82. 

RIP Sally Kellerman (1937-2022)

Sad news to report as actress Sally Kellerman has died.

Kellerman appeared in numerous TV shows during her career including “Star Trek”, “Twilight Zone,” “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” “My Three Sons,” “The Outer Limits,” “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “I Spy,” “That Girl,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Mannix,” “Evening Shade,” “Murder, She Wrote,” HBO’s “Dream On,” Tea Leoni series “The Naked Truth,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Columbo,” “Providence” and “90210.” 

She was also a seen regularly on the big screen as well in including "The Player," "Back To School," "Boris and Natasha," Blake Edwards’ “That’s Life,” and “Meatballs III.”

Though perhaps best known for starring in Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H*" where she originated the role of "Hot Lips” Houlihan (later portrayed in the long running TV series by Muppet Show guest Loretta Swit), Kellerman voiced characters in two different Henson projects. 

She was voice of the misguided Miss Finch in Follow That Bird and a Pteranodon in the Dinosaurs episode: "Nature Calls."

You can see clips of both below:

Sally Kellerman was 84.

Rare Muppet Clips Volume 6!

We're back with another batch of rare Muppet performances. 

Again, we do not own these clips, nor do we make any guarantees to how long they'll be available, so watch them while you can!

Katie Couric, Travelling Matt, and Cotterpin Doozer on Today (1993)

Another clip of The Muppets on Julie Andrew's One Step into Spring special (1978): 

"The Muppets Concession Stand Sketch" Statler & Waldorf: At the Movies on Movies.com.

In 1985, Big Bird dropped by CBC's Midday to talk about his new movie, Follow That Bird: 

If you like these be sure to check out Parts 1,2,3,4, and 5.

If you find a rare Muppet clip and would like us to share it, please send us a link!

Throwback Thursday: New Viral Videos!

Last week two very different Muppet viral videos made their debut:

The first, a new 4th of July video from The Muppets:

The second, is a mash-up by "Mylothecat" combing scene from Follow That Bird with the Beastie Boys' Sabotage. 

It's kind of sad that at that time of this writing the unofficial mashup has over 1 million views, while the official Muppet video has only slightly more the 28,000!

"Follow That Bird" - and friends!

Follow That Bird was re-released on DVD last month with a completely new cover that makes it almost unrecognizable. 

Apparently it's the same as the 25th Anniversary DVD that was released in 2009, but Warner wanted the title to fall in line with their new "and friends" line of video releases. 

Compare both to the original theatrical and VHS covers and you'll really see the downward trend this films promotional art is getting.

Theatrical Poster

VHS

If I didn't know better I would think "Big Bird and Friends: Follow That Bird" was a collection of Sesame Street episodes centered around Big Bird and games and not the classic 1985 film.

What do you think of the new cover?

Update:
Here are some of Warner Bros other "and Friends" DVD reissues. 

While I understand the theme Warner is going for, and reissuing compilations in nothing new, having "Big Bird and Friends" be a reissue of Follow That Bird and not Sesame TV episodes or material makes the theatrical film look like a direct to DVD movie, while there already so much Big Bird material NOT on DVD that could have been used. 

Judy Freudberg (1949 – 2012)

In honor of Sesame Street writer Judy Freudberg's passing, please enjoy this original poster from "Follow The Bird" which she co-wrote. You may also also be familiar with her non-Sesame films including the animated features "The Land Before Time" and "An American Tail."

Click the link below to watch the Follow That Bird trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=KG14o6dVGBU&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLC476BBC4CEEFEF6F