#mushmellon

[muppet-facts]

Muppet Fact #869

Mushmellon was born on the Island of Mush, a Melonesian island.

Source:

Craig Shemin. Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show. BearManor Media. 2022. 50.

[cosmicretreat]

The original Muppets. The cast of Sam and Friends at the Smithsonian: Harry the Hipster, Kermit, Sam, Moldy Hay, Pierre, Chicken Liver, Yorick, Mushmellon, Professor Madcliffe, and Icky Gunk.

[themuppetmasterencyclopedia]

Mushmellon

[turnstileskyline]

On May 9th, 1955, a peculiar new show aired on WRC-TV, Washington D.C’s NBC station.

(Image descriptions and sources under the cut)

This show, entitled Sam and Friends, had episodes lasting only 5 minutes, and often had their time slot changed, as WRC-TV seemed to struggle seeing the value in a show that mainly featured puppets lip-syncing to various songs. But the D.C public loved it. Strange sketches where a giant skull (Yorick) would eat everything around him, or a green creature (Kermit) would dress in drag and sing charmed the audience, and people across the country caught word of this odd little puppet show in Washington D.C – and they wanted more.

Jim Henson and Jane Nebel were the masterminds behind this show, although they would later be assisted by Bob Payne and Jerry Juhl as the show (and Jim and Jane’s responsibilities) grew. Although Henson’s puppets had appeared in segments of variety shows – like 1954’s Junior Morning Show (which ran a total of 2 episodes before being shut down for violating child labor laws), 1954’s Saturday, and 1955-1956’s Afternoon/Afternoon with Inga – it wasn’t until Sam and Friends that they were the focus, making it the first true Muppet show.

With the fame of Sam and Friends, the Muppets would get attention with segments on nationally-aired daytime shows and late night programs, and even earn Jim and Jane an Emmy for Best Local Entertainment Program.

59 episodes of Sam and Friends are known to exist. 15 have archived footage, 35 are documented in archives of The Jim Henson Company, and 9 are confirmed from many people’s memories. More episodes than those confirmed undoubtedly exist, and many more have been remembered by many people (though not confirmed), but Sam and Friends aired in the era of the kinetoscope, where recording television programs was not a common practice, so much has been lost to time.

The impact of Sam and Friends was enormous in ways that can barely be stated – it began Jim Henson’s career and legacy as a creative mastermind, yes, but perhaps more importantly, it officially began the decades long partnership (both romantic and business) between Jim Henson and Jane Nebel. Having met each other in a puppetry course at the University of Maryland, Jim and Jane would go on to marry, form Muppets Inc. (today known as The Jim Henson Company), and work together on various Muppet productions. While their romantic relationship would eventually fizzle out, Jim and Jane remained close friends and business partners until Jim’s death in 1990. When Jim died, Jane was by his bedside – the end of a 45 year partnership.

Jim and Jane likely didn’t know what would come from Sam and Friends, but the premiere on May 9th, 1955, would be the start of a long, prosperous career and legacy for the duo.

Images, left to right: Jim (L) and Jane (R), with Muppets Sam (farthest left), Yorick (middle left), Kermit (middle right) and Harry the Hipster (farthest right) / Handwritten script by Jim Henson for the final episode of Sam and Friends. Mostly illegible. / Jane (top left) and Jim (top right), with Muppets (from top to bottom, left) Hank, Omar, and Professor Madcliffe, Sam (middle), and Mushmellon (bottom right). / Photograph of a 1950s-style television showing Muppets Kermit and Frank performing a sketch spoofing NBC’s Chet Huntley.

Image Sources:

1-3. The Jim Henson Company Archives and The Jim Henson Legacy

4. My own image taken at the Center for Puppetry Arts, September 2021

Sources:

Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Henson Journal by Karen Falk (link)

Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (link)

Jim Henson’s Red Book: 9/-/1954 (link), 12/15/1961 (link), 1/13/1966 (link), and page 54 (link).

Kaptain Kidshow’s Extensive Sam and Friends Page (link)

The Unseen Work of Jim Henson by Andrew Young (link)

Archived ToughPigs Forum (link)

Jim Henson Friends, Where It All Began by Jim Naughton (link)

Defunctland’s The History of the First Muppet Show, Sam and Friends (link)

Lost Media Archive’s pages on Sam and Friends (link), The Junior Morning Show (link), and Afternoon with Inga (link)

[ephrampettaline]

springysnaps: monkey loves you

mushmellon:

Late posting holiday photos! Anyhow fortunately Albie’s got some years before he watches Black Mirror and finds this monkey creepy hah hah

84m ago                           63 replies

[darlapettaline]

darlindarla

Dropped by the Sheriff’s Station today to show off my Halloween costume. Dressed up as @mushmellon @ephrampettaline. Who wore it better? The answer is me. Definitely me. ;)

❤  58 LIKES ✐ 27 COMMENTS

[alessafalling]

Springysnaps || hard days work

essiestrails:

I think he’s done for the day lol I actually asked Finn to run some things to @mushmellon @ephrampettaline​  for me for once, he’s not made for real work clearly XD

31m ago                           23 replies

[soapberrysheriff]

springysnaps: herculaneum too

mushmellon:

No better folks to accidentally blip into a cataclysmic Pompeii-style pocket world with than these two lava atronachs! I lucked out big time. Plus they invited me back to their beach bbq after and let me gorge on grilled Spam and halloumi.

48m ago                           36 replies

[jimhenson-themuppetmaster]

Jim and Jane Henson Posing with Sam and Friends Characters:Sam, Yorick, Kermit and Mushmellon.

[kydragon]

I was not tagged by @plantsplacesthings to answer 20 questions, but I wanted to do them anyway! Name: Jarrett Nicknames:  J, Prez, President, That little blonde fucker Zodiac sign(s): Sagittarius Height: 5′2″ Orientation: Hashtags Ethnicity: Chalk Favourite Fruit: Mushmellon/Muskmellon  Favourite Season: Summer Favourite Book: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher or A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex by Chris Jericho Favourite Flower: Honeysuckle. If that counts as a flower Favourite Scent: Cinnamon Favourite Colour: Blue, Black, sometimes Purple/Violet  Favourite Animal: Penguin Coffee, tea, or hot cocoa: Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon, Hot Cocoa way too often! Sleep hours: 12:30am to 7:30am Cat or dog: Cat Favourite Fictional Character: Jason Todd Dream Trip: WHOA...WHOA....WRESTLEMAINA!!! Or Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in Reseda, CA When did I make this blog: July 2011 Number of Followers: 225 

[freddiewatts]

ephrampettaline replied to your post: SpringySnaps: WHY?!

mushmellon: Everything except the handsome devil wearing em amirite <3

tinkerbell: Exactly. I can’t resist him. <3 Even in those glasses.

[muppet-facts]

Muppet Fact #537

A survey conducted in Washington, DC during the run of Sam and Friends was sent out by the newspaper, Evening Star, to discover who the most popular character was. With six thousand votes, the survey found Yorick the most popular, with Sam in second, Mushmellon in third, and Kermit in fourth.

Sources:

"News of DC Studios: Tickled Plumb to Death." Sheila Gallagher. Washington, D.C. Evening Star. 1959.

"Yorick." Muppet Wiki.

[theprophetandtheking]

SPRINGYSNAPS: MY PEOPLES

mushmellon:

I read somewheres about “forest baths” so I decided to go try it out! Of course it was raining so I think I got more forest shower than bath but hey this redwood invited me to shelter under it so it all worked out

93m ago                           64 replies

[themuppetmasterencyclopedia]

Mushmellon from Sam and Friends

[ephrampettaline]

springysnaps: noble creature

mushmellon:

This has gotta be my hands-down favourite of all the dogs that Freddie’s glamoured Asker into. For obvious reasons lol

45m ago                           72 replies

[norrinraddmyhomeboy]