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Episode 1291

Sesame Street
Big Bird doesn't want to be a bird
Air date April 23, 1979
Season Season 10 (1978-1979)
Production March 14, 1979
Sponsors J, V, 8


Picture Segment Description
COLD OPEN 10th Season Intro Still
Insert Ray Barretto and company play their drums while the cast and kids dance.
(First: Episode 0994)
Cartoon A baby bird falls from a tree. A boy puts him back, and in return, the mother bird saves the boy from embarrassment.
(First: Episode 0550)
Muppets Sesame Street News Flash: Jack Be NimbleJack struggles to make his way over the candlestick.
(First: Episode 0723)
Cartoon A disobedient jacket illustrating words that begin with the letter J annoys an off-screen narrator, which reveals two kids named Jenny and Jeff inside of it.
(First: Episode 0527)
Film George the Farmer demonstrates over and under.
(First: Episode 0230)
Cartoon An old woman goads a man into guessing who she met today. Through the clues she gives, he soon finds out she's referring to him.
Artist: Bruce Cayard
(First: Episode 0798)
SCENE 1 Big Bird is bored with the unexciting life of a bird and wishes to be some other kind of animal. He bumps into Gladys the Cow and decides he'll be like her. He practices mooing, chewing his cud, and giving milk (from his refrigerator), but changes his mind when he learns of their dietary habits (grass, weeds, thistles, etc.).
Cartoon A boy acts out his feelings as animals. ("There's a zoo in me!")
(First: Episode 0783)
Song Joe Raposo sings "Eating" while animals eat.
(First: Episode 0106)
SCENE 1 cont'd Big Bird now thinks he should be a dog like Barkley. He imitates what Barkley does (such as barking and fetching the paper), but gives up again when he finds out what's for lunch - a bone.
Cartoon A wizard walks through a door. A boy in pajamas tries to imitate him without success.
(First: Episode 1042)
SCENE 1 cont'd Bob stops by Big Bird's nest and Big Bird explains what he's been through today. Bob gives him a surprise - a bag of birdseed, and reminds him of all the great things about being a bird. Big Bird agrees and takes a post-lunch nap.
Song Joe Raposo sings "I'm an Aardvark."
(First: Episode 0425)
Muppets The Count sings "Eight Beautiful Notes."
Muppets A furry, purple creature whooshes to the counter of Hooper's Store and counts 5 apples. He subtracts one, leaving 4.
(First: Episode 0400)
Cartoon "Candy Man"
Artist: Bud Luckey
(First: Episode 0359)
Muppets The creature returns to subtract one more apple, leaving 3.
(First: Episode 0400)
Cartoon The 'J' Train
Voice: Daws Butler
(First: Episode 1169)
Muppets Again, the creature appears to remove another apple, leaving 2.
(First: Episode 0400)
Cartoon A girl runs home to her CASA.
(First: Episode 0503)
Muppets Another apple is subtracted, thus leaving only 1.
(First: Episode 0400)
Cartoon Consonant Sound: J, jaguar
(First: Episode 1144)
Muppets The creature takes away the last apple, leaving 0.
(First: Episode 0400)
Cartoon Fruta Manzana
Artist: Irra Verbitsky
(First: Episode 1231)
SCENE 2 The Amazing Mumford observes from a distance Oscar practicing his Grouch magic tricks. He's appalled at the trashy props Oscar uses (dead flowers and an old shoe that appear from thin air), but frets for the reputation of all magicians when he sees Oscar's finale - squirting someone with his magic hat.

SCENE 2 cont'd Oscar assembles his audience and begins the show. Mumford decides to secretly improve Oscar's show by saying his own magic words. Oscar conjures up a fresh bouquet of flowers and his magic box produces colorful balloons, to his chagrin. Oscar now tries to get the hat to squirt Luis in the face, but with Mumford's "help," a rabbit comes out instead. Fed up, Oscar goes back to his can, while Luis asks Mumford if he's responsible for the tricks. "Just protecting the name of the honest magician," he claims.
Film Addition and subtraction using three trapeze artists (version "A")
(First: Episode 1036)
Film A group of kids play "Pat-a-Cake" in the park.
Film A panda tries to scratch an itch.
(First: Episode 0931)
Animation Sand V/v
(First: Episode 0637)
Muppets At a library, Cookie Monster asks an Anything Muppet librarian for a box of cookies. The librarian becomes extremely frustrated because Cookie Monster doesn't understand the library doesn't have cookies! (Cookie's last line cut)
(First: Episode 0926)
SCENE 3 Bob and Linda perform a song about saying "Hello."
Cartoon The Ringmaster charms two snakes with his saxophone.
Artist: Jeff Hale
(First: Episode 1287)
Muppets Ernie and Bert: Rhyming GameErnie gets Bert to participate in a rhyme game, but Ernie ends the game just as Bert is starting to enjoy it.
(First: Episode 0798)
Cartoon Speech Balloon: V for Violin
A musician plays a violin, which instantly breaks.
(First: Episode 0052)
Muppets Big Bird telephones Mr. Snuffleupagus from Chinatown and describes a dragon puppet right next to him. Snuffy chuckles at the idea and compliments Big Bird's imagination. "Et tu, Snuffy?," he moans.
Film Things you can carry
Music: Joe Raposo
(First: Episode 0515)
Animation Today's Secret Drawing is an astronaut.
(First: Episode 0193)
SCENE 4 Big Bird tells Snuffy all about his day, who still thinks he's making up the whole "dragon" story. He tells Big Bird it's good to have a healthy imagination, then heads off.

SCENE 4 cont'd Big Bird exits his nest and vents his frustration to Luis. Luis tells him almost exactly what Snuffy does and Big Bird walks off in a huff. Luis tries explaining himself while Snuffy announces the sponsors.

CLOSING SIGNS Maria holds the Sesame Street sign, while Gordon holds the CTW sign.


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