 | |
| The Reindeer on The Ed Sullivan Show | |
| PERFORMER | various |
| DEBUT | 1965 |
| DESIGN | Jim Henson designer |
| Don Sahlin builder | |
The Reindeer are five of Santa's famous sleigh-pullers, featured in a repeated Muppet Christmas routine. The group consisted of boss Dasher (aka Charlie), Dancer, Prancer, Donder, and Blitzen. The reindeer made various bad puns, broke into random carols and attempted to make it snow with a "snow dance".
First appearing on the Christmas installment of Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall on December 20, 1965, the reindeer re-appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on Dec. 22, 1968, refurbished with ears, noses, and more reindeer-like bodies. Dasher is the only reindeer with a visible appendage; a live hand in his first appearance, and a rodded hoof in the next.
In the Perry Como performance of the sketch, the voices of the reindeer were performed by Jim Henson (Dasher, Prancer), Bob Payne (Dancer), Jerry Nelson (Donder), and Jerry Juhl (Blitzen).[1][2] In the Ed Sullivan performance, their voices were performed by Jim Henson (Dasher, Donder), Frank Oz (Prancer), Jerry Juhl (Blitzen), and Daniel Seagren (Dancer).
An edited version of the Sullivan performance was included on the Muppets Magic from the Ed Sullivan Show DVD. The sketch was uploaded in full on the Ed Sullivan Show YouTube channel on December 14, 2020. (YouTube)
Four of the original reindeer puppets were included as part of the Worlds of Puppetry Museum's "Very Merry Puppetry" exhibit in 2020 alongside puppets from Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and other holiday productions.[3]
In "A Beary Bear Christmas," Bear tells Pip and Pop that he personally knows Santa's reindeer.
Other reindeer
from The Animal Show
from Elmo Saves Christmas
from Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Characters as reindeer
- Wontkins appeared as a reindeer in a Wilkins Coffee commercial.
- Bert played a reindeer (opposite Ernie as Santa) on a Sesame Street calendar of an unknown year.
- A team of monsters (including Herry Monster and Elmo) played reindeer in A Muppet Family Christmas.
- Rizzo and the rats appeared as "ratdeers" in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.
See also
Sources
- ↑ Henson.com "Creature Feature" entry (archived)
- ↑ 1965 letter from Ray Charles to the Muppet team
- ↑ @CtrPupptryArts on Twitter
External links
- Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 12/22/1968 – Sullivan – Reindeer Bit.