- published: 20 Jun 2009
- views: 480022
Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Rowlf is the Muppet Theatre's resident pianist, as well as one of the show's supporting cast members. Calm and wisecracking, his humor is characterized as deadpan and as such, is one of few Muppets who is rarely flustered by the show's prevalent mayhem. He is very easy going and a fan of classical music (particularly Beethoven) and musicals.
Despite Kermit the Frog often being credited as the iconic Muppet, Rowlf was actually the first known Muppet "star" as a recurring character on The Jimmy Dean Show, first appearing in a telecast on September 19, 1963.
Rowlf was introduced in 1962 for Purina Dog Chow commercials aired in Canada, in which he appeared with Baskerville the Hound. Jim Henson designed Rowlf, and Don Sahlin built him; it was Sahlin's first Muppet construction.
Rowlf rose to popularity as Jimmy Dean's sidekick on The Jimmy Dean Show, performed by Henson and Frank Oz. He was the first Muppet with a regular spot on network television appearing in numerous episodes from 1963 to 1966. Jimmy Dean stated that the segments with Rowlf were one of the most popular parts of the show, and that Rowlf drew two thousand fan letters a week.
The Muppet Show is a family-oriented comedy-variety television series that was produced by puppeteer Jim Henson and features The Muppets. After two pilot episodes produced in 1974 and 1975 failed to get the attention of network executives in the United States, Lew Grade approached Henson to produce the programme in the United Kingdom for ATV, the (then) ITV franchise in the English Midlands. The show lasted for five series consisting of 120 episodes which were first broadcast in Britain between 5 September 1976 and 15 March 1981 on ATV and syndicated the remaining ITV franchises around the United Kingdom. The programmes were recorded at ATV's Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, England.
The series shows a vaudeville or music hall-style song-and-dance variety show, as well as glimpses behind the scenes of such a show. Kermit the Frog stars as a showrunner who tries to keep control of the antics of the other Muppet characters (and his temper), as well as keep the guest stars happy. The show was known for outrageous physical slapstick, sometimes absurdist comedy, and humorous parodies. Each episode also featured a human guest star. As the show's popularity rose, many celebrities were eager to perform with the Muppets on television and in film.
Jimmy Ray Dean (August 10, 1928 – June 13, 2010) was an American country music singer, television host, actor and businessman. Although he may be best known today as the creator of the Jimmy Dean sausage brand, he became a national television personality starting on CBS in 1957. He rose to fame for his 1961 country crossover hit "Big Bad John" and his 1963 ABC television series, The Jimmy Dean Show, which also gave puppeteer Jim Henson his first national media exposure. His acting career included a supporting role as Willard Whyte in the 1971 James Bond movie, Diamonds Are Forever. He lived near Richmond, Virginia, and was nominated for the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, although he was formally inducted posthumously.
Dean was born in Plainview in Hale County in West Texas in 1928, the son of George Otto Dean, and his second wife, the former Ruth Taylor. He attributed his interest in music to the Seth Ward Baptist Church. He dropped out of high school and became a professional entertainer after serving in the United States Air Force in the late 1940s. Dean was 22 and just starting in show business when he married his first wife Mary Sue (Sue) in 1950.
The Jimmy Dean Show is the name of several similar music and variety series on American local and network television between 1957 and 1975. Each starred country music singer Jimmy Dean as host.
The Jimmy Dean Show, initially called Country Style, aired live on WTOP-TV in Washington, DC in early 1957. It was picked up by the CBS-TV network from April 8 to December 13, 1957 under the name The Morning Show from 7 to 7:45 a.m. ET Monday–Friday (CBS News provided a newscast from 7:45 to 8 a.m.). Guests included Chet Atkins, Jay Chevalier, Billy Walker, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Hamilton IV, and the Country Lads; Mary Klick was a regular. The producer was Connie B. Gay.
CBS then carried The Jimmy Dean Show on its daytime schedule from September 14, 1958 to June 1959 from New York, airing from 2 to 2:30 p.m. ET Monday–Saturday. Guests on the variety program included Hans Conried and Jaye P. Morgan.
The Jimmy Dean Show aired as a live half-hour summer series from Washington, DC on CBS-TV from June 22 to September 14, 1957 from 10:30 to 11 p.m. on Saturday nights. Guests included Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, the Andrews Sisters and Gene Austin.
Actors: Eric Jacobson (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor),
Genres: Comedy, Family, Music,Actors: Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), CeeLo Green (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor),
Genres: Music, Short,Actors: Bill Barretta (director), Dave Goelz (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), Eric Jacobson (actor), John Landis (actor), Steve Whitmire (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Melina Kanakaredes (actress), Bill Prady (producer), Bill Prady (writer),
Genres: Comedy, Short,Actors: Bill Barretta (actor), Kevin Clash (actor), Carson Daly (actor), David Arquette (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Zach Braff (actor), Mel Brooks (actor), Bill Barretta (actor), Kevin Clash (actor), Dave Goelz (actor),
Plot: The owner of a bank (Miss Bitterman) wants to own the Muppet Theatre so she can build a nightclub over it. After she tricks Pepe into giving her the only copy of the contract between her father and the Muppets, she changes it so the Muppets have very little time to pay a debt they owe. Meanwhile, the Muppets are trying to put on a Christmas show. After the Muppets are confronted by Bitterman, they make a lot of sacrifices to save up so they can keep the Theatre.
Keywords: angel, apostrophe-in-title, christmas, despair, holiday-in-title, movie-in-title, punctuation-in-title, puppet, the-muppets, theaterActors: Bill Barretta (actor), Kevin Clash (actor), Kevin Clash (actor), Kevin Clash (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Richard Hunt (actor), Richard Hunt (actor), Jerry Nelson (actor), Jerry Nelson (actor), Frank Oz (actor), Frank Oz (actor),
Genres: Comedy, Family, Music, Short,Actors: Kevin Clash (actor), Kevin Clash (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Richard Hunt (actor), David Rudman (actor), Camille Bonora (actress),
Genres: ,Actors: Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Kevin Clash (actor),
Plot: When Fozzie and the Muppet Show gang drop in unexpectedly on Fozzie's mother, she is forced to cancel her winter vacation plans and entertain them all. Soon the Sesame Street gang comes by as carolers, and then Kermit and his nephew Robin discover a Fraggle Rock hole in the basement. A snow storm blows in, stranding everyone at the house, except for Miss Piggy, who arrives just in time for all the Muppets to celebrate Christmas together.
Keywords: 20th-century, blizzard, christmas, christmas-tree, piano, santa-claus, sesame-street, sled, snowman, the-muppetsActors: George Burns (actor), Dave Goelz (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Richard Hunt (actor), Steve Martin (actor), Frank Oz (actor), Frank Oz (actor), Peter Sellers (actor), Marisa Berenson (actress), Petula Clark (actress), Peter Harris (director),
Genres: Comedy, Family, Music,Actors: Dave Goelz (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Jim Henson (actor), Richard Hunt (actor), Richard Hunt (actor), Alan King (actor), Jerry Nelson (actor), Julie Andrews (actress), Leslie Uggams (actress), Stephen Pouliot (producer), Jeff Margolis (director), Louise Gold (actress), Kenny Solms (writer), Leo Sayer (actor), Paddy Stone (miscellaneous crew),
Genres: Comedy, Music,I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along, from The Muppet Movie, 1979. Rowlf and Kermit sing about women. I DO NOT OWN THIS VIDEO. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED. You can't live with 'em, you can't live without 'em. There's somethin' irresistabullish about 'em. We grin and bear it 'cause the nights are long. I hope that somethin' better comes along. It's no good complainin' and pointless to holler. If she's a beauty she'll get under your collar. She made a monkey out of old King Kong, I hope that somethin' better comes along. Still, it's fun when they're fetching, And agree to see an etching That you keep at your lily pad. There is no solution, it's part of evolution, The pitter patter of soles, The little feet of tadpoles. (Ah, Rowlf, tadpoles don't have feet!) (Oh. Sorry ab...
Fozzie Bear and Rowlf the Dog play English Country Garden.
This is a clip off a documentary I bought years ago entitled "The World of Jim Henson." The doco was a biography on Jim Henson's career with the muppets and had many rare clips from different shows he did in the early days of the muppets. This extract of the doco was about the first project Jim did with Frank Oz, and the birth of one of their best (and now lost) characters, Rowlf the Dog on the Jimmy Dean show.
The Muppet Show, Season One, Episode Four with Ruth Buzzi. Original Airdate: October 11, 1976. UK Spot: Rowlf sings "I Never Harmed an Onion."
The Muppet Show, Season One, Episode 7 with Florence Henderson. UK Spot: Rowlf sings "Cottleston Pie."
Rowlf the Dog, the show's resident wisecracking piano player. Performed by Jim Henson. Here, in his first solo slot, he performs that old classic You and I and George
"The Cat Came Back" was sung by Rowlf in The Muppet Show episode 523. Gaffer, in one of his few onstage appearances, played the titular cat opposite his owner Benny.
Rowlf the Dog and Jimmy Dean on The Jimmy Dean Show
The Muppet Show, Season Three, Episode 61 with Helen Reddy. UK Spot: Rowlf plays Beethoven's "Pathétique" while Bust of Beethoven falls asleep.
she wanders alone through the night
a child with eyes burning bright
she extends her arms for an embrace a tiny smile
her ruby lips on her doll- like face
the danger's a mystery here
as she invites you to hold her near
her mirrored image could not be linked to
a woman's mind,so sharp and so distinct
like a swimmer in a secret sea
undecayed for all eternity
claudia,better stay away from claudia
the silkiness of her lips
as she bends low to kiss
a tiny seductress in ringlets and pearls you reel
in madness as the whole world about you whirls
like the tinkle of a small silver bell
her voice will put you under her spell
a crushed crysanthemum in her hand a beautiful doll of death
she'll take your dying breath
repeat chorus twice