Places, people, places! Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up! Are you ready for some fun cameos from Jerry Nelson (1934-2012) and Richard Hunt (1951-1992)? Four-part sketch from 1979 (Season 10, Ep 1262), where a big-time movie director Richard Altman (Jerry) is scouting locations for his new movie and wants to use Mr. Hooper's (Will Lee) store. He's eager to help when he's told he and his friends can play extras.
Next, Maria (Sonia Manzano) fixes her makeup, Bob (Bob McGrath) and Mr. Macintosh (Chet O'Brien) adjust each other's collars ("I used to work for your father in silents!" "Nice not hearing from you again!"), and Bruno brings Oscar (both Caroll Spinney, but you figured that out, right?) over for his shot at stardom. The director wants Bruno, but tells Oscar, "You're a little too ... ummm ... special." Bruno storms off set in Oscar's disgust and Altman sidles up to Maria to show her his viewfinder.
Next up, everyone is agog as the picture's star, Nick Redfield (Richard Hunt), arrives on set. He suavely winks at the camera. The filming begins and Nick walks through the store appearing to look for someone, checking from side-to-side as he moves through the store and out around the back to the front again. "That's a wrap!" The gang's a little surprised that they're done, but they all seem happy to stick around for lunch.
Finally, Mr. Hooper gets a call from Altman, they're all invited to the movie premiere once it's done. As Bruno carries him home, Oscar tells him he'll be his agent ("I'm gonna make a star out of you! If you'll let me, huh? First, I'll get ya' on The Dating Game. Let's see, I'll get ya' on Johnny Carson...") as Maurice Monster (Richard Hunt) announces the sponsors.
I love when Jerry whacks the table with his director's crop (4:28) making Mr. Macintosh and the kids jump. And Richard's choice of voice style (high-pitched, a bit squeaky) is hilarious and so in keeping with the theme. A lot of actors that were big stars in the silent films had their careers crushed when talkies came along as their voices were too weak or just not what the audiences would expect.
Have to agree with @HeySplurge in the comments. The production assistant with the clapboard looks like Brian Muehl (now "Meehl").
Drop your crops and put your hands together as we thank @Sesame Maniac for sharing this nugget of cinematic gold with us lowly fans. We're not worthy!
TECH NOTES: Do not adjust your volume. The first 1:10 are like the first moving pictures, silent. And, yes, the video itself is a bit choppy, for lack of a better term. Difficult to convert the episode when it comes from certain streaming networks (don't want to tick them off by naming them), so we'll just have to cross our fingers when it comes to any future clips from these eps.
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