Editing Sam and Friends

{{More citations needed|date=May 2024}}{{short description|1950s Washington DC puppet show}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = 
| caption              = 
| creator              = {{Plainlist|
*[[Jim Henson]]
*[[Jane Nebel]]
}}
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
*Jim Henson
*Jane Nebel
*[[Bob Payne]]
*[[Jerry Juhl]]
}}
| country              = United States
| num_episodes         = 400+
| runtime              = 3-5 minutes per sketch (and episode)
| channel              = [[WRC-TV]] ([[NBC]] [[owned-and-operated station|O&O]] in [[Washington, D.C.]])
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1955|05|09}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1961|12|15}}
}}
'''''Sam and Friends''''' is an American [[live-action]] and [[puppet]] [[sketch comedy]] television series and a lead-in to ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' created by [[puppeteer]] [[Jim Henson]] and his eventual wife [[Jane Nebel]]. It was aired live twice daily as a local series in [[Washington, D.C.]], on [[WRC-TV]] in [[black and white]], and later [[Color television|color]]{{Citation needed|date=May 2024|reason=This doesn't appear to be true and isn't supported by citations.}}, on weeknights from May 9, 1955, to December 15, 1961. However, due to network budget issues,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shemin |first=Craig |title=Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show |pages=ebook location 212}}</ref> most of the original episodes were never preserved to film/kinescope, and are considered [[Lost television broadcast|lost]]. A few surviving episodes can be viewed at the [[Paley Center for Media]] but many can also be found on video websites like [[YouTube]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=''Sam and Friends'' on YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sa1WTfD6s4|website=YouTube|access-date=6 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=''Sam and Friends'' clips yet to be released|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMafixb8LvQ|website=YouTube|access-date=6 May 2017}}</ref> such as those digitally archived by [[The Jim Henson Company]]. Some have been documented by either the Henson Archives or newspaper articles published while the show was still on air.

==Plot==
The series centers around Sam, a bald-headed, big-eared man who escaped the harshness of everyday life with the help of abstract friends that he created based on parts of his life. His friends included Yorick, Harry the Hipster, Professor Madcliffe, Chicken Liver, and a [[Kermit the Frog]].

Early in its run, the show mostly featured the puppets lip-syncing to popular songs of the day (if the song was by a female performer, the puppet would wear a wig while singing). Later, formal sketches were drawn up, many spoofing well-known television shows at the time, including the series which followed ''Sam and Friends'' in the Washington market, ''[[The Huntley–Brinkley Report]]''.

A popular early sketch that would be used often in subsequent Henson productions was "[[The Glow-Worm|Glow-Worm]]", in which a character, often Kermit, would nibble on what looked like a worm, but would ultimately turn out to be the tongue or nose of the monster Big V, who would devour him.

[[Bob Payne]] once substituted for Jim Henson while he was in Europe. [[Jerry Juhl]] also worked on the show toward the end of its run where he substituted for Jane Henson. Starting in 1959, advertisements for [[Baltimore Highlands, Baltimore#Esskay Meats|Esskay Meats]] would appear at the end of the show, as well as Wilkins Coffee (the latter featured two Muppets created exclusively for the spots, [[Wilkins and Wontkins]]).

While Payne, Juhl, and Jane Henson all puppeteered in the series alongside him, Jim Henson provided all of the voices himself (unless the voices were taken from a [[Phonograph record|record]]).

== Broadcast Time ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Network !! Release Date !! Broadcast Time !! Ref
|-
| [[WRC-TV]] || May 9, 1955 – December 15, 1961 || Mon - Fri 23:30 - 23:35 ||<ref>[[Newtype|Newtype (Japanese Ver)]] 1986-10 "Jim Henson Interview" (153 Page)</ref> 
|}

==Characters==
[[File:Tv sam and friends.jpg|right|thumb|Kermit (left) and Harry the Hipster (right) in the "Visual Thinking" sketch.
{{Blockquote
|text='''Harry''': Man, you're just a beginner. I'm an old hand at this stuff. Watch!<br>'''Kermit''': Hey, a real watch!<br>
'''Harry''': With moving parts, no less.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFbyujLT8HQ Visual Thinking Sketch on YouTube]</ref>}}]]
{{main|List of Muppets}}
* Sam (performed by [[Jim Henson]]) – A bald-headed man who is the main character. Only footage of him lip-syncing to a song currently survives. His head was made from [[Papier-mâché|papier-mâché.]]
* [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] (performed by Jim Henson) – A [[amphibian|amphibious]] creature. He was prominently featured in many sketches that lead him to popularity, though he would not be referred to as a [[frog]] until a decade later.
* Harry the Hipster (performed by Jim Henson) – A black [[sock puppet]]. Harry was one of the first Muppets designed and built by Jim Henson.
* Yorick (performed by Jim Henson) – A voracious puppet that resembled a [[Rock (geology)|rock]] head. Yorick has been known for appearing with supporting Muppets, whom he would attempt to eat. His puppet was made of papier-mâché with a tube in his mouth that allowed him to swallow things.
* Professor Madcliffe (performed by Jim Henson) – A tall-headed professor with big eyes and a mustache. He had a loud and energetic personality. He made most of his appearances in commercials.
* Chicken Liver (performed by Jim Henson) – A humanoid character with a tall head and a big nose. He has been described as "a dramatic storyteller", and believed that the show lacked culture.
* Hank and Frank – Two bald humanoids that served as the show's bit players. They took on the roles of [[Chet Huntley]] and [[David Brinkley]] in a spoof interview with Kermit.
* Mushmellon – A small yellow monster with a permanent grimace. He was a favorite among younger audiences.
* Icky Gunk – A green [[snake]] sporting a pair of arms.
* Henrietta (performed by [[Jerry Juhl]]) – A pink female creature of indeterminable species. 
* Moldy Hay – A humanoid character with orange-red skin, a big nose, and hair over his eyes.
* Omar (performed by Jim Henson) – A beaked humanoid with a papier-mâché face. He was described as "the nomadic type".
* Pierre the French [[Rat]] (performed by Jim Henson) – He was one of Jim Henson's first puppets. Pierre was embodied as a puppet made from plastic wood.
* Bernice (performed by [[Bob Payne]]) - A female humanoid.

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Sam and Friends'' cast
|-
!scope="col"|Actor
!scope="col"|Role
|-
|scope="row"|[[Jim Henson]]
|Sam<br />Harry the Hipster<br />[[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] <br />Chicken Liver<br />Omar<br />Professor Madcliffe<br />Yorick<br />Pierre the French Rat<br />Others
|-
|scope="row"|[[Jane Henson]]
|Others
|-
|scope="row"|[[Jerry Juhl]]
|Henrietta<br />Others
|-
|scope="row"|[[Bob Payne]]
|Bernice<br />Others
|-
|}

==Surviving episodes==
* Powder-Burn (August 20, 1959): A pun-filled ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' parody with Marshall Dilly (Chicken Liver) preparing for a showdown with Black Bart (Yorick) which results in a game of chess.
* Poison to Poison (October 29, 1959): Lip-synching to the [[Spike Jones]] track "[[Person to Person|Poisen to Poisen]]", Harry the Hipster (as "[[Ed Murrow|Ed Burrow]]") interviews Chicken Liver (as [[Alfred Hitchcock]]) in his rather horrifying home.
* The Westerners (circa November 1960): Lip-synching to a recording of [[Bob and Ray]]'s act The Westerners, Kermit and Chicken Liver play two cowboys who are having a little trouble getting off their horses.
* Huntley and Brinkley (January 6, 1961): In a parody of ''[[The Huntley-Brinkley Report]]'', Kermit hosts an interview with [[NBC News]] anchormen [[Chet Huntley]] and [[David Brinkley]] (as Hank and Frank).
* Visual Thinking (circa April 1961): In a mix of puppetry and animation, Harry demonstrates the Art of Visual Thinking to Kermit—and what it does to you once it gets out of control.
* Weather Warehouse (September 29, 1961): Harry demonstrates to a skeptical Kermit his new business for selling weather, and gives him a tour of the warehouse.
* Chef Omar (November 13, 1961): Omar prepares a chef salad, which blows up in his face when he serves it flaming.
* Last Sam Show (December 15, 1961): Kermit and Harry sing a song about the show's sponsor, Esskay Meats, then Kermit lip-syncs to "I Come for to Sing". After both songs, Kermit discusses the end of the series with Harry—who blows up all the scenery and equipment since they won't need it anymore.

===Songs===
* [[C'est Si Bon]] (October 12, 1959): In a French village setting, Moldy Hay lip-synchs to [[Stan Freberg|Stan Freberg's]] rendition of "C'est Si Bon", with Hank and Frank repeating his dialogue too literally as a backup choir.
* [[The Glow-Worm|Glow Worm]] (circa April 1961): Humming along to "[[The Glow-Worm]]", Kermit is bugged by some inchworm-like fingers and is later met with a human hand.
* A Horse Named Bill (March 15, 1960): Kermit lip-synchs and plays the banjo to a recording of "A Horse Named Bill."
* [[Word Jazz|Hunger Is From]] (February 12, 1960): Lip-synching to "Hunger Is From", Yorick details his midnight snacking while eating a plate full of food.
* [[I've Got You Under My Skin]] (October 7, 1959): Icky Gunk (sporting a blonde, curly wig), and Hank and Frank serve as chorus singers in a lip-synched rendition of Stan Freberg's "I've Got You Under My Skin" while Kermit, in spoken dialogue, messes up the lyrics.
* [[Singin' in the Rain (song)|Singin' in the Rain]] (November 19, 1959): A little girl Muppet lip-synchs to an uptempo version of "Singin' in the Rain" as water begins to pour. Eventually, she is submerged in a water-filled bucket.
* [[That Old Black Magic]] (January 26, 1959): Kermit and Sam lip-synch to a recording of "That Old Black Magic" by [[Louis Prima]] and [[Keely Smith]]. To date, this is the only surviving ''Sam and Friends'' episode to feature Sam himself. 
*[[Son of Word Jazz|Miss Cone]] (December 9, 1960): An animated episode made with cutouts and synced to the titular song by Ken Nordine and The Frank Katz Group.

==In popular culture==
''Sam and Friends'' is mentioned in chapter 2 of Kermit the Frog's book ''[[Before You Leap]]'', under the heading of "My First Big Splash".

Yorick made a cameo in a ''[[Sesame Street]]'' sketch in Season 1.

Henrietta appeared in ''[[The Muppets on Puppets]]'' during Rowlf the Dog's mixed-up fairy tale sketch portraying the [[fairy godmother]]. In this appearance, Henrietta was also performed by [[Jerry Juhl]].

Sam, Harry the Hipster, and Yorick appeared in ''[[The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years]]''.

In Spring 2010, early puppet characters were rejoined in Henson Alternative's ''[[Puppet Up!#Stuffed and Unstrung (April 2010-April 2013)|Stuffed and Unstrung]]'', for [[I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face|two]] [[Java (instrumental)|musical pieces]].

In August 2010, Jane Henson donated ten puppets from the show (including the original Kermit) to the [[Smithsonian Institution]]'s [[National Museum of American History]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/henson-donates-original-kermit-to-smithsonian/ |title=Henson donates original Kermit to Smithsonian |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=August 26, 2010 |access-date=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

In July 2016, [[Hyattsville, Maryland]], installed a memorial to Jim Henson in the city's Magruder Park, featuring a large planter embossed with images of characters from ''Sam and Friends'' and benches inscribed with quotes from Henson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Magruder Park now home to memorial honoring Jim Henson's legacy|work=Hyattsville Today|url=http://hyattsvilletoday.com/magruder-park-now-home-to-memorial-honoring-jim-hensons-legacy/|last=Bennett|first=Rebecca|date=July 9, 2016|location=Hyattsville, Maryland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713064123/http://hyattsvilletoday.com/magruder-park-now-home-to-memorial-honoring-jim-hensons-legacy/ |archive-date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>

Yorick made a visual appearance in the 2021 ''[[Muppet Babies (2018 TV series)|Muppet Babies]]'' episode "Summer's Disaster-Piece", where he replaces the head on [[Thomas Gainsborough]]'s painting ''[[The Blue Boy]]''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons}}
*{{Muppets}}
*{{IMDb title|0476937|Sam and Friends}}

{{The Muppets}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sam And Friends}}
[[Category:1955 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1961 American television series endings]]
[[Category:1950s American sketch comedy television series]]
[[Category:1960s American sketch comedy television series]]
[[Category:American television shows featuring puppetry]]
[[Category:Black-and-white American television shows]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Television series by The Jim Henson Company]]
[[Category:Muppet characters]]