Why did they book Bruce Forsyth on The Muppets in 1976?

Parvini · 22/10/13 - 04:58

I've wondered about this for a long time, but would American audiences have had a clue as to who Bruce Forsyth was?

How and why was he booked for the show? Anyone got any insights?

Verence · 22/10/13 - 05:09

Perhaps someone else dropped out and he was a last minute replacement

Something similar happened in 1981 when Richard Pryor was due to be the guest but couldn't make it in time and replaced by one of the writers on the show Chris Langham

Mystic Dave · 22/10/13 - 05:10

I think he was trying to break into the US at the time. He had a one man show in New York which went as well as Bruce Forsyth's Big Night on ITV - the joke was that NASA took astronauts there to experience a place with no atmosphere!

I expect his agent got the booking, rather than he was asked.

Steve9214 · 22/10/13 - 05:12

Chris Langham was also the guest one week, when a big Hollywood star dropped out.

He was one of the writers.

Parvini · 22/10/13 - 05:13

Verence wrote: »

Perhaps someone else dropped out and he was a last minute replacement

I was about to say "A last minute replacement flown in all the way from the UK?" but looking up the show it was recorded in London. Well I never!

I'd always assumed Muppet Show was recorded in New York.

It's possible that he was a replacement. I wonder though, were they making the show for US TV only or also for a UK audience?

I can't see anything in Brucie's CV outside of Bedknobs and Broomsticks that an American audience would know him from.

rfonzo · 22/10/13 - 05:13

Parvini wrote: »

I've wondered about this for a long time, but would American audiences have had a clue as to who Bruce Forsyth was?

How and why was he booked for the show? Anyone got any insights?

Remember, he was in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Steve9214 · 22/10/13 - 05:16

Frank Skinner's chat show had a band of elederly musicians - the Skinnerettes,and someone wrote in revealing that the drummer. Ronnie Verrell was the drummer in Jack Parnell's orchestra, and had played the drums for "Animal" in the Muppet shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Verrell

The Muppet shows were made in the UK by Lew Grade's ATV for an International audience - particularly the USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Muppet_Show

[Deleted User] · 22/10/13 - 08:44

Any idea when that was? If prior to '76, then likely some Americans would have known him.

I am, of course, assuming that Sunday Night at the London Palladium didn't have an international market... unless someone out there knows differently

mrblank · 22/10/13 - 08:55

as has been pointed out the show was made in england and plenty of brits who werent known in the states were guests one being spike milligan

Westy2 · 22/10/13 - 11:42

Steve9214 wrote: »

Chris Langham was also the guest one week, when a big Hollywood star dropped out.

He was one of the writers.

Really that short notice?

yorksdave · 22/10/13 - 11:53

halloweenbabe wrote: »

Brucie danced with Sammy Davis Jnr. Any idea when that was? If prior to '76, then likely some Americans would have known him.

I am, of course, assuming that Sunday Night at the London Palladium didn't have an international market... unless someone out there knows differently

I thought that this happened in 1978 during Bruce Forsyth's Big Night.

Groundhogal · 22/10/13 - 14:19

Wasn't Brucie in an episode of Magnum PI or was that another one of my weird dreams?

davelovesleeds · 22/10/13 - 15:40

If memory serves correct, I'm sure Kemit said at the start of the show something along the lines of 'If you think I'm sounding a bit British tonight, it's because we have one of Britian's top performers with us today'

Verence · 22/10/13 - 16:27

mrblank wrote: »

as has been pointed out the show was made in england and plenty of brits who werent known in the states were guests one being spike milligan

Conversely a lot of the American guests would have been relatively unknown to the British viewers

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Muppet_Show_Guest_Stars

[Deleted User] · 22/10/13 - 16:31

Lots of guest stars on the show were not 'big names', just people the producers thought would be good. I remember one week the guests were a weird mime act that used puppets a bit, but in a very different way to the Muppets themselves. I'd never heard of them before or saw them again. That doesn't mean they didn't have careers in the US, but I doubt they were a 'big deal' anywhere. Perhaps nowadays we're in the mindset that guest stars have to be A-list or at least B-list names, but The Muppets were seen as big names in themselves.

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Why did they book Bruce Forsyth on The Muppets in 1976?

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