The 15 Best Celebrity Guests on The Muppet Show

The variety sketch series The Muppet Show was a touchstone of popular culture in the 1970s and early 1980s that featured many incredible celebrity guests. While the Muppets have remained consistently popular due to subsequent television series, movies and one-off specials, the unique characters created by the Jim Henson Company were at the height of their popularity during this show. Featuring appearances from iconic actors, performers, singers and rock stars, the guest stars of The Muppet Show Truly was a who’s who of celebrity culture in the late 1970s.

Until then The Muppet Show Ended in 1981, it ran for five successful seasons and amounted to an incredible 120 episodes. With a litany of acclaimed guest stars, The Muppet Show kept herself interesting by tapping into the talents of her guests And not afraid to take chances, give the celebrities a chance to make fun of themselves, and provide some good-natured family-friendly entertainment. Although the original The Muppet Show Having been off the air for more than four decades, many of its guest star skits and songs have remained beloved by viewers of all ages.

15

Diana Ross

The Muppet Show: Season 4, Episode 24 “Diana Ross” (April 4, 1980)

The Supreme’s star Diana Ross made a memorable appearance in the fourth season of The Muppet Show As her sweet and caring personality showed when, after being booed off the stage, she convinced Fozzie Bear to get back and give his stand-up routine another shot. With a show-stopping rendition of “Love Hangover,” Ross’s innate star power and incredible charisma are perfectly paired with more zany aspects of The Muppets. With an assortment of great Muppet birds, Ross was always the professional as she danced and sang her way through the show.

14

Gene Kelly

The Muppet Show: Season 5, Episode 17 “Gene Kelly” (January 4, 1981)

One of the greatest aspects of US The Muppet Show Was the sheer variety of its guests, as one week could have an outrageous rock star while the next it was an icon of 1950s cinema like Gene Kelly. Like an unfair singing and dancing talent, a running joke throughout the episode was Kermit trying to convince a reluctant Kelly to perform “Singing in the Rain.” The episode even featured Kelly recreating Sing in the rains most iconic scene when he walked through a reconstruction of the famous musical set with an umbrella.

13

Rita Moreno

The Muppet Show: Season 1, Episode 2 “Rita Moreno” (September 12, 1976)

As one of only 21 people to achieve a competitive EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award), actress, dancer and singer Rita Moreno can also add an acclaimed performance on The Muppet Show To your impressive resume. Moreno’s memorable contribution was a rendition of the R&B classic “Fever” with an overexcited animal on drums. He saw the hilarious behavior An animal could not control his incredible energy as he let loose on the drums and overtook Moreno’s performance.

12

Vincent Price

The Muppet Show: Season 1, Episode 4 “Vincent Price” (February 19, 1977)

The horror movie legend Vincent Price fits perfectly among the over-the-top antics of the Muppets As he appeared in the ‘House of Horrors’ sketch with Gonzo and Fozzie Bear. Price used his skills to play evil supernatural creatures as a vampiric, Dracula-like character accompanied by monstrous Muppets. It was a real joy to see Price fully commit to the bit and prove himself to be an excellent, spooky and esteemed temporary addition to the cast of The Muppet Show.

11

Mark Hamill

The Muppet Show: Season 4, Episode 19, “The Stars of Star Wars” (February 29, 1980)

Considering Star Wars Yoda was voiced and puppeteered by the Muppets’ own Frank Oz, so it’s no surprise that the cast, including Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew and Anthony Daniels, signed up for a Season 4 episode. Hamill showed his sense of fun with an excellent impression of Kermit the Frog, a “Pigs in Space” sketch with C-3PO, R2D2 and Miss Piggy, where he Reprized his role as Luke Skywalker. This episode was a real treat for Star Wars fans and signaled Hamill’s talent for children’s entertainment as he later voiced characters such as the Joker and Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

10

Carol Burnett

The Muppet Show: Season 5, Episode 12 “Carol Burnett” (February 8, 1981)

One of the funniest episodes of The Muppet Show Featured the acclaimed comedian and singer Carol Burnett is incredibly frustrated by Gonzo’s dance marathon competition. As the star of the comedy variety show The Carol Burnett ShowBurnett proved adept at keeping up with the energetic antics of the Muppets. Burnett even made Muppet history with her hilarious rendition of “I Was Made for Dancin’,” Which accelerated when she tried to drag contestants to make room for her never-before-seen “Lonely Asparagus” act.

9

Julie Andrews

The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 12 “Julie Andrews” (December 25, 1977)

Julie Andrews, appearing on Christmas Day 1977, was the guest star for a very special episode of The Muppet Showwhich featured her reuniting with the Muppets after they had been out together on The Julie Andrews Hour, Julie on Sesame Street, Julie: My favorite things TV specials, and the One to one Special. As a poignant and sentimental episode, a particular highlight was Andrews serenading Kermit with her “Song for Kermit,” Where she sang beautifully, “I’ve loved you since you were a baby.”

8

Elton John

The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 15 “Elton John” (January 8, 1978)

The over-the-top theatricality of rock music icon Elton John paired perfectly with the campy entertainment of The Muppet Show. As a fun-loving rock ‘n’ roller, John committed himself entirely to the bit as he performed memorable versions of “Benny and the Jets,” “Silky Yellow Brick Road,” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Miss Piggy . . however, The biggest aspect of John’s appearance was his rendition of “Crocodile Rock,” Complete with a backup chorus of singing Muppet crocodiles.

7

Paul Simon

The Muppet Show: Season 5, Episode 5 “Paul Simon” (February 22, 1981)

The famous singer-songwriter Paul Simon found a protégé during his appearance on The Muppet ShowLike Gonzo wanted his help to become a songwriter. But, despite Simon’s excellent Renaissance-themed version of Simon & Garfunkle’s “Scarborough Fair” And an energetic rendition of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” Gonzo’s best lyrics amounted to lines like, “For you, I would wash my hair with stinky glue, I would ask for my feet and eat them too.” Despite Gonzo’s lack of songwriting talent, Simon still gave his all to his appearance with many memorable moments and skits.

6

John Cleese

The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 6 “John Cleese” (October 21, 1977)

Monty Python Star John Cleese embodied all that was great about his sardonic comic persona as he complained his way through his The Muppets Show Appearance. Disappointed in the presence of pigs and monsters, Cleese tried to have a private word with Kermit and told him many of the show’s plans were against his contract. While Cleese is even reluctant to end the show with the closing song “The Impossible Dream,” after the Muppets eventually coax him to participate, he hilariously announces his new musical career and an album titled John Cleese: A Man and His Music.

5

Peter Sellers

The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 14 “Peter Sellers” (January 1, 1978)

In typical Peter Sellers fashion, audiences never get to see Sellers play himself The Muppet Show, and instead, He embodied many of his most famous characters. of a cold open with Gonzo throws knives at Sellers Inspector Clouseau To embody a version of Dr. Strangelove, this appearance was a real treat for lovers of Sellers’ straight comedic characteristics. To top it all off, Kermit even sang a rendition of his signature song, “Been Green,” making This is an absolute must-watch episode.

4

Liza Minnelli

The Muppet Show: Season 4, Episode 10 “Liza Minelli” (December 28, 1979)

Liza Minelli’s appearance on The Muppet Show Taking the series in a new direction as Kermit led a special murder mystery. with Minnelli as an actress whose production is terrorized by a killerKermit as the PI, Strangepork as the murder victim, and Fozzie Bear as the cop, this episode is made even better due to Minnelli’s show stopping renditions of classic songs like “Copacabana.” As a truly memorable guest star, it’s no surprise that Minnelli was asked to reunite with the Muppets on the big screen in The Muppets take Manhattan.

3

Alice Cooper

The Muppet Show: Season 3, Episode 8 “Alice Cooper” (November 24, 1978)

the “Talented but terribleAlice Cooper set an eerie mood for his appearance The Muppet ShowHow the shocking rock star revealed himself to be working for the Devil and offered the Muppets “Fabulous riches and worldwide fame“In a Faustian exchange for their souls. With a theme revolving around “Ghoulies and ghosts and long-tailed beasts and things that go bump in the night“, Cooper kept things interesting with renditions of “Welcome to My Nightmare” and closing the show with “School’s Out.” Already known for his theatrical live shows, Cooper was perhaps the Muppets’ most outrageous guest.

2

Harry Belafonte

The Muppet Show: Season 3, Episode 15 “Harry Belafonte” (January 5, 1979)

It’s no surprise that Harry Belafonte sings his signature song “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” Was one of the best moments in The Muppet Show History. Like a truly chaotic episode where Fozzie Bear decided that the normally spontaneous show required scripts, all hell broke loose when he tried to write the show as it was happening. Belafonte began with the spirit of the Muppets as he participated in a drumming battle with Animal and closed with a show accompanied by African masks singing “Turn the World Around.”

1

Steve Martin

The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 11 “Steve Martin” (December 9, 1977)

American comedian Steve Martin was at his wildest during the 1970sWhich made him the ideal independent guest for a highly memorable episode of The Muppet Show. However, Kermit forgot to tell Martin that they had scheduled that show to audition new Muppets and forgot to tell him. Furious at being taken for granted, Martin doesn’t let on as he sticks around to perform his balloon act, rambling bachelor performance, juggling and dueling banjos from Deliverance In what amounts to the best episode of The Muppet Show.