DISCLAIMER: THIS VIDEO IS NOT MADE FOR KIDS THIS IS ONLY MADE FOR TEENS & ADULTS WHO LIKE THE MUPPETS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTO LOST MEDIA EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THIS AND SAY WHAT THEY WANT IN THE COMMENTS
Here’s a promo of The Muppet Show featuring footage of the original pilot version of the Juliet Prowse episode. While the other Muppet Show pilots like The Muppets Valentine Show and Sex and Violence have been officially released to the public, there were other pilots made for the show later on, that have never been fully seen in the light of day. The first two pilot episodes of The Muppet Show of guest stars Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens were shot before the rest of the first season went into production back in late January of 1976, several months before production of the show began in May of that year. The two pilot episodes never aired on television and eventually were reworked and reshot at the end of production of the first season of the show. Several scenes and sketches were either shortened or cut entirely, while new sketches were added, and other scenes that were kept in used different takes from the pilot version.
Besides some material from the pilot were leftover in the final version of the episode especially that nearly all of the material Juliet Prowse did in the pilot were kept in the final version of the episode with some minor different takes were used and a few shots from the pilot appeared in Episode 103. No other footage of the first pilot episode of The Muppet Show, would surface until on October 30, 2018, KZfaqr bigO! uploaded a promo from 1977 that contained footage of the original version of the Juliet Prowse episode.
The pilot version shown in this promo contains many differences compared to the final version of the episode, such as a different take of the female chorus and sing "It's time to raise the curtains on The Muppet Show tonight.” instead of the line given to the male chorus in the final version of the intro. Fozzie Bear’s voice is much more deeper, and there are two scenes that were not used in the final version of the episode, one with Kermit and Fozzie and another with Waldorf and Statler.
The second pilot episode which is the early version of the Connie Stevens episode, material of that one can be found in the final version of the episode, which is the deeper voice that Frank Oz initially used for Fozzie that can be heard in the Talk Spot, when he sings with Connie and Kermit. More material from the pilot can be found in the UK’s spot Ain’t Misbehavin as well. Stills from both pilots can only be found online which the first one is a sketch that got cut in the final version of the episode that features Animal performing a drum solo and another still from the second pilot episode is one of Gonzo and his Tomato Plant which was redone in the final version of the episode.
Neither of these two pilots have ever been officially released on home video, however it has been confirmed that copies do still exist and are watchable at the Paley Center for Media in New York and Los Angeles. So the only way to watch them publicly is to go to the Paley Center for Media in one of the those two states. But besides that it seems unlikely either of the two pilots will ever be officially released to the public unless Disney has any interest of releasing the pilot episodes whatsoever especially with licensing fees and such from preventing to releasing them that easily. But maybe with more awareness of these pilot episodes, more material from them can get found, especially that they are watchable at the Paley Center for Media in New York and Los Angeles, although it’s unknown if cam recording the pilots at those two states is allowed or not. Although information of both of the pilots have been heavily documented online like the Muppet Central site, thanks to fans that saw the pilots at the Paley Center and likely did notes while they were watching them.
So either if a cam recording or a raw rip surfaces unofficially or even officially, the two pilot episodes of The Muppet Show from 1976, remain to be seen online, which the rest of the material of the two pilot episodes of The Muppet Show remain lost to this very day.
Sources: • WOWT 6 Omaha - "The Mu...
lostmediawiki.com/The_Muppet_...)
muppetcentral.com/guides/epis...
muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Episod...
muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Episod...
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