Classic Cameos: The Muppet Movie
Filed under: Classics, Fandom, Family Films
I think our original idea behind the Classic Cameos series was to pick one memorable cameo from a movie. However, The Muppet Movie is a long string of cameos, and why should I have to highlight only one? So many people pop up throughout the 1979 film -- my favorites are James Coburn, who owns the El Sleezo nightclub; Carol Kane's very silly "Myth? Yeth?" running gag; Mel Brooks in what's really more of an actual role than a cameo, as the mad scientist; and Orson Welles at the end of the film. If that sounds like enough cameos, I've barely started. The Muppet Movie also has appearances from Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Telly Savalas, Paul Williams, Cloris Leachman, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Edgar Bergen (and Charlie McCarthy), Elliot Gould and Big Bird. Director James Frawley supposedly appears onscreen briefly, but I'm not sure I'd recognize him. I've included two YouTube clips of cameos after the jump: Richard Pryor as a balloon salesman who gets Gonzo in a lot of trouble; and Steve Martin as -- what else? -- a rude waiter.
The Muppet Movie sometimes gets a "cameo for cameo's sake" feeling after you've seen two or three of them that have little to do with the plot and aren't that funny. As the years go by, however, I do get a warm sentimental feeling from watching various performers who are no longer with us -- including, of course, Jim Henson himself as Kermit the Frog.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-23-2009 @ 7:14PM
Joe said...
What about Frank Oz's cameo as the biker in the El Sleezo bar who throws Fozzie? ("Wocka, Wocka!")
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