Sesame Street: Old School
Encyclopedia
Sesame Street: Old School is the title of a series of DVD
releases produced by Sesame Workshop
, featuring the first episodes of the first ten years of the PBS
series, Sesame Street
, plus highlights from this era. The first volume "1969-1974," was released by Sony Wonder
in Region 1 (North America) on October 24, 2006. The second volume, "1974-1979," was released by Genius Entertainment
on November 6, 2007. Each set featured 3 discs in a box set.
The first DVD set was also released by Abbey Home Media in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2008, coded Region 2, and rated "U" by the BBFC
. It has not been announced when the second volume will be released in the UK.
While most DVD releases by Sesame Workshop focus on segments from more recent years of Sesame Street, these DVDs are aimed primarily at adult viewers who grew up watching the series in the 1970s.
Among the most notable extra segments is one of James Earl Jones
counting to 10 (which was actually created before production of the series officially began (it was a test film shown to children to gauge effectiveness of the format), and Jesse Jackson
leading a group of children in reciting his poem, "I Am - Somebody
".
Given the format of Sesame Street, many of the animated and Muppets segments featured in this set, especially those seen in the first episode, would be replayed on the series well into the 1990s.
Included on Volume 1 is a half-hour promotional film from early 1969 hosted by Muppet creator Jim Henson
's trademark characters Kermit the Frog
and Rowlf the Dog
that was created to sell the idea to potential sponsors. The second set features one of the test pilots that were shown to groups of Philadelphia children in July 1969.
On the first release, each episode is preceded by a newly made animated segment introducing the episode, featuring "Bob" (a blobbly-type human not related to Bob McGrath
, done in the style of the era) telling his memories of the show, and how it developed; notably, the segment that precedes the first episode from November 1969 includes Bob reading a disclaimer warning parents that the DVD is aimed at adults and that these early episodes no longer necessarily reflect the most commonly accepted practices in preschool programming. This disclaimer is also used on Volume 2, where each episode opens and closes with new animated segments featuring the anthropomorphic typewriter created by Jeff Hale.
produced specifically for the show, 123 Sesame Street (this musical segment, cut from the end of the 1973 season premiere, was a rerun segment from an earlier episode from that year).
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
releases produced by Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
, featuring the first episodes of the first ten years of the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
series, Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, plus highlights from this era. The first volume "1969-1974," was released by Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder is a children and family's music and home video arm of Sony Music Entertainment, founded in 1991. The division once distributed material from Sesame Workshop and Classic Media...
in Region 1 (North America) on October 24, 2006. The second volume, "1974-1979," was released by Genius Entertainment
Genius Products
Genius Products was an entertainment company based in Santa Monica, California, United States.On December 5, 2005, Genius Products, Inc. announced a distribution joint venture with The Weinstein Company called Genius Products, LLC, with Weinstein holding a 70% stake...
on November 6, 2007. Each set featured 3 discs in a box set.
The first DVD set was also released by Abbey Home Media in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2008, coded Region 2, and rated "U" by the BBFC
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
. It has not been announced when the second volume will be released in the UK.
While most DVD releases by Sesame Workshop focus on segments from more recent years of Sesame Street, these DVDs are aimed primarily at adult viewers who grew up watching the series in the 1970s.
Among the most notable extra segments is one of James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
counting to 10 (which was actually created before production of the series officially began (it was a test film shown to children to gauge effectiveness of the format), and Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
leading a group of children in reciting his poem, "I Am - Somebody
I Am - Somebody
"I Am – Somebody" is a poem written in the 1950s by Reverend William H. Borders, Sr., senior pastor at Wheat Street Baptist Church and civil rights activist in Atlanta, GA. It is recited often by Reverend Jesse Jackson...
".
Given the format of Sesame Street, many of the animated and Muppets segments featured in this set, especially those seen in the first episode, would be replayed on the series well into the 1990s.
Included on Volume 1 is a half-hour promotional film from early 1969 hosted by Muppet creator Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
's trademark characters Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
and Rowlf the Dog
Rowlf the Dog
Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson....
that was created to sell the idea to potential sponsors. The second set features one of the test pilots that were shown to groups of Philadelphia children in July 1969.
On the first release, each episode is preceded by a newly made animated segment introducing the episode, featuring "Bob" (a blobbly-type human not related to Bob McGrath
Bob McGrath
Robert Emmet "Bob" McGrath is an American singer and actor best known for playing the human character Bob on Sesame Street. He was born in Ottawa, Illinois. McGrath was named for Irish patriot Robert Emmet....
, done in the style of the era) telling his memories of the show, and how it developed; notably, the segment that precedes the first episode from November 1969 includes Bob reading a disclaimer warning parents that the DVD is aimed at adults and that these early episodes no longer necessarily reflect the most commonly accepted practices in preschool programming. This disclaimer is also used on Volume 2, where each episode opens and closes with new animated segments featuring the anthropomorphic typewriter created by Jeff Hale.
Alterations
Several segments were replaced on the DVD versions of the episodes because of rights issues, including a musical number by Stevie WonderStevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
produced specifically for the show, 123 Sesame Street (this musical segment, cut from the end of the 1973 season premiere, was a rerun segment from an earlier episode from that year).