The Adventures of Letterman
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Letterman was an animated skit that was a regular feature on the 1971–1977 PBS television series The Electric Company
.
Created by Mike Thaler, this super hero spoof debuted during The Electric Company's second season, and quickly became one of the show's most popular segments. There were 60 Letterman segments produced from 1972 to 1976.
Joan Rivers
, describes a simple, everyday situation. The villainous Spell Binder—dressed in a white coat and turban
—would express disgust at what was going on. He would then use his trusty magic wand
(stored beneath his turban) to change a key letter in the word (e.g., "custard" to "mustard").
Havoc would ensue as the result of Spell Binder's actions; for instance, in the above example, the people who were enjoying flavorful custard
suddenly and unknowingly began eating red-hot mustard
, causing them to turn red and burn from the mouth. Spell Binder would then revel in his fun.
After the narrator expresses despair at the situation, the heroic Letterman—having observed the situation from afar—jumps into action. He replaces the incorrect letter with a more appropriate one that was conveniently placed on his varsity
sweater
(e.g., "Ripping a 'c' from his varsity sweater ..."), after which time the situation was resolved and things went back to normal. Spell Binder expressed disgust and frustration that Letterman once again foiled his fun ("Curses" or some similar line), while Letterman was sometimes invited to join with the people he helped in whatever they were doing.
Sometimes three different words ("watch," "witch," and "itch") would come into play.
In the second part, a re-composed Spell Binder has been placed behind bars. The narrator of the episode declares, "This looks like the end of a fiend," which inspires Spell Binder to use his bent wand as a letter "r" to change "fiend" into "friend." A strange-looking monster appears and the narrator exclaims, "I didn't know he had any friends!" to which Spell Binder answers back: "We went to school together." The monster bends the bars of Spell Binder's prison cell, allowing him to slip out and escape.
Stronger than silent 'E (removing the "e" at the end of "tube")
Able to leap capital 'T' in a single bound! (A sign for Tessie's Diner resembling the "T")
It's a word, it’s a plan...it's Letterman! (majestic three-note fanfare)
In that one-time parody skit, Jim Boyd
played the Spoil Binder and Skip Hinnant
played Litterman.
, Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University, criticized the Spell Binder as a negative racial stereotype "who resembles those turbaned Arabs in the escapist Arabian Nights films of the fifties and sixties." Shaheen finds these segments discontinuous with Sesame Workshop
's realistic portrayals of other minorities.
The Electric Company
The Electric Company is an educational American children's television series that was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for PBS in the United States. PBS broadcast 780 episodes over the course of its six seasons from October 25, 1971 to April 15, 1977...
.
Created by Mike Thaler, this super hero spoof debuted during The Electric Company's second season, and quickly became one of the show's most popular segments. There were 60 Letterman segments produced from 1972 to 1976.
Typical story
In each segment, the narratorNarrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, describes a simple, everyday situation. The villainous Spell Binder—dressed in a white coat and turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
—would express disgust at what was going on. He would then use his trusty magic wand
Wand
A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar...
(stored beneath his turban) to change a key letter in the word (e.g., "custard" to "mustard").
Havoc would ensue as the result of Spell Binder's actions; for instance, in the above example, the people who were enjoying flavorful custard
Custard
Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as...
suddenly and unknowingly began eating red-hot mustard
Mustard (condiment)
Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
, causing them to turn red and burn from the mouth. Spell Binder would then revel in his fun.
After the narrator expresses despair at the situation, the heroic Letterman—having observed the situation from afar—jumps into action. He replaces the incorrect letter with a more appropriate one that was conveniently placed on his varsity
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
sweater
Sweater
A sweater, jumper, pullover, sweatshirt, jersey or guernsey is a garment intended to cover the torso and arms. It is often worn over a shirt, blouse, T-shirt, or other top, but may also be worn alone as a top...
(e.g., "Ripping a 'c' from his varsity sweater ..."), after which time the situation was resolved and things went back to normal. Spell Binder expressed disgust and frustration that Letterman once again foiled his fun ("Curses" or some similar line), while Letterman was sometimes invited to join with the people he helped in whatever they were doing.
Sometimes three different words ("watch," "witch," and "itch") would come into play.
Special episodes
Though nearly all episodes of the segment were stand-alone stories that followed the same general story line, there were some exceptions. One episode functioned as an origin story, portraying Letterman's childhood and growing up. Another story line, in which the Spell Binder was caught by Letterman and put in jail, was told over the course of two episodes. In the first part ("Betterman, or You Can't Keep a Good Man Down"), Spell Binder sneaks into Letterman's home in order to exact revenge for being foiled, time and time again. He spies upon Letterman, who happens to be packing away all of his letters into a trunk as he prepares to go on vacation. Spell Binder changes the "trunk" into "junk," then proceeds to shrink Letterman down to six inches tall by changing "junk" into "shrunk." However, Letterman then changes "shrunk" into "hunk," which restores his college-football-player physique. He then proceeds to bend Spell Binder's wand, rendering it useless, setting Spell Binder to breaking down and crying.In the second part, a re-composed Spell Binder has been placed behind bars. The narrator of the episode declares, "This looks like the end of a fiend," which inspires Spell Binder to use his bent wand as a letter "r" to change "fiend" into "friend." A strange-looking monster appears and the narrator exclaims, "I didn't know he had any friends!" to which Spell Binder answers back: "We went to school together." The monster bends the bars of Spell Binder's prison cell, allowing him to slip out and escape.
Introduction
Faster than a rolling 'O (running past a big red "O")Stronger than silent 'E (removing the "e" at the end of "tube")
Able to leap capital 'T' in a single bound! (A sign for Tessie's Diner resembling the "T")
It's a word, it’s a plan...it's Letterman! (majestic three-note fanfare)
Cast
- Zero MostelZero MostelSamuel Joel “Zero” Mostel was an American actor of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as Tevye on stage in Fiddler on the Roof, Pseudolus on stage and on screen in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Max Bialystock in the original film version...
—Spell Binder - Joan RiversJoan RiversJoan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
—Narrator - Gene WilderGene WilderGene Wilder is an American stage and screen actor, director, screenwriter, and author.Wilder began his career on stage, making his screen debut in the film Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. His first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers...
—Letterman (most of the time—some early episodes use a different voice actor)
Parodies
Letterman was parodied as the live-action Litterman during the sixth season of The Electric Company. In the lone segment, the Spoil Binder changed a woman sitting on a park bench ("sitter") into a pile of garbage ("litter"). After the litter begins reeking, Litterman arrives to correct the situation.In that one-time parody skit, Jim Boyd
Jim Boyd (actor)
Jim Boyd is an American actor, born in Philadelphia.Boyd spent four years in the Air Force and studied at the American Academy for Dramatic Arts....
played the Spoil Binder and Skip Hinnant
Skip Hinnant
- Career :Hinnant's first major role was as Cathy's boyfriend Ted on The Patty Duke Show from 1963 to 1965, and Schroeder in the original cast of Clark Gesner's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown during its original off-Broadway run in 1967, where his brother, Bill Hinnant, played Snoopy.He is best...
played Litterman.
Criticism
Jack ShaheenJack Shaheen
Jack G. Shaheen is Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University. He was also a consultant on Middle East affairs for CBS News....
, Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University, criticized the Spell Binder as a negative racial stereotype "who resembles those turbaned Arabs in the escapist Arabian Nights films of the fifties and sixties." Shaheen finds these segments discontinuous with 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...
's realistic portrayals of other minorities.