Who was the first celebrity to appear with the Muppets? After all, the Muppets have a long history of performing alongside some of the biggest names from all manners of entertainment: film, television, Broadway, music, dance, and more. While most associate celebrity appearances with The Muppet Show (1976-1981), the truth is that working with the Muppets continues to be a draw for the stars of stage and screen. But who was first? If you said Juliet Prowse you are achingly close. Prowse was the first celebrity to appear on The Muppet Show. If you said Mia Farrow, congratulations (you win absolutely nothing, but still has to feel pretty good)! Yes, Ms. Farrow actually has that honor, and a good two years before Ms. Prowse.
'The Muppets Valentine Show' Kicks Things Off
Mia Farrow appeared on The Muppets Valentine Show, which aired on January 30, 1974, the first of two pilots for what would eventually become The Muppet Show. The episode begins with the camera capturing the main cast at a house, preparing for the show. In the foreground is Wally (Jim Henson), the writer/host of the show, typing the script as the show progresses. He announces that the show is about love, and asks what can be said about it. An answer from a purple, bird-like lady with a long nose dovetails into the cast singing "Love is a Simple Thing," with Farrow entering midway and the song ending with Crazy Donald (who would later be named "Crazy Harry," voiced by John Lovelady). Wally continues to ask the cast about love, which leads to the second musical number on the show, Kermit the Frog's (Jim Henson) "Froggy Went A Courtin'." The show then flips to Farrow's proper entrance through the side door (Farrow is pregnant with son Fletcher Previn at the time), where she chats with Mildred (Richard Hunt), the purple bird-lady, before joining Thog (Jerry Nelson), a giant blue monster, to sing "Real Live Girl." Farrow then spends time with Rufus the dog before the two sing "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms." Wally returns, now ruminating about love on other planets. The show then cuts to Kermit again, reporting from the planet Koozbane on their courtship ritual (the piece would show up again in Episode 7 of The Muppet Show). The show ends with the closing number "I've Got Love," performed by Farrow and the rest of the cast.
What Elements From the Pilots Remained in 'The Muppet Show'
The Muppets Valentine Show contributed a few elements that would form the structure of The Muppet Show to follow. The most obvious, of course, is the introduction of a celebrity host in Mia Farrow. Musical numbers proved to be a major component going forward, as did the concept of a host Muppet (with Wally a one-and-done). Some characters graduated from the pilot, most notably Kermit (who would become the host), Crazy Donald Harry, and George the Janitor (Frank Oz). However, the show was deemed to be far too saccharine, almost sickeningly so, and was devoid of the humor that would mark its kin. The second pilot, The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, went too far in the other direction, tapping into the manic humor and energy of the Muppets but lacking any sentimentality. The two extremes would end up being a blessing in disguise, allowing Henson to pick the elements that worked in both and bring them together for The Muppet Show, a near-perfect blend of humor and warmth.
The Stars Shine on 'The Muppet Show'... Eventually
Despite Farrow's willingness to go all-in, it proved to be difficult to attract stars to perform alongside the Muppets for the first season of The Muppet Show. Producers resorted to calling in favors from friends in the industry, practically begging for them to appear on the show. That all changed in Season 2. The show was a hit, for starters, which certainly helped, but then esteemed ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev appeared on the show. His appearance is credited as being the major door-opener to booking future guests. At the time, Nureyev was highly prominent in the industry, and once someone of his stature appeared on the show, everyone wanted to be on the show, and most in the prime of their careers no less. It wasn't just that he appeared on the show, but he wanted to be on it, despite knowing he was playing second fiddle to puppets. The show allowed him to showcase his talents and his sense of humor, offering a glimpse of the man behind the celebrity.
The Muppets Still Make the Stars Shine
The scope and talent that would show up to have fun on The Muppet Show borders on unbelievable. Rock acts like Blondie and Alice Cooper, country music legends like Loretta Lynn and Kenny Rogers, and screen talent like Sylvester Stallone, Steve Martin and a home-run with the appearance of Mark Hamill alongside a pair of well-known droids. After the show ended in 1981, the Muppets' series of movies continued to draw big names in cameo roles: Madeline Kahn in The Muppet Movie, Michael Caine in The Muppet Christmas Carol, and more recently Dave Grohl in the reboot film The Muppets and Tina Fey in Muppets Most Wanted. Throughout the years, there have been attempts to bring the Muppets back to TV, including the 1996–98 Muppets Tonight, and The Muppets, which ran from 2015-16. None of these efforts have matched the longevity and popularity of The Muppet Show, but they all still brought in A-list talent like Danny Trejo, Garth Brooks, Liam Hemsworth, and Imagine Dragons. Even the notoriously reclusive Prince (during his "the Artist Formerly Known as Prince" stage) appeared as a guest star, poking fun at his symbol-name and breaking into "Raspberry Sorbet" (hear it once, and you'll never hear "Raspberry Beret" the same again).
Making an appearance with the Muppets has been, and continues to be, akin to a rite of passage for any celebrity. Despite things being relatively quiet on the Muppet front of late, with scattered appearances of Muppets here and there (Kermit actually appeared on the March 2021 Season 5 premiere of The Masked Singer as the Snail), but there is a new series, The Muppets Mayhem, set to premiere in 2023 sometime, and the possibility of another Muppet project on the streaming service this year as well. And you can guarantee that the celebs will come out to play.