The show Orson Welles said was “the greatest thing to happen to television”
As one a fundamental visionary of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Orson Welles deserves eternal recognition as one of the most important filmmakers in history. His directorial debut, Citizen Kane, which premiered just before his 26th birthday in May 1941, remains an unparalleled masterpiece in terms of innovative storytelling and cinematography, securing its place as one of the most influential films ever committed to film.
While Citizen Kane garnered critical acclaim, it initially faced challenges at the box office due to an underwhelming promotional campaign. Undeterred by this setback, Welles persevered, establishing himself as one of his generation’s most accomplished and respected directors, remaining active until he died in 1985.
Welles’ impressive body of work was rounded out by classics, including The Stranger, The Lady from Shanghai, Touch of Evil, The Trial, and Chimes at Midnight. Best known for serious dramas and film noir, it would be rather far-fetched to associate Welles with comedy. He left that side of Hollywood to Mel Brooks, but that’s not to say he didn’t have a discerning eye for light-hearted material.
One of Welles’ lesser-known passions was comedy puppet shows, namely Jim Henson’s creation, the “Muppets”, and Sesame Street, the associated children’s show created in the late 1960s by Lloyd Morrisett and Joan Ganz Cooney. In fact, while speaking to Dick Cavett in 1970, just a year after its premiere on PBS, Welles described Sesame Street as “the greatest thing to happen to television.”
Nine years later, director James Frawley released The Muppets Movie, which marked Henson’s puppets’ first feature movie. Throughout the movie, a host of famous stars appear in cameo roles, including Dom DeLuise, James Coburn, Madeline Kahn, Telly Savalas, Carol Kane, Paul Williams, Milton Berle, Elliott Gould, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks and Cloris Leachman.
Also gracing the screen for a short cameo in the movie is Welles himself. When Kermit the Frog and a couple of his friends turn up to Hollywood looking to become “rich and famous” as the American dream had promised them, they must converse with a cigar-smoking executive portrayed by Welles.
After taking a moment to consider the muppets’ request, Welles spouts: “Prepare the standard ‘rich and famous’ contract for Kermit the Frog and company.”
Watch the scene and Orson Welles’ appearance on The Dick Cavett Show below.
