Sesame Street: Big Bird's Story Time (1987-1996 VHS)



Here is the opening and closing to the 1987 and 1996 VHS release of Sesame Street: Big Bird's Story Time.

Release Date
September 8, 1987 (original)

September 3, 1996 (re-release)

Characters

 * Big Bird
 * Mr. Snuffleupagus
 * Maria
 * Kermit the Frog

Sketches

 * Kermit the Frog
 * Oscar the Grouch
 * Gilbert & Sullivan
 * Telly Monster
 * Gordon
 * Susan
 * David
 * Bob
 * Luis
 * Olivia
 * Linda
 * Ernie
 * Rapunzel
 * Prince
 * Humpty Dumpty
 * King's Men
 * King's Horses
 * Cow
 * Witch
 * Magic Mirror
 * Pig
 * Big Bad Wolf

Songs

 * At Your Library
 * Imagine That

Synopsis
Big Bird and Snuffy are gathered in Big Bird's nest area for story time. Maria is all ready to read them a story, but they discover they've forgotten a storybook, so they go to the library.

While Oscar looks for some Grouch literature at the library, Gilbert and Sullivan and the cast sing about what else he can find "At Your Library".

Back at the nest, Big Bird and Snuffy are unable to find another book due to the library being closed. However, they got a newspaper instead from Hooper's Store for Maria to read to them, specifically the "Fairy Tales" section where they read the article about Princess Rapunzel...

News reporter Kermit the Frog reports to Rapunzel about needing help when she is stuck in a big tower, when a brave and handsome prince comes by to rescue her. He asks her to lower her hair so he can climb it up to the tower, but as she does, the hair falls off. The Prince says she'll leave it with Kermit.

Next, Maria finds an article about Humpty Dumpty. Big Bird says he remembers how the rhyme goes. The scene transitions to the news: Kermit reports to one of the king's horses about Humpty Dumpty's big crash, just like in the rhyme. The men and horses (including the king's cow, who is pretending to be a horse) cooperate to repair Humpty Dumpty, until he's back together again and everyone cheers. Kermit gives him a congratulatory slap on the back, he falls off the wall again. Then the king's horses and men begin blaming Kermit for the trouble he caused.

Next, Maria finds an article about Snow White. She reads about the Wicked Witch asking the Magic Mirror who's the fairest of them all. We transition to the news, where The Wicked Witch from the Snow White story plans to fool the mirror into saying that she is the fairest -- but she hasn't counted on Kermit hiding behind a curtain. When she sees him, she realizes that he really is pretty good-looking.

Following the articles read, Big Bird thinks it's silly that Sesame Street News has only one reporter on its entire staff, and wakes up Snuffy (who has dozed off) to tell him how much fun it is to imagine all those fairy tale characters.

Ernie sings "Imagine That" about things that he sometimes imagines to be: first a knight in shining armor who battles a dragon, then a sailor, and finally, himself.

Snuffy tries suggesting Maria to tell him a story involving three animals, but forgets what kind they are. Maria thinks it might be the story of "The Three Bears," and tells the story, with Big Bird and Snuffy imagining themselves in the role of Goldilocks (via illustrated thought balloons). Big Bird and Snuffy then fall asleep halfway through the story and after Maria finishes it, she begins to tip toe away. Snuffy wakes up and remembers that the animals in the story he wanted to hear about were pigs and Big Bird also wakes up. So, Maria turns to the article about the three pigs:

In the news scene, Kermit interviews one of The Three Little Pigs, the one who built a straw house. The Big Bad Wolf comes to blow it down, but the house is actually too strong, and everything, including Kermit, is blown off-screen.

Maria claims that that's all the fairy tale articles she's read today. Big Bird and Snuffy then take a nap as she leaves. Kermit enters the scene, stating he's getting tired from his job, and joins in napping, as the video ends.