Scooter

Recommended music: Brooks & Dunn – Boot Scootin’ Boogie

On this #SomethingElseSunday, we’re still celebrating 70 years of the Muppets! From the Palisades Toys Muppets line, it’s Scooter!

Scooter first appeared in 1976, just a few minutes into the very first episode of The Muppet Show. He sometimes joined the regular skits on stage, but his main role was as the stage manager or “gofer.” For example, he’d say, “I’ll go fer coffee; I’ll go fer sandwiches; I’ll go for anything you need, etc…” In the first season, there was a running joke about Scooter’s uncle owning the Muppet Theatre, but Scooter stuck around long after that joke ended, showing up in every episode during the show’s five seasons. Most episodes included a behind-the-scenes moment where Scooter would tell the guest star, “15 seconds to curtain.”

Like Kermit and Miss Piggy, it is hard to picture any Muppets production from the past 50 years without Scooter. He has been an active part of dozens of Muppets films, television shows, and other appearances in the decades since The Muppet Show. Richard Hunt performed the character from the beginning up through Muppet*Vision 3D in 1991. Following Hunt’s passing the following year, Scooter did actually go through an eight-year absence before returning for Muppets in Space. Several performers stepped in to provide the voice or puppetry for Scooter over the next decade, before David Rudman fully took on the role of performing from 2008 onward.

Scooter’s importance to the brand was reflected in the Palisades Toys line, which featured three unique releases and a few variants. The first figure of Scooter was included in the third wave in the line while the packaging (and Scooter’s jacket) were still celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Muppet Show. While a headset and stage door were considered to be packed in with Scooter, later released with Rizzo and the actual Backstage Playset, Scooter did still come with a good amount of accessories. These include: a base, a box of Chinese food, a clipboard, a cupholder (with two to-go cups), a megaphone, a radio, and a skateboard. The figure looks great and is a must-have for fans of the character and his part in The Muppet Show.

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