From Muppet Wiki

The Great Santa Claus Switch was a Muppet television special that first aired on CBS on December 20, 1970.

Jim Henson's Muppets had made several successful guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and in Christmas of 1970, when Sesame Street was starting to become popular, Ed gave Jim Henson and the Muppets a whole hour of his show as a Christmas gift.

The Great Santa Claus Switch was a full-on Henson production -- written by Jerry Juhl, music by Joe Raposo and puppets by Don Sahlin.

Notes

• This special included Gonzo's very first appearance. He was then known as Snarl (or the Cigar Box Frackle) and remodeled and reused for The Muppet Show.
• The Great Santa Claus Switch is currently available for viewing at The Paley Center for Media.

Cast

• Jim Henson: Fred, Lothar
• Frank Oz: Thig, Skippity, Hoppity, Boppity, Snerf
• Jerry Nelson: Thog, Zippity, Snivelly
• Richard Hunt: Bing, Frackle with a match
• John Lovelady: Bong, Snake Frackle, Scoff, Snerf, Alarm Frackle
• Danny Seagren: Gloat, Snarl, Snerf
• Fran Brill: Snerf
• Additional Muppet Performers: Marilyn Sokol, Byron Whiting, Greg Antonacchi, Cary Antebi, John Byrum

TV Guide: December 12, 1970

Jim Henson on set of the special.

External links

• Tough Pigs' Transcript: The Great Santa Claus Switch