The Evolution of 10 Classic Muppets

This comment comes a bit late, but here's the reason I left a few key characters out: Rowlf the Dog - He's pretty much been the same since day one. There's not much difference between Rowlf in the 50's and Rowlf today, and that's fine. He's a great character, though, and I'm glad to see he has so many fans. Oscar the Grouch - Aside from being orange, Oscar's personality, like Rowlf, has really not changed much. Snuffy - I touched on Snuffy in the first installment of 50 Retired Sesame Street Muppets. I think I'd mostly be repeating myself if I did it again. Thank you for all your comments and support, everyone!

"Gonzo is one of my all-time favorite Muppets" Ah a man of exquisite taste I see! Personally my favorite Gonzo act has to be the classic motorcycle jump. Also his cannonball music performance in Muppets Tonight. Now THAT was art.

Fry: "I'm my own grandfather!" Grover: "I'm my own mother!!!"

The Count is definitely a vampire lol! He was giving the name based off the fact that if you throw salt at a vampire he must stop and count every grain of salt.

Carroll Spinney performed at Jim Henson’s funeral as Big Bird, singing “It’s Not Easy Being Green”, a song from The Muppet Show, ending his performance by saying “Thank you, Kermit” (Kermit’s original performer was Henson). And now Spinney is dead too...

I can’t believe he didn’t mention Oscar. He changed pretty drastically. He used to be orange.

You might be interested to know that the Count wasn't just a play on word of Count Dracula, it also came from a way of how people thought to deal with, "real vampires,"when they were believed in. They thought that the way to keep a vampire out of a village was to take some rice, as in a whole lot of it, dump it on the vampire's grave and he wouldn't be able to resist counting each grain. if you put enough the vampire would take all night to count the rice and wouldn't be able to bother anyone. That was the belief.

It's so weird hearing Elmo with a deep raspy voice lol

There's a reason he's called "the great" Gonzo is king He stands out

Elmo’s waiting for an elephant, precious. Yes yes yes!

Duh. of course the Count is a vampire. I knew that at three.

7:23 "eating a tire to the tune of Flight of the Bumblebee for example did not thrill anyone." that... that is extreme ahead-of-his-time humor. wow

Rip Jim Henson,Richard Hunt,Jerry Nelson, Carroll Spinney and others!!

There actually is a reason why Telly has an obsession with triangles, and it was all thanks to writer Lou Berger. In the book "Sesame Street Unpaved", he said: "I remember I was home sick once, and I was watching my kid play with some triangles. I realized that I wanted to give Telly something that wasn't just neurotic, but a passion for something outside himself--and that became triangles." Side note, I was so amazed to see the very first time Kevin Clash performed Elmo, even though he wouldn't "find his voice" until season 17, episode 2215. It's also good to know that we have confirmation on when exactly Kevin started playing the character, since sources varied on whether the year was 1984 or 1985. Production-wise, it's the former. Great video, Colin, just like your other Muppet/"Sesame Street" stuff!

Elmo sounded like he had been smoking for 70 years 😂😂

11:25 His favorite dessert is WHAT NOW.

Maybe season 1 Big Bird was so different because he had just hatched lol. I'm surprised Rowlf wasn't on the list; he's gone through quite a few changes.

I remember there was a movie where they said Gonzo was an alien

As a 70s baby, I am right in that Muppet-lover sweet spot. I'm old enough to remember when Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Caroll Spinney and the others were still young and these characters were still new-ish. These looks back are great. Lotta memories.

May you forever be remembered Carroll Spinney