The Electric Company

[radhead]

How many people remember this show from PBS? I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned in this forum yet. It was produced by the Children's Television Workshop, the same people who created Sesame Street. It featured Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, the lovely Judy Graubert, Bill Cosby, and a cast of teenagers, among others.

It ran from 1971 to 1977 and remained in reruns through 1985. Anyone who attended elementary school during those years was likely to have seen it.

What were your favorite memories of this show? One of the most popular was the Adventures of Letterman.

I also liked the song about Silent E. Some of the illustrated images they used in that song fascinated me for some reason. The would show things like a dam turning into a dame, or a twin turning into twine, by adding the letter e to the end.

I found a lot of their little animated shorts really fascinating.

 

[£amb]

I remember it. I was very young at the time. I remember seeing people's mouths saying two sounds so they could combine into a word.

 

[radhead]

Yes, I remember those too. I don't think I ever really learned anything from watching the show. But it was entertaining. The same with Sesame Street.

 

[faithnprayer]

how about conjuntion junction... whats your function?

 

[faithnprayer]

also the preamble song.

 

[bill'swife]

I totally remember this...I loved it!!!

We're gonna turn it on
We're gonna bring you the power
We're gonna light up
The dark of night
Like the brightest day
In a whole new way

We're gonna turn it on
We're gonna bring you the power
It's coming down the line
Strong as it can be
Through the courtesy
Of The Electric Company™

from The Electric Company Theme
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
© 1971 Jonico Music

 

[radhead]

I loved that song. I also like the closing music. It was some kind of instrumental. It reminds me of coming home from school (finally), being home for a while, about the time when my dad was coming home. Right before evening.

 

[CarrieAg93]

I remember it. I remember the pinball machine.

 

[Missing]

how about conjuntion junction... whats your function?

School House Rock! We bought this about a year ago:



I remember The Electric Company too, but not quite as well. But then, I was born in 75, so I caught it in reruns. For those who want to relive the memories:

 

[Brother Jason]

I remember it I do believe, didn't Bananna-Ramma (hope I spelled it right) get there start on there? Lol, course I think they finished before they got started!

 

[Oblivious]

I used to watch the show, and I got the magazine as well

 

[JPPT1974]

You know who played a character named E-Z Rider...
None other than Oscar Winner Morgan Freeman

 

[Provision]

I remember HEY YOU GUYS!!!!

 

[JPPT1974]

So do I my friend!

 

[Serenpidity24]

WOW! A blast from the past! LOVED The Electric Company, Schoolhouse Rock ***mind flashing back to -- conjuction, conjunction what's your function?
Three is a magic number***

I loved Irene Cara, Rita Moreno and Mr. EZ Reader-Morgan Freeman on The Electric Company...ahhh, thanks for the flashback guys! (LOL)

 

[Kelly]

I remember Morgan Freemen stepping into camera to say his phonetic sound or word or whatever, looking disinterested, like he just put his cigarette out offstage. "B" "Buh....Boat"

LOL

 

[JPPT1974]

Also I remember Spider-man being on the Electric Company as well!

 

[allmyluv4Him]

Does anyone else remember something about noodles? lol. I remember a guy singing about noodles and his living room was covered in spaghetti noodles... May be the wrong show..idk..

also, I remember the two heads forming sounds to create a word.

 

[Mskedi]

Yep -- that was the "Spaghetti with a spoon" skit (to teach the sp- words).

Unfortunatly, that one isn't on the DVDs.

I love the DVDs, but I wish everything were on there. They've got Letterman, Spiderman, Silent E, Easy Reader (the best!), the plumber, Jennifer of the Jungle.... oh yeah. My family got together a month or so ago to watch them together and it was fabulous. My little brother was too young to have seen any, and he was both shocked and amazed by the show.

It still maintains its entertainment value, and, as a reading teacher, I can vouch for its pedagogy.

 

[radhead]

There was a learning book character called Noodles. It was like a ghost worm or something weird like that. We would listen to tapes and read along in the books.

The voice of Noodles was Judy from Electric Company. She had a very distinct voice. I liked her.

I think I remember the spaghetti skit. There was another skit where a boy's mother bought him new white sneakers. He sang a whole song in tribute to his old sneakers which had served him well. Then at the end he threw the new ones in the trash and kept the old ones.