History Trivia / TheMuppetMovie

* ActorAllusion: One for Creator/MelBrooks: he has his profession written on the back of his suit, which he's done in many of his films before (''Film/BlazingSaddles'') and since.

** Director James Frawley had no prior Muppet experience; Henson and co. hired him because he ''did'' have feature film experience and they were new to that particular medium, but it did mean that he was an outsider to the tight-knit group and this led to on-set disagreements and tension. Austin Pendleton, who as Max was one of only two actors around for a significant chunk of the shoot (the other being Charles Durning as Doc Hopper), [[http://www.avclub.com/article/austin-pendleton-31009 didn't find it a happy experience]] as a result (save for working with Durning, a case of MeanCharacterNiceActor).

** Jim Henson wanted Doc Hopper to have a HeelFaceTurn at the end, but Frank Oz disagreed, and won out.
** Max was initially a minor character. Austin Pendleton was offered the role, but initially turned it down, feeling the part was too small. The Max character was rewritten, and about a week later, Director James Frawley convinced Pendleton to appear in the movie.

* Blooper: When Doc Hopper shoots Gonzo's balloons, two remain intact and one is yellow and the other is red as Gonzo lands atop the car. Cut a few frames later, and they've turned ''blue''.
* [[DeletedScene Deleted Scenes]]: Statler and Waldorf popping up at random points in the movie.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://www.toughpigs.com/anthmovie01.htm Visit here for an analysis on a draft script]], but the biggest one to note is the recurring appearance of '''Henry Kissinger''', whose entire schtick is that he's not cast in the movie, not even for the Framing Device. Hilarious in Hindsight again?

** Max was initially a minor character. Austin Pendleton was offered the role, but initially turned it down, feeling the part was too small. Director James Frawley rewrote the Max character, and about a week later, convinced Pendleton to appear in the movie.

** Despite the phenomenal success of ''The Muppet Show'', it was not easy to get financing for a movie that was to feature puppet characters as the leads, especially in a decade when most A-list films were aimed strictly at adult audiences, leaving Disney and independent outfits to pick up the slack of films appropriate for children/families with modest-to-low-budget, mostly critically-disregarded productions. In the end U.K. company ITC Entertainment, which backed ''The Muppet Show'' in the first place, bankrolled the film, which was released through related company Associated Film Distribution.

** Despite the phenomenal success of ''The Muppet Show'', it was not easy to get financing for a movie that was to feature an all-puppet cast, especially in a decade when most A-list films were aimed strictly at adult audiences, leaving Disney and independent outfits to pick up the slack of films appropriate for children/families with modest-to-low-budget, mostly critically-disregarded productions. In the end U.K. company ITC Entertainment, which backed ''The Muppet Show'' in the first place, bankrolled the film, which was released through related company Associated Film Distribution.

** An extra verse in both "Movin' Right Along" and "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along."

** A longer conversation between Doc Hopper and Max before they encountered the rainbow-colored studebaker.
** Gonzo's reasons for hitting Fozzie's studebaker were originally different. Doc Hopper, while eating breakfast in the back of his limousine, accidentally sprayed a bottle of maple syrup onto his clothes. He attempted to clean the mess up with some tissues, but those ultimately got stuck to his suit. Eventually, tissue-covered Doc somewhat resembled a giant chicken, which distracted Gonzo.

* InMemoriam: The movie is "dedicated to the memory and magic of Creator/EdgarBergen", who'd died shortly after filming his cameo appearance in 1978, and who was a major influence on Jim's early work.
* RealitySubtext: Creator/EdgarBergen and Charlie [=McCarthy=] made their last appearance in the film - Henson was inspired to make the Muppets because of him. Bergen died not long after his scene was shot, and the film is dedicated to him.

** "Never Before, Never Again" was originally supposed to have been sung by Johnny Mathis. After Mathis recorded the song, Jim Henson figured it would be much funnier if Miss Piggy sang it. But Mathis' version of the song wouldn't go to waste - it was featured in the television special ''The Muppets Go Hollywood''.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Of course there are lots of cameos, but among the major human parts...
** [[Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou Governor O'Daniel]] is running a line of frog leg restaurants!
** Max went on to head [[Film/ShortCircuit Nova Robotics]].
* HeyItsThatVoice: Max later appeared in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' as one of the tank fish, Gurgle (the one who's obsessed with cleanliness).

** [[OBrotherWhereArtThou Governor O'Daniel]] is running a line of frog leg restaurants!

** Jim Henson wanted Do Hopper to have a HeelFaceTurn at the end, but Frank Oz disagreed, and won out.

** "Never Before, Never Again" was originally supposed to have been sung by Johnny Mathis. After Mathis recorded the song, Jim Henson figured it would be much funnier if Miss Piggy sang it. Mathis' version of the song was featured in the television special ''The Muppets Go Hollywood''.

* InMemoriam: The movie is "dedicated to the memory and magic of Creator/EdgarBergen", who'd died shortly after filming his cameo appearance in 1978.

** Frank Oz wanted Hopper to have a HeelFaceTurn at the end, but Jim Henson disagreed, and won out.

** Henson wanted Hopper to have a HeelFaceTurn at the end, but Frank Oz disagreed, and won out.

* RealitySubtext: Edgar Bergen and Charlie [=McCarthy=] made their last appearance in the film - Henson was inspired to make the Muppets because of him. Bergen died not long after his scene was shot, and the film is dedicated to him.

** Max was initially a minor character. Austin Pendleton was offered the role, but initially turned it down, feeling the part was too small. Director James Frawley rewrote the Max character, and about a week later, convinced Pendleton to appear in the movie.

** Henson wanted Hopper to have a HeelFaceTurn at the end, but Frank Oz disagreed, and won out.

** Henson wanted Hopper to have a HeelFaceTurn, but Frank Oz disagreed, and won out.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://www.toughpigs.com/anthmovie01.htm Visit here for an analysis on a draft script]], but the biggest one to note is the recurring appearance of '''Henry Kissinger''', whose entire schtick is that he's not cast in the movie, not even for the Framing Device. Hilarious in Hindsight again?

* HeyItsThatVoice: Max later appeared in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' as one of the tank fish, Gurgle (The one who's obsessed with cleanliness.)

HeyItsThatGuy: Of course there are lots of cameos, but among the major human parts...
* [[OBrotherWhereArtThou Governor O'Daniel]] is running a line of frog leg restaurants!
* Max went on to head [[Film/ShortCircuit Nova Robotics]].

HeyItsThatVoice: Max later appeared in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' as one of the tank fish, Gurgle (The one who's obsessed with cleanliness.)

* Max went on to head [[ShortCircuit Nova Robotics]].
HeyItsThatVoice: Max later appeared in ''FindingNemo'' as one of the tank fish, Gurgle (The one who's obsessed with cleanliness.)

* Max went on to head [[ShortCircuit Nova Robortics]].

HeyItsthatGuy: Of course there are lots of cameos, but among the major human parts...