An Episode of Sesame Street Pulled For Being Too Scary
The “Sesame Street” we know and love wasn’t always so sweet. Apparently, there’s an episode that was pulled and never shown again after it’s original airing on Feb. 10th 1976. I was one year old at the time and don’t remember it.
The episode stars Margaret Hamilton, the woman who played the “Wicked Witch of the West” in “Wizard of Oz.” The episode was so scary it led parents to write in asking if they could never show it again. The wicked witch shows up on Sesame in full green makeup and all.
The episode was lost for nearly 45 years. It was never seen again. This weekend though, it showed up on YouTube.
Like the “The Wizard of Oz,” the witch is looking for something. Not ruby slippers though… in this episode she looks for her “stolen broom stick.” The witch terrorizes “David,” played by Northern Calloway, during the whole episode to try and get her broomstick back.
Finally, at the end of the episode, the witch gets her broom back and flies away. “This is glorious!” she yells. Then, she shows off, and says a familiar line: “Look! No hands!” The broom falls out from beneath her, and David, Big Bird and friends catch it once again.
I’m not sure what the lesson was in this episode. I’ve watched clips of it a few times. It seems to be to teach children how to overcome their fears. That didn’t work though haha.
I’ve talked about this on the air before. The 70’s was filled with scary shows for children. Go watch “HR Puff n Stuff” or “Lidsville.” Eeeek!
The “lost” episode of “Sesame Street” is apparently in The Library of Congress. Watch it here before it gets removed again.
