Sesame Street: Creepy toys, robots, and satellites

[moatguy]

I remember in Australia when I was a kid the music to this and the music on the rocket clock in old playschool which in Sesame Street and Playschool's heyday were shown. First Sesame Street then Bananas in Pyjamas then Playschool. Today now that they've been moved around it's just not good.

[thornmallow1]

Wow! me too! I hated robots for years, This just reminded me of the museum of science and industry in Chicago. Ok yeah the silver robot is still scary. NO don't touch my blocks!! Hey, I used to use those soda bottles.

[xXThatFurryVixenXx]

This song gives me the creeps bad! I used to love it on the rocket clock on playschool though.. Thenagen, I have a strange fear of robots.. Add that to this music and bam! You've given me nightmares. Lol o_o

[robotmaker11]

1:23 I never knew they had put Heathkit Hero and Heathkit hero jr. in this! Awesome! :D

[DepthPerceptionPics]

When I was a child I thought, what this video in Sesame Street conveyed was how humans have come a long way in their inventions and technologies. To lifeless dolls and toys, to ones that wind up and move, then to robotics, and then ultimately space travel. What WOULD be scary is if they inculcated a video of nuclear testing and the aftereffects of atom splitting and radiation poisoning.

[bearcattony]

Actually not too bad until the last sequence with sparks, explosions, cymbals, rockets. That's what scared me when I was little.

[johneastmond]

Ramshackle toy sounds over NASA space footage. LOL!

[jeffyoung60]

This is great Sesame Street vignette. I think it spooks some people in a delightful way because of the antique toys operating without a human child operator and it is all set in a dark background. This contributes to the so-called, 'haunted house' effect this vignette displays. If I could re-make this video, it would be only antique toys; no modern technology included. This would truly make for a haunted house, spooky effect.

[patthedrummer85]

Like most here, I was freaked out by this film. Great music though - definitely got a New Orleans-dixieland band feel to it.

[adamzanzie]

Out of all the things in this skit, what scared me the most when I was a kid was that loud buzzer at 2:16

[ball3rinabab3]

OMG I used to adore this one! Thankyou so much for the upload!

[jfwfreo]

Thats not Cassini, that's Voyager.

[theHouseCat]

I remember this!! This music was the same as the Play School "Rocket Clock" so when I saw this, I was a little confused. And the robots... yeah they were a bit scary indeed.

[msbloweverythingup]

Is it weird that i like the creepy circus music in this??

[martinkhall]

Jesus Christ, are we sure this is an episode of Sesame Street and not Candle Cove?

[pedekiller]

ha i see cassini at the end, i guess back then it was only just launched too

[dancepiglover]

Where could I get this music?

[krupasex]

@dancepiglover the closest thing i could find was the inch worm by jack costanzo

[Hawkeyes711]

omg this used to scare the shit out of me when i was a kid and i LOVED IT

[MrMig14]

@Hawkeyes711 ME TOOOOO!!!! creeeppyyy!!!

[hyfroC]

2:36 to the end scared me for life. 

[Dmongillo1]

Oh my god thank god this off air it was scaring the hell out of me when i was little

[hell5309]

@Dmongillo1 Join the club.

[COMPFUNK2]

2:44 -- Who makes a doll with its eyes looking off to the side?

[mcwooley]

By the way, can anyone with a new adult perspective guess how the music is played (I'm asking you)? By robots (or other midi devices)? By humans only? By combination?

[kisekileia]

@mcwooley Sounds like real instruments to me. Probably trumpet, xylophone or glockenspiel, and piano.

[mcwooley]

Haven't seen it in over 14 years (I was almost 9 the very last time I saw it), thank you so much for posting it! It really scared me as a little kid, but when my little brother had was watching it again when I was 8, I thought it was amazing.

[PhriendlyPhantom]

I remember watching Sesame Street every day in the faint hope that they would play this video again. I got to see it several times but then they stopped showing it altogether. I searched for years in vain to find this video -- I could still faintly hear the music in my head and see some of the images. It's one of the most enthralling, exciting, inspiring, and magical thing I've ever seen. It certainly never occurred to me that someone could find it creepy -- only magical! Makes me cry in joy. :)

[Spa5tic]

wtf

dont know how children can get to the end of this :s

[375mlCoke]

Definitely one of my all time favourite Sesame Street pieces! I'd always be so happy when they ran it ^__^

[Nightmastercool97]

I never thought of it before of posting this but at 0:50-0:55 the robots look alot like R232 and 3CP0 from the Star Wars Movies.

[benamy02]

it kind of creepy but kool at the sametime

[gavlaing]

its the theme from the play school rocket clock!!

[ZombieBriscoe]

I'm 22 now, and remember seeing this on tv as a kid. I can state that it scared me to death every time I saw it. It's just mildly creepy/unnerving to me as an adult, but when I was younger I couldn't even be in the same room as the television when this particular segment was on.

[hell5309]

@ZombieBriscoe I feel your pain. I don't know about you, but I probably would have been fascinated by this had it looked brighter and more welcoming.

[durko83]

I watched every afternoon in hope that id see this video. Truly love it.

[Kankuro1216]

@durko83 Omg me too =D. Sadly i didn't see it again.

[SalasSnake]

at 2:40 - Set switch to "EPIC"

[mrman26]

I loved this back in the day

[Birdieupon]

I love they programmed a robot to play the keyboard... when they could have just programmed the keyboard! X-D

[Birdieupon]

The moment with the blue robots at 1.38 has stuck with me ever since I first saw this, though in slightly different ways!

[Birdieupon]

This is not eerie to kids (it certainly wasn't to me). It's only eerie to adults who spend too much time reflecting on the nature of robotics.

[atomicskier100]

Does anyone else remember this video when they were growing up? I remember it freaked me out! Still does! And i'm 21 years old!

[Spa5tic]

is it just me or is this creepy seriously if i was a child i would be fricked out!

[Jennafu832]

So, here's the deal. I watching this video just yesterday. Yes, it brought back memories from when I was a little kid. Yes, I used to enjoy this clip as a child, and I enjoyed it yesterday...yesterday. Today, all day, I've been humming this tune in my head. I now believe this to be the most annoying song ever played, and I can't get it out of my head. If it hasn't been suggested yet, this song should be played to torture enemies to reveal information. Just saying.

[BlackHallow55]

The clown doing flips used to scare me the most!

[Jennafu832]

I must have been a brave child, because this never scared me. In fact, I liked it- mostly for the music, though.

[WorldChallenge]

I would honestly run out of the room when this came on.

[robfergusonjr]

creepy toys? you ppl are whimps xD

[gameshowluvr86]

@schlooge Right? Kinda gave the song a manic feel... :-)

[Aneurysm06]

"Portrait d'un robot" composed by Janko Nilovic

Sesame Street

Air date November 17, 1986

[travelsonic]

@Aneurysm06 It's on Youtube once again. :D

watch?v=bW26QOIUnPI

[MrGrorg]

IM sorry Voyager and Saturn with the creepy dolls Im going to have nightmares again

[MrGrorg]

yes yes I always said this was so creepy I wasnt crazy lol

[thegenrl]

wow i havent seen this in 20years and still remembered this catchy tune. people who created sesame street are geniuses.

[durko83]

I always loved this. the music is golden...

\

[mightypotato]

Nightmare fuel.

[svahrsrdacwby]

This video used to creep me out a ton, Every time I see a robot I get the creeps.

[JaguarCats]

sky night is assuming control!

[LxEninja]

100% scared me as a kid-- but i can completely appreciate it now

[elyseshearer]

i am soooo relieved that i wasnt the only kid who thought this was a bit creepy.

[Chaliamusiclover]

I was looking for this.

[microbusss]

hehe I'll bet every single one of these toys is worth $100s XD

[WorldChallenge]

I ran out of the room until the robots came on.

[hell5309]

Though this scared me to death as a kid, I must say the sight of the wind-up monkey car doing donuts is quite funny.

[jfanderson87]

Sure this is kind of eerie, but as a kid, this was my FAVORITE thing on Sesame Street.

I think it's strange that people are commenting how this could scar children today or cause phobias... look at what kids TODAY are seeing in terms of movies and video games- they're not eerie, they're straight up violent! I'm dead opposed to censorship, but there is nothing here that'd cause phobias or problems for children.

[hell5309]

@jfanderson87 I think you should know that I would have loved this had it not looked so dark and eerie.

[Dabednego]

@jfanderson87 I agree. This was probably one of my all time favorite sketches because I love robots so much.

[TonyDuMont]

What was the name of the first piece of music? I heard it in its entirety on the "Fem Myror är Fler än Fyra Elefanter" Christmas episode.

[JonasClark]

@TonyDuMont Song is "Manège Aux Tuileries" from Janko Nilovic's "Jouets Musicaux" ("musical toys", 1974). Main song is "Portrait d'un Robot" from the same album. Took just about forever for these to be IDed, and lots of people were asking and searching - same as the music from the Sesame Street "How crayons are made" clip which had a similar search going on.

[panda374]

What was the point of this?

[electron2601]

the welding part with the sparks used to scare me and the wind up toy on the red car for some reason the rest didn't when I was a kid.

[leftyliz140]

0:04 Eloise!

This piece used to scare my older sister, according to Dad.

[hell5309]

@leftyliz140 I feel your sister's pain.

[Crossroadsinc]

The music is EPIC, I loved this as a kid, would love watching this over and over... you will NEVER get the music out of your head!!!

[WaddleDee105]

Sweet Jesus! Are they trying to LOWER the ratings or something? Good thing I never saw THIS skit as a kid...

[pmalone4]

This interesting until you realize this is actually a documentary on how Skynet was born.

[J81988]

i think they wanted to show kids about welding, robotics, and all other fields of engineering and manufacturing!!

[J81988]

I loved this ever since!!!!

[Hollowulm]

until the trumpet started this looked like a trailer for a horror movie

[Glitchhog]

I had completely forgot about this music for 15 years until now. Was it from this exact video? I can't remember where I used to hear it.

[mydecembermydecember]

@Glitchhog

I feel the same way. Parents are telling me it was the Rocket Clock on Playschool which sounds right. I remember it ending with the spinning rattle sound.

Funnily enough, I can't find any rocket clock videos.

[curtisbissantz]

that might be the most creepy and enthralling thing i've ever experienced. i've been officially creeped off you-tube. over and out

[glowworm2]

That music is awesome.

[jonnda]

@glowworm2 I used to get that theme stuck in my head after they took it off air... Eventually youtube was born and I could make it stop playing in my head by hearing it again.

[quirpco]

Isn't this from Poltergeist?? lol

[GreatfangArgo]

Ah yes, this segment...it's probably why I'm an Engineering Physics major today.

(I wish someone would redo it using a fresh copy of Portrait D'un Robot, some Zoids, assorted contemporary robots, the most recent round of Mars probes, and the New Horizons probe. Maybe it will provide my descendants with the all too rare passion for science...)

Janko Nilovc's "Portrait D'un Robot" is such an earworm...and since it's out of print, it took years and years to find a high-quality needle drop...

[powellpicc1985]

I was born in '85, and I recall seeing this on TV at age 3-ish...so that's my guess as to the date.

I think I might have been scared of this one as a kid...I know I was scared of the I Beam.

[ngiaquinto]

I've had the music stuck in my head for 17 years... Hence why I was able to find this video with little effort. What's even more scary is that I thought of this out of nowhere...

[DrPhrenology]

AAAiiiieeeeeeeeeee!

[singractr]

i remember RUNNING from the room whenever this came on and i'd go hide under my bed. this is still so trippy! 0.O

[italianking29]

I always think the music would be epic to hear in a porno

[ScottyBody407]

Okay, if I watch this again I think I'll shit my pants.

[JamiieL19]

To this day, this video STILL scares me and gives me the creeps.

[MrSecretlevel]

The shuttle's tank was orange, while the first two were white. So that clip can't be earlier than STS-3 in March 1982. Satellites weren't launched until STS-5 in November '82. Now, if you look at the satellite at 2:25, it's exactly the launch of Syncom IV-2 on STS-41-D, which landed Sept 5,1984.

Therefore, it can't be older than September 1984.

Does anybody remember where the exhibit where the robot plays the piano and spells your name? I remember visiting it as a kid in NJ or NY.

[hf995]

I also visited this exhibit as a child with my father. We discussed it and believe it to have been a corporate exhibit in midtown. It was probably for AT&T, IBM, or GM as best we can recall.

[NeoItoh]

@hf995 I visited it, too... what I remember most vividly was the model of E.T. It was the first time I'd ever seen E.T., and I remember it scared me a little.

[branchmedo]

I remember this too! It's one of my most fondly remembered Sesame Street montages. I wasn't scared by the toys at all, and even as a child I could understand the message behind it. From a clockwork toy to a space probe. They don't make children's TV like this any more. Thank you!

[aquaguy322]

0:54-1:05 Reminds me of the robotic Homer Simpson Mr. Burns tried to put together in one of the Treehouse of Horror episodes.

"MMMMMMM Donuts!"

[Crazy56U]

O_O ...did Tales from the Darkside inspire this shit?!?!

[GarfieldFan83]

Not to mention that legendary Aussie kids show Play School stole the music for their "Rocket Clock"...

[Brettmania]

I'd love to know who composed this piece of music, whether or not it was written especially for this segment, and the story behind it's use in Play School for the Rocket Clock. Hmmmm.

[Thorkgirlson]

Oh, man! I loved this as a child, one of my favorite Sesame Street skits, but now it's just creepy. And unlike many of you I'm not creeped out by the main theme song. It's the beginning, disturbing music box type music, along with the dark setting, that bothers me.

[pokinsmot]

its weird. i was such a BIG scaredy cat wussy as a kid. afraid of everything. but not this. i loved it.

[eggbenvera]

I always loved this, thanks for downloading. It's been about two decades since I've seen it!

[KSFCaptainAwesome]

This used to make me cry when I was a kid.

[rebrella]

I used to think these were evil. They still look kind of evil.

[tpirman1982]

I found this to be entertaining 'cause I'm nuts for electronic circuitry.

[TheJourneyWarrior]

Wow! This one was one of my absolute favorites for years ago, and I still love it! Thank you for finding it and uploading it for the rest of us!

[pliers1]

BUT, everyone, do you think Sesame Street would dare show anything like this today, that's pretty much just a sensory experience and that might stir emotions and feelings other than "I'm learning," "this is funny" or "Abby is cute"???

[doctorwhorox]

Although I get the point of this clip (to demonstrate the workings of mechanical machines etc), why on earth did they have to cobble together something like this that scares the absolute CRAP out of people (including grown women like me!). Sure it's fine and innocent when it's broadcast during the morning but wait till it gets to nighttime.... yeeeuch.

[grinick]

@doctorwhorox

it scared the hell out of me as a kid but I still loved it anyways. I had it taped on a VHS and watched it over and over again. There's something about the way the Voyager probe flies away from the camera at the end...

[maycel17]

There is a segment like this but instead they was a design that looked like an Oriental or Persian rug. There was really some really pretty music. Does anyone know what episode it was on or where I can see it on youtube?

[SilverEspeon26]

According to Muppet Wiki, the music is "Portrait d'un Robot" (Portrait of a Robot) by Janko Nilovic.

Besides that. I think that's the weirdest human robot ever, and also, the satellites after 2:38 all appear to be in CGI. Which is cool, because it fits with the whole "evolution of technology" theme in the short.

[travelsonic]

@SilverEspeon26 The song *used* to be on Youtube... disappeared as long time ago. Bummer.

[MenollytheBeagle]

I LOVED this! I always thought the mechanical hand was a lot like Luke's hand in Empire Strikes back.

[b2r1o0o6k8e8]

This is so awful! I'm scarred for life.

[FlamingSackOfPizza]

Anyone know where I can find the one where it's late at night and this kid's wide awake because there's a thunderstorm outside, and then a bunch of electronic toys just randomly turn on and start moving around and making lots of noise? That one scared the SHIT out of me, and it gave me sort of an apprehension to those singing dancing toys you see nowadays xD

[BVeyronGirl]

@FlamingSackOfPizza me too. lol! I like the music though

[newfreshreview]

Apparently, it possibly originates from this 1986 episode...

muppet.wikia. c0m/wiki/Episode_2226

It was re-aired in I think at least 2 more episodes, one of which was in 1988 when I think I saw it.

[newfreshreview]

I HAVE SEARCHED FOR YEARS FOR THIS SONG!!!

I do believe this song was used for other segments too.

THANK YOU!!!

[ZombieBriscoe]

Oh man, this whole segment terrified me when I was younger.

It still creeps me out a bit. There's something strange and unsettling about those old toys and robots with that dissonant music and racheting noises in the background...

[comgeek24]

This is insane, I feel like I could relive my whole childhood on YouTube. I remember the old toys both creeped me out and fascinated me as a kid. Thank you so much for posting!

[ORUPRANKSTAZ]

I'll take the heathkit HERO-1 @ 1:21.

Recycle that bottle! :D Yet ANOTHER thing a robot can do that humans are perfectly capable of doing but won't... lol

[stevenscottoddballz]

What was the robot spraying at 1:36?

I want the piano-playing robot at 2:03!

[altawchrist]

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS!!!!! THANK YOUUUUU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!! i always loved this, the mixture of music and everything moving like that, it just always captivated me. Again, thank you 4 posting this! :-)

[beckigreen]

That clear, giant robot and those spinning satellites scare the stuff out of me!

[aliweav]

I remember that, but yes it was sort of scary.... but the music is great!

[MarlboroShinobi]

i remember it super clearly too. this is why im 26 and like robots and anime robots.

[raynaharris]

hahaa it IS creepy

[RainMan34]

I remember this... used to scare the shit out of me

[TheFakePerson]

I remember this video - particularly the background music - very vividly from my childhood and I'm glad to find it again. I don't think it ever *scared* me, per se, but I can see how someone might find it creepy.

[RainMan34]

@TheFakePerson

I had nightmares about this shit. Erm, scuse me... night terrors. Just saying. 

[superlurf]

2:01 WOW! it plays the PIANO

[mxc82]

Somehow the toys moving by itself and such reminds me of the fireflies video by owl city, it's very similar.

[WorldChallenge]

0:15 this made me run out of the room.

[altawchrist]

@WorldChallenge lol :-)

[vlweb3d]

I can't believe people were actually creeped out by this. I remember watching this in the 80's as a kid. It never creeped me out then, and it doesn't now.

[venicemama5]

I love this one, especially the Sesame Street music. One of my favorites!

[wileyk209zback]

This reminds me of the toyshop scene in "The Great Mouse Detective"

[Adam19822000]

0:52 my brother had that

[Adam19822000]

For some reason, I was thinking about this the other day

[alphamone]

mupppet wiki says that the earliest known appearance of this clip was in a 1986 episode.

[brokensoul8390]

Bizarre...yet beautiful.

[joejumps4fun]

I remember (in the 80s) that small R2D2 like robot was on either 3-2-1 Contact or Mr. Roger's Neighborhood....probably the first. Anyone know the name of that robot?

[Gravidtron]

@joejumps4fun That robot is called Hero-1. It was actually a robot kit you could buy at hobby stores and assemble yourself. There's an active fan community who still collect, trade, and program their Hero-1 models to this day!

[pokemon5621]

who is that creppy dog and that owl looking at

[sweetlife031]

Yet another clip that scared the dickens out of me when I was younger lol

[whoselinefan1]

Does anyone know what the writing/company name is on the side of the yellow machines working on the car (like at 1:45)?

[AnArbitraryConstant]

Cincinnati Milacron!! ...which is still around today, but now it's just called Cincinnati Machine, LLC

[AnArbitraryConstant]

@AnArbitraryConstant Btw, this comment was supposed to answer the question from "whoselinefan"

[txag2011]

Being afraid of nearly everything as a little kid, strangely I liked this one. I loved the robot writing the numbers...

The music is amazing!

[BloodfestButterfly]

I've been looking for this for years...I loved it as a kid!

[DepthPerceptionPics]

Does anyone know the name of the music playing?

[somniloquist1]

I used to run in terror from the Wet Paint video, and Danger's No Stranger and Healthy Food didn't exactly make me comfortable. And yet this one? I loved it.

Guess only squishy living matter can scare me. Machines are friends <3

[imabeliever81]

@somniloquist1 really from wet paint and DNS monsterpiece theater scared me

[sonicfanornonfan]

@imabeliever81 what is dns?

[imabeliever81]

@sonicfanornonfan it is Dangers No Stranger. which is on youtube along with wet paint but they dont scare me at all i love those i really didnt like monsterpiece thater that theme scared me everytime it came on i went screaming for my mom LOL

[hell5309]

@somniloquist1 It wasn't the machines that scared me. It was the fact that they were shrouded in darkness and seemed to move completely autonomously (as though actuated by poltergeists).

[steventean]

how hard is this music 2 get outta yor hed?

[vigilante11485]

Honestly, without exaggeration, one day it played over in my brain from Friday evening right into Sunday morning!

[imabeliever81]

@steventean very hard believe me

[italianking29]

@steventean I always thought it would be funny to use as porno music

[Malitriora]

Omfg It's been so long since I've seen this.. still remember the song lol xD I love it.

[MachtMirSpass]

I was tramatized for life from this thing....

[omdahlre]

two decades later, this is STILL just as bizarre and strangely uncomfortable as it was when i was a young child.

[railfreak99]

the spanish sesame street has this video also

[belindausa]

it used to make me cry and freak out... even though as mentioned before it had the rocket music from Play School in it.

[prlad85]

Oh My God! This was so fucking disturbing when I was a kid. This wasn't Sesame Street material, this was some fucking John Carpenter type shit.

Have a great night, a great day tommorrow, a great night tommorrow, a great weekend, a great month, a great winter, a Happy New Year and a Happy New Decade! All the best in 2010 and beyond! Puerto Rican Love from New York City!

[OurStarChristineDaae]

Does anyone remember the short kind of like this with the kid in his room and he could make his toys go without touching them? I HATED that one!

[steventean]

ya did? y?

[PetetheJester]

i saw that when i was little and i stopped watching sesame street for a long time. do you know if its on youtube

[OurStarChristineDaae]

No, I looked and it wasn't.

[Ianflux21]

This is one of those videos that stuck with me from childhood, just like the robot scene from Superman 3. I'm still afraid of robots lol.

[TheRiggyRiggs]

Its Demonic Toys!!!

[steventean]

u wish

[randomcreatureface]

This was my favorite Sesame Street short when I was little! OMG! Thanks for posting! Is there a better quality one around?? Anyone??

[ueberRegenbogen]

That's not a satellite at the end. It's a computer rendering of one of the Voyager probes.

"And there's a creepy doll that always follows you! It has a creepy eye that's always open!" —Jonathan Coulton