Criminal Capers: The Secret Knock - Classic Sesame Street

[Garrettk41]

Who knocks just one time anyway?

[d72jjpilc]

I remember these clips - this one, 'The Golden AN,' and 'Lefty Recites the Alphabet' are both comical and instructional! Though, of course, the 'Lefty' in this one is different than the one in the other two.

[d72jjpilc]

It's been a while since I've seen these gangster clips from Sesame Street (with the famous foghorn sound), but the Lefty in this clip (blue-colored Jim Henson) is different from the Lefty in, say, 'Lefty recites the Alphabet,' and 'The Golden AN' (green-colored Frank Oz). Thanks for posting!

[ProfessorIgor]

THAT, THAT is where that foghorn sound came from !! I always remembered it as a kid.... THESE skits.... OMG.... thanx !!!

[RSLindsay]

You could call these guys "wise guys" -- except they're not very smart, are they?

[PandaMishima]

They must have forgotten about the back door!

[muppetfan33]

The end used to frighten me as a kid,

[mightycowhero]

i want the instrumentals to the intro music

[PetLadybug]

damn cool 70's tv before all the PC crap - imagine a kids show with an ash tray on the table - LOVE IT

[shydmples]

cool music

[raposofan]

I agree - sometimes it's hard to believe the same gentle little guy who composed "Bein' Green" could turn right around and knock authentic 1970's blaxploitation funk right out of the park like this.

[galaxyhigh73]

I gotta agree with ipodious- I had forgotten all about this until seeing it here. THanks so much for posting!!

PS the creepy "foghorn" is similar to the last chords in the Count's old organ music ;-)

[mel4pat2000]

Could anyone imagine this being a part in a mobster movie with Joe Pesci and Robert DiNero using stronger language giving poor Lefty a hard time? LOL!

[RReneeS]

Lefty is like Tweek from South Park. I was just waiting for him to say, "This is way to much pressure!"

[PandaMishima]

It is rather odd that the back door doesn't seem to have any locks, esp after all the fuss! I just hope Lefty has a good place to hide!

There were several of these "noir" bits in the 70s, as I recall. They were always up to something sneaky, but stealing the golden AN was the only real crime I recall.

[DRUMMERMAN77]

with both using the same intro and outro music

[drkatz33]

Lefty is different to the 'golden AN' version....they must have changed Lefty's.... he was like Darren on Bewitched :-)

[Garrettk41]

I'm guessing that up until soon after this, the Lefty we know was known simply as "The Salesman". They probably decided to use these caper-like clips more often but felt that the character of Lefty was all wrong. Then it hit them that the salesman would be just right to use. As for the boss, they figured his voice and attitude were just right, but that he needed a more distinctive appearance.

[drkatz33]

I think they realised this version of Lefty was miscast... The new Lefty probably put in a blinder of a screen test and the part was his... Our maybe the new Lefty slept with a producer or something

[DRUMMERMAN77]

the boss is mumford's brother

[MuzikJunkyAES]

Oh, man, where's a digital sampler when you need one? Always wanted to beat the living **** out of that blue guy played by Jim Henson. Peace.

[ipodious]

I forget about some of this stuff until I see it here on YouTube again then I remember perfectly!

[bboytramp]

Wait a minute, that sounded like Ernie's voice!

[kananase]

And later on they found Lefty and killed him.

[doggstyla]

lefty sleeps with the fishes.

[DiAnno13]

Lucca Brazzi sleeps with Lefty.

[canusa11]

I remember the sound all the locks made hahaha this is SO nostalgic. If "Lefty" didn't get clipped, Bennie was going to!

[Dnrothx]

Coolest...sketch...ever!

[DragonLord1975]

Lefty almost got WHACKED!

[wattamack4]

Hmmm,I don't think I remember seeing this one before.

[wattamack4]

Never mind,this brought back a memory.

[DiAnno13]

That's not a very good secret knock. They should come up with something more secret, like "shave-and-a-haircut..."

[jbn0817]

Did Issac Hayes or Curtis Mayfield write the score for this skit? Sounds funky enough to be either of them. Anyway, happy memories from childhood.

[ishmia9]

THE FOG HORN WOO HOO

[dookurulez1414]

This stuff was and is still great. Gotta love the music.

Thanks

[jeopardy60611]

Poor Lefty--he's shaking in his boots! What's he so nervous about? I suppose that this skit came out before the song "Knock Three Times," so he had nothing to go on. :-)

[guantanamo]

this stuff is GOLD!

WHoever is uploading all this Sesame Street stuff is making my life happy

[MuppetPro]

Jim's hilarious when he performes nervious characters ;)

[jim92021]

Good thing they have all those locks on the doors; there are probably a lot of crooks in that neighborhood. (Of course, they left the bak door wide open...)

[askalarium]

How Rad is the music..awesome upload!

[StaceSesame]

why is it they gave alot of the muppets in the 70's just eyebrows but not eyes? :/

[jim92021]

Imagine how freaky these two would have looked without eyebrows!!

[LaGrias]

Actually...in my opinion, the green dude sounds a lot like Richard Hunt, who joined the Muppets in 1972, while the purple dude sounds like Carroll Spinney...

[Brettmania]

Yeah the green one is definately Richard Hunt, but the purple one is Jerry Nelson. For some reason, Carroll Spinney ONLY performed Big Bird and Oscar... no others. I saw in an interview he can imitate a pretty good Jim Henson Rowlf the dog voice. This sketch is awesome! A rare glimpse into the seedy crimminal underworld of Sesame Street.

[LaGrias]

You're probably right about this sketch, but I know for a fact that Carroll performed a few (only a few, mind you) Whatnots in the very, very early years of the show. I guess after Richard joined the team, Carroll could concentrate solely on his two characters.

[classicssmfan]

Caroll also performed Bruno the Trashman, not just Big Bird and Oscar.

[jim92021]

I made my debut in 1969... and my sister made hers in 1972. It's not important, just pointing it out.

[tpirman1982]

>>MacLeaper: Hmm- was this "Lefty" used before the green Lefty was brought on?

No, MacLeaper, Lefty The Salesman (green muppet) was first, debuted in 1969. This is from 1972. This Lefty came around in 1972.

[StaceSesame]

hey this was the same music in the golden AN skit. :D

[MacLeaper]

Hmm- was this "Lefty" used before the green Lefty was brought on?

[StaceSesame]

the poor guy Lefty was so scared he kept shaking. :O

[StaceSesame]

yeah he sounds like Lefty. :)

[StaceSesame]

oops i meant to say Lefty sounds like Ernie. :)

[tpirman1982]

I'd know both Lefty-s anywhere. The salesman is the green muppet and this Lefty is the blue muppet.

[barringtonbelinda]

I love this skit 5,000 times more than any blueberry / marshmallow sundae at Friendly's -- and that ain't no secret (!)

[pdrapac]

This I liked a lot. The secret knock is three, count them 1 2 3 knocks.

[DRUMMERMAN77]

also jim henson used his Ernie voice for lefty

[DRUMMERMAN77]

ITS THE SAME MUSICAL INTRO AS THE GOLDEN AN!!! RIGHT??

[sawing14s]

Yes, that's right.

[lakehouse1988]

right

[jonnytbird4789]

Hey. That ain't the Lefty I remember.

[tpirman1982]

Right. The Lefty muppet you remember is the salesman.

To summarize, Lefty the Salesman is the green muppet, voiced by Frank Oz. This Lefty is a blue muppet, voiced by Jim Henson, I believe. Am I correct?

[thekingof8]

I think the green lefty was around before this. And in one skit, he was performed by Carroll Spinney, but was usually voiced by Frank Oz