Sesame Street - Hello, is Harald there?

[teletubetodd]

This may be my favorite Sesame Street cartoon of all, for such a wide, funny variety of voices, as well as the ironic juxtaposition of his call for politeness with his own rudeness. Thanks for bringing this childhood memory back.

[TheRadicalworship]

Dullah

[cstoczyn]

Jim Thurman Voiced In This Cartoon

[RCast]

The guy sounds like he is voiced by the same guy who would later do the voice for Dirk Niblik on Square One TV.

[67nairb]

That name is actually with o not an a as in Harold Lloyd. I think only in Scandanavian countries is Harold spelled with two As. For example the present day king of Norway's name is Harald.

[d72jjpilc]

I remember this, especially the quips '2 lines with a line across the middle' and '...use politely when we answer the phone...' One question - is the voice of the narrator in this clip the same as the one who narrates 'King Minus' and the one who reads the 'A'-words (...begins with the letter 'A') on 'Arthur and Annie Look for an A'? Sure sounds like him. Hello, anyone?:) Thanks!

[maidenrulz1]

Reminds of that song from the movie Crazy People-Hello, hello, hello, what a wonderful word hello! LOL!

[whitecrow222]

it's funny in both languages.....

[zacandtaylorrule]

"You have to be very polite each time you answer the phone. HELLO!!!" Not very polite the last time was he. And who is Harold and why does he get so many calls?

[CelesteK]

Do you have the one with the one guy starts reciting words that begin with the letter F and the other guy says: "I"ve got a word that begins with the letter F. Finished!" and he pulls down a roller shade and the first guy says "FUNNY!"

[swarlock]

This really happened to me years ago.

[lustre5]

I'm almost inspired to make a crank call.

[JGCooney]

I thought the lecturer sounded like Ridley Crown/Blue Falcon and Space Ghost!

[JOHNSTAGS]

Actually, it was Gary Owens from "Laugh-In" :)

[tesubcalle]

Sad thing is, when two little children, inspired by this skit, attempted this prank ("Hello, is Harold there?"), they got told: "Yes, hold on..."

[gringging]

Has anyone seen another Gary Owens clip done for the letter "I", where his character introduces it, and some other guy off-camera keeps interrupting him, then Gary's character talks about being "impolite" and goes off camera to settle it once and for all. Hilarious!! Probably the funniest letter clip around.

[swarlock]

I'm looking for that one too.

[dnm728]

FYI the voice of the man who keeps getting interrupted by the ringing phone is Gary Owens (of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In").

[jeffkahl]

Gary Owens or Don Pardo? I think it sounds more like Don Pardo.

[jeffkahl]

on second thought I recant...

[JOHNSTAGS]

It's Gary Owens

[d72jjpilc]

@jeffkahl Now that I think about it, I'm tempted to think Gary Owens is the narrator in this clip (and, for that matter, also plays that role on 'King Minus' and 'Arthur and Annie Look for an A').

[heyheyheydude]

sponsored by Verizon wireless.."HELLO! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?!?!?"

[DiAnno13]

Again, I love the fact that he pronounces "often" properly, so it sounds like "coffin". Not like those who have deluded themselves into thinking it's pronounced "off-tin".

[Teankun]

"Hello is a word that we should use politly each time we answer the phone." **ring** "HELLO!!!"

[CanadaFamilyMan]

You beat me to it, Teankun! I wanted to be the one to say that! :) Anyway, H is certainly not the simplest looking letter. 3 strokes. Many others have only 1 or 2! Oh well, the point comes across.

[jalabi99]

I learned phone manners from this cartoon, I swear. "Hello, is Harald there?" "There's no one here by that name (hangs up politely)". Great stuff!

[DiAnno13]

Me, too. If anyone calls asking for Harold, I know just what to say.

[uofmrules1]

He also forgot to say "Sorry!...Okay goodbye."

[videoguy100]

That's true.

[DiAnno13]

Perhaps they were trying to reach Mr. Hooper.

[DiAnno13]

Operator! I've been cut off!

[MIKECNW]

Good one but the last few seconds were cut off.

[mstatz]

I don't think so. I just cut the cartoon on the very last frame!

[67nairb]

@mstatz It was supposed to have a little music toward the very end. I know cuz I rembember seeing this skit when I was little.

[uofmrules1]

@MIKECNW It was just the ending music, that's all.

[MIKECNW]

@uofmrules1 Uh I know that.

[mstatz]

Hey, this video I posted today made honors for the day. Isn't it an honor when you make honor!!

[DiAnno13]

Ah, for the days when people knew how to pronounce the word "often".

[mstatz]

I pronounce the word "often" correctly too, just like the way this guy does!

[DiAnno13]

Me too. It's not often you hear it pronounced correctly.

[DiAnno13]

There was a neat little bit of music at the end: "Dananananana dunDUNdun."

[rollingchild4]

Same thing for the spanish version of this Sesame Street cartoon, the letter H for Hello...Is Harald there?: Hola

[rollingchild4]

Same thing for the Spanish Version that Nantoreturns posted very recently and also this old school music appeared on Rocket Countdown 10-1 countdown D (Rocket Countdown 10-1: The rocket shoots water) posted by BipBippadotta.

[jeffkahl]

yeah what happened to it?!

[jbl1975]

My friend was tempted, after having his phone disconnected, to call the number asking if he had any calls because everyone and their brother kept calling it asking for him. LOL

[Lectronimo]

Classic little cartoon.

This one didn't so much teach me the letter H, but rather a great little prank phone call bit.

[ISNorden]

*chuckle* I never knew that other kids pulled that stunt until I saw it in books, movies and other TV shows. What you want to bet that CTW pulled this cartoon after parents told them "my six-year-old almost got our phone service pulled"?

[mstatz]

I'm old enough to remember the rotary phone. Does anyone else out there remember the phone with the dial? The word "dial" is still used. We hear..."dial 911 for an emergency". I always thought..."how can I dial 911 when there is no dial but only buttons on the phone"!

[rollingchild4]

I would like to see the spanish version of the letter H for Hello...Is Harald there: Hola. Do you have the spanish version of the letter H for Hello...Is Harald there? If you have it , please upload this Sesame Street clip by request. Thanks.

David Ho

rollingchild4

[mstatz]

Unfortunately, I don't have that one. I faintly remember it though.

[ISNorden]

Heck, those of us who can't afford high-speed net accounts still have to settle for "dial-in" even though nothing is pushing the phone buttons (let alone physically dialing).

[DiAnno13]

We had a rotary phone. It was a rather strange colour, kind of an off-fleshtone.

[sortashaman]

Dang; we had one of those as late as 1988! I saved an old rotary phone from my dad's house, but it was Basic Black...

[rollingchild4]

There is also a spanish version of this Sesame Street cartoon, the letter H for Hello...Is Harald there?: Hola

Thanks for uploading this clip. Really liked this telephone ringer from the "6-Button Phone" and enjoyed this clip, Hello...Is Harald there? Thanks

David Ho

rollingchild4