The Electric Company- Letterman

[coolassclay]

I remember Letterman when I was kid. In fact, The Electric Company was way better than Sesame Street. I'm gonna start a band and play that funky music lol!!

[hanoc101]

Letterman was so funny. A guy would be eating a bowl of soup and the evil wizard would change a few letters and make it poop. Letterman would come along and just happen to have the s and u on his sweater and save the day. Hilarious.

[plopnod]

That spellbinder was one son of a bastard.Changing an L to N in night was just SICKENING! He's dead now..I hear he got F'd up pretty bad

[coolassclay]

@plopnod he deserved it lol...

[stitch656]

It's a bird it's a plan It's Letterman!

[TheTalkeetna1]

That was cool riff, definitely pre-Disco by a year or two. Thanks to Letterman, I will not have to buy as many melatonin supplements, but even Letterman cannot change the amount of light during the winter months in Alaska.

[stitch656]

@TheTalkeetna1 Or can he? Buwahahahahaha!

[MsL0vie]

love that music!

[coolassclay]

@MsL0vie You? I love that tune too, it's pretty funky, to be honest with you.

[pinkdarkechoes]

Seems the evil Spellbinder hit this video twice.

[seoulsynergy]

Reminds me of a lot of great moments as a child.

[MIKECNW]

Funny how years later Bruce Springsteen had a song with the same title.

Like that guys comment.

"Boy that was sure a qick day."

[Riconnaissance]

Where's David?

[xDTHECHEMISTx]

i am so fuckin old man....reality just smacked the shit out of me after seeing and remembering this shit

[reyguel]

What was the segment called when a guy would bring this small guy a message on a sign . The guy would pronounce each word slowly until he got it right. Usually something bad would happen to him after he read it it right ( i.e " Do not b---other this giant (gy-ant) per---son")

[donniebuehrig]

Joan Rivers was the narrator?!? Can we talk here???

[51516]

Letterman defeats Al-Qeada!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayy!!!

[lisa6815]

And we actually learned from this so called simple show! IT WAS GENIUS! Thats why we can't understand why are kids can't spell ....they don't have great shows like we did....Now we have rapping cows! UGH!

[Wellch]

Wish that David Letterman did the voice of Letterman.

[Pinky39559]

I did not realize that was Joan Rivers doing the narrations for Letterman .

[StHolyshi]

Back in the late 80's, this lady took over on the Tonight Show. There was something so familiar about her, but I could never place it. All these years and facelifts later, Joan Rivers is still going strong, but she'll always be the narrator of Letterman to me.

[maryfbex]

Wow, awesome, awesome, awesome! I used to watch this all the time! I am soooo old!!!!! Sesame Street had nothing on the Electric Company, and the re-makes s.....tinks!

[ScorpioBornIn69]

How could I have forgotten Letterman. Doesn't it bring back the memories....memories of what shows I haven't seen for at least 25-30 years.

[ljude01]

holy crap I haven't seen this in over 25 years! God Im old!

[JohannaGotTalent41]

This brings back memorys

[t2t3456]

HaHa,,,,Letterman was awsome...back in the 70's, when someone spelled something wrong on the board, we cracked a joke that they needed help from Letterman...LOLOLOL....we used to have fun with this Letterman character...wow I miss those days....thanks for the post

[ChrislovesKrystal]

Hey, that's Joan Rivers doing the narration!

[Krazy3912]

This takes me back to when I was 4 years old. :-)

[kozmon0t]

Naw the best Letterman episodes were the one where he was dancing with a girl and it was his "big feat," and the villain turned it into his "big feet" and made him clumsy.

And the one where a farmer had a rake and the villain made it a snake, and Letterman turned it into a cake. Farmer never got his rake back.

Villain got revenge in the one where he turned Letterman into Wetterman.

[t2t3456]

@kozmon0t  holy crap...I remember....LOLOL....

[DominikDrinkhahn]

evil spellbinder, nasty bad bad bad...

[aaronquy1968]

@DominikDrinkhahn LOL I forgot all about evil spellbinder!

[12161euclid]

joan rivers is on "letterman" tonight! i just happened to watch this by chance today! how weird!

[bwkdesign]

The voiceover is Joan Rivers!

[bigpopparamma]

@bwkdesign

When I watched this show when I was a kid, I thought it was Rita Moreno doing the narrations. I never learned some years later that it was Joan Rivers.

Gene Wilder played Letterman and Zero Mostel played the Spellbinder.

[TruthBeTold1987]

Man.. I thought I would never see this stuff again.. This was the stuff live was made of..

[jefit]

God, I loved this when I was a kid. Much more entertaining than the gap-toothed perv with the same name, too.

[MarkieG100]

Who remember this???

[BobbyCrispy]

I started watching this video thinking it had something to do with David Letterman, oooops!

[shoredude2]

I was a child in the 70s and graduated in 89. And even all those years most of us remembered Letterman. The class that graduated before us did a Senior Show skit where the kids were at a party with beer and the spellbinder changed the b in beer into a qu. Needless to say no more Senior Shows after that.

[huckleberrymuffin]

@shoredude2 ROFLOL!  I love it!

[rosario508]

I just read on wikipedia that some Arab gut wrote a book about how Arabs are portrayed on T.V. and he specifically points to the Spell Binder as a negative stereotype.

[EyesOfRapture]

Arab? I always thought he was from India.

[suziemclean]

Oh, this was my favourite segment of the Electric Company :)

[deezvids]

hee hee... and as a small child watching these, i never knew that Joan Rivers narrated & Gene Wilder did the voice of Letterman...

but the funniest was that my mom used to confuse Superman with Letterman when she would try to get me out of bed in the morning. She would say: "Faster than a speeding bullet able to leap capital T in a single bound!" Even though those were childhood memories, thinking about that still cracks me up to this day. :)

[stanleypoint8]

Sigh, memories of yesteryears.... my first to see The Letterman after 30+ years.... - Manila , Philippines

[65JPKing]

Will we have owls as pets? Classic.

[ArxVirtus]

Joan sounds less hoarse here. She actually sounds more like her daughter Melissa. Does she smoke?

[leeroynaggins]

Thank god I grew up in the era of funk!

[bozoe6]

I didn't know that was Joan Rivers narrating.. I didn't even know that Morgan Freeman was in Electric company

[0DigitalGeisha0]

Oh for the love of all that is holy! Tha'ts Joan Rivers!!!!!

*lmfao*

[idesign2]

Wow, I totally forgot about Letterman, and I forgot that it was a segment of Electric Company. Thanks for posting!

[JGCooney]

What is the difference between the regular version and the HQ version of this post? Also, where is Tessie's Diner or is it made up?

[UdoShan]

That was JOAN RIVERS narrating? All this time and I NEVER knew that!

[PeaceOut2U07]

"I'm Letterman."

This is so awesome.

I have no need for exclamation points.

He IS Letterman.

[Wellch]

I almost expected to see David Letterman on the show. LOL

[winbergthinker]

I wonder if late night talk show "David" the other "Letterman" has seen this? I love the voice overs: so silly!  Laughter is a wonderful way to learn.

[hilojack1]

the early 70's was very acidic (hee hee hee)

[parkman35]

HAHAHHAHAH Joan Rivers the narrator!

[marktguitar]

It's unbelievable how many mega-talented people were on this show: Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Joan Rivers (narrator of Letterman), Gene Wilder (Letterman), Mel Brooks, Bill Cosby. Wow. And what nostalgia. It's like being 5 again, as forgotten memories tucked far back in the recesses of my brain have been stirred. It's a surreal experience watching this.

[mamaindigo4]

And look at the way you weave words today! Very well spoken. It would be nice if there was the same caliber of children's programming today. Things like Between the Lions aren't bad, but nothing can hold a candle to The Electric Company. I hear they're revamping it. I hope it works out.

[marktguitar]

They did revamp it. But I haven't seen it yet. I wonder what it's like? Ironically, we don't watch TV in our home, but I'll have to make an exception and tune in to compare. And thank you for the compliment!

[gladfan1989]

I saw maybe 30 seconds of the new EC. That new show is absolutely nothing compared to the original. My advice, stick to the original and don't waste your time with the new version.

[arkansoul]

@marktguitar Lesser known, but still famous(to me) names: Lee Chamberlain and Hattie Winston. Sooooooo many childhood memories. Makes you wanna cry sometimes. This was my childhood, man...

[67nairb]

@marktguitar Same here.

[mookeychase0907]

@marktguitar Yes it was if you coulda seen me fully attentive to the screen like I was in second grade again,lookin at my hero Letterman...

[smithefx1]

@marktguitar too bad all the new e. c. does is teaches white kids how to rap

[mpc3po]

@marktguitar --- i feel you!! perfectly stated... weird when memories are stimulated for the first time in decades...CRAZY phenomenon

[hypnodance]

@marktguitar Pretty impressive for a kid's show. :)

[jhutch524]

The Electric Company was sooooo much better than Sesame Street!

[acholl980]

Sesame Street (70's) was sooooo much better than Sesame Street

[jeanapheena]

i thought for years it was rita moreno doing the narrating. then hearing her voice on the GEICO commercial made a lightbulb go off in my head.

[jeanapheena]

i meant to say joan's voice on the GEICO commercial. didn't want to confuse anyone.

[sinatra1976]

I forgot how PIMPIN' the Letterman music was! George Clinton and Curtis Mayfield would have been proud..

[rockjohnson80]

Letterman was the P-Funk!!! If couldnt learn from PBS then your were slow.

[scebboaliwiw]

0:54

You know, that looks kind of familar... and fitting

[cne08]

Is Letterman's first name David?

[minorityop]

I thought it was Kathleen Turner who narrated Letter Man.

[thataceman]

Sorry, but it was Joan Rivers who narrated. Gene Wilder was the voice of Letterman.

[FireitupBedford]

I can't believe someone didn't pick up of Joan's famous voice.

[schroeder8911]

Wow, that show had a lot of big names who contributed.

[ITCJon]

Kathleen Turner was around 14 years old when these were made.

[Qermaq]

And Huey Lewis was 22. So what?

[Wellch]

Nothing to do with David Letterman.

[chozen17]

WOW...This brings me bk to my Childhood memories

[jdenicol]

Is it a word, Is it a plan? NOoooo It's Letterman! I haven't seen this in 35 years!

This program was fantastic in it's approach in teaching reading. My wife, who is a reading specialist, had said that she wishes that this show was on for the kids today. I tell you, I watched this (and other things like School House Rock) religiously as a kid, and some of this still goes through my head.

(I have to say, this show reminds me of a cross between "Godspell" and Sesame Street...)

[natlee2008]

This Letter man stuff is just fantastic. It takes me way way back. I appreciate the info about Joan Rivers and Gene Wilder.

[rockpoetDan]

I swear I feel like I am 5 years old again!

[jdoncbus]

I hear you man!

[sdaddyo67]

Great stuff!!!!

[mlg73]

That music is funky!

[hamletmiss2]

Joan Rivers was the narrator and Gene Wilder was the voice of Letterman for all you trivia buffs.

[pegbars]

FWIW, the animation was by UPA alum, John Hubley... ;)

[acholl980]

Hubley was the originater of Mr. Magoo.

[navyman4]

Boom chicka wow wow......listen to that GROOOOVY MUUOOOOSIC!

[adamcharney]

Hell yeah...my childhood was filled with that stuff. I'm so proud. :D

[xoxLettermanxox]

Wow to good for words. This video was so scary. you know them being in the dark and all. Neah kiddin it is toughing

[goodguy2k2]

I love it! Just realized it's Joan Rivers voice!

[USAGiant]

My favorite part of EC along with Spider man.

[CrappyApple001]

I like the one where he turns dracula into a woman by turning the words "The Count" into "The Cunt". What an episode... man was it hairy.

[cchavez1]

Fuck Yeah Letterman!!!

I use to watch this stuff on Ritolen in the 2nd grade!

Fuck in Evil Spell Binder!

He should have killed him!!!!

[SnowbirdFlock]

@cchavez1 Letterman sounds like a bored wimp when he says "I'm Letterman". Some villains are good for comic relief... not spellbinder. He's never in the least bit funny. They're good reading teachers tho

[dmariomc]

holy crap, Letterman destroyed NIGHT!

it will be forever daytime!

[FaytLinegod]

Yes, she was.

[trublgrl]

I LOVED "The Electric Company", with Spiderman, Rita (Rita Fr-kkin Moreno!), and Easy (MORGAN D*NG FREEMAN) Reader! And for my money, The evil Spell-binder was a JERK! SO THERE! Was Joan Rivers the narrator?

[zetareticuli4]

Scientific studies have proven that public television promotes homosexuality in house pets. Pass it on.

[Lectronimo]

No time! First I have to finish watching Sesame Street and then I have to dress up Rover for the Pride Parade!

[Redheadedtroll68]

That must be my cats problem, their both females.

[StoogeAtHeart]

If only we could see labeling words in the air that could be changed to make something else in real life. It would probably be illegal to change the words. Imagine removing the "ch" from "chair" when someone is sitting on it, turning it into air, and they fall! Great clip. Love the chaos at the end!

[patrickballoonman]

I remember a similar live-action skit called "Litterman." Judy Graubart narrated, Jim Boyd played the Evil Magician who changed a sitter (Janina Mathews) into litter, and Skip Hinnant was Litterman, who changed Janina back using the "s" from his Varsity sweater. The costumes that Jim and Skip wore were like those in the cartoon, Only Skip's sweater was black.

[heyheyheydude]

reminds me of that soap opera "The Edge Of Night."

[chrisradano]

Who, or what band, plays the funky music? Anyone know? Very cool. Excellent wah wah, horns, congas. Very 70's cool.

[MIKECNW]

Notice how some have the horns playing after Rivers announces and some just have him say I'm Letterman? I suppose it started out that way and maybe changed it later on.

[MIKECNW]

Whwn I was young I always wanted to do something like this.

Of course in reality this wouldn't of been funny at all.

[nirrad0791]

The way the Spellbinder looked in the night used to scare the shit out of me

[MeowMonkey]

Spellbinder Laxative: "It's magic!"

[nirrad0791]

lol.

[MeowMonkey]

I'm glad you didn't take that the wrong way.

[nirrad0791]

not at all :) it's great to share a sense of humor with someone.. Good chatting with you MeowMonkey