“HEY YOU GUUUUUUYS!”
SHOUT! FACTORY AND SESAME WORKSHOP ARE
GONNA TURN IT ON WITH THE HOME VIDEO DEBUT
OF “THE ELECTRIC COMPANY”
From The Creators Of “ Sesame Street ,” PBS’ Emmy Award-Winning Children’s Show, Starring Morgan Freeman, Bill Cosby, Rita Moreno, Mel Brooks And More, Arrives As A Four Disc DVD Set On February 7th
LOS ANGELES , CA – Shout! Factory announces the DVD release of The Best Of The Electric Company, available for the first time on home video. The wildly popular 1970s-era Emmy award-winning children’s television series was created by the non-profit educational organization Children’s Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) and featured an ensemble cast with Morgan Freeman, Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno, with voice-overs by Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Joan Rivers and Zero Mostel. The Short Circus provided a youth element to the cast, featuring Irene Cara and others. With its roots in the Motown Sound, Broadway and “The Carol Burnett Show,” “The Electric Company” became a cultural phenomenon of the ‘70s, teaching children basic reading and grammar skills, with an emphasis on fun. The four disc set, which features 20 of the best episodes in true nostalgic glory, new interviews and more, is available on February 7th for the suggested retail price of $49.98. As with all Sesame Workshop products, proceeds from the sales of the DVD’s will help fund their educational projects around the world.
The Best Of The Electric Company DVD features a wealth of bonus features including new interviews with Moreno, creator Joan Ganz Cooney, executive producer Sam Gibbon, head writer Tom Whedon (“Golden Girls,” “Alice”), and Short Circus member June Angela. Show trivia, new episode introductions by Moreno , classic outtakes, and a fun Karaoke version of “Silent E” round out the discs’ extras.
Targeting children aged six to ten , “The Electric Company” aimed to teach basic reading and grammar skills to its young viewers through sketch comedy, songs and animation. Even well known characters joined the cast of The Electric Company; Spider-Man emerged from his comic strip and Road Runner cartoons were modified to teach reading lessons. Viewers will fondly remember live action and animated skits such as The Adventures of Letterman and Love of Chair, as well as the original music (several songs, such as “Silent E” were written by satirist Tom Leher). The Best Of The Electric Company includes all the recurring, best-loved personalities, such as Easy Reader, Spell Binder, Fargo North, Decoder, Jennifer of the Jungle, J. Arthur Crank, and more.