The Electric Company is an educational American children's television series which was produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) for PBS in the United States. PBS broadcast 780 episodes over the course of eight seasons, from 1971 to 1977. After it ceased production that year, the program continued in reruns until 1985. CTW produced the show at Reeves Teletape Second Stage in Manhattan.
The Electric Company employed sketch comedy and other devices to provide an entertaining program to help children of elementary-school age develop their reading skills. It was intended for children who had graduated from CTW's flagship program, Sesame Street. Appropriately enough, the humor was also that much more mature than what was seen there.
The original cast included Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno (it was Moreno who screamed "Hey, you guyyyyys!!" to open the show in seasons two, five, and six and first screamed the phrase in episode 19), Bill Cosby, Judy Graubart, Lee Chamberlin, and Skip Hinnant. Most of the cast had done stage, repertory, and improv work, with Cosby and Moreno already well-known from film and television. Ken Roberts, who was best known as a soap-opera announcer, was the narrator of some of the segments during the first season.
(Above information from Wikipedia)
6 comments:
What a blast from the past. The Electric Company was hysterical. Thank you for taking me down memory lane...and a good one.
-Bradley
I used to watch The Electric Company. Thanks for reminding me of a good memory from my childhood!
Yep, I remember The Electric Company very well. And they are coming up with a new version of it: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/arts/television/12elec.html?ref=education
It won't be the same, of course.
I had just Graduating from High school in 1971.
Hugs and God's Love and Blessings-Mike G. said that(It's an A.A.thing)
I remember this so very vaguely...I think it went off the air when I was still very small. I do remember the "Hey you guys!" cry, though. I had no idea Morgan Freeman was in this! Thanks for the memories, CC!
You're welcome. It was fun for me too. I was surprised that Morgan Freeman was in it too, so I chose him. For the more well known actors, I figured he would be the most surprising. He is such and accomplished dramatic, dignified actor now.
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