The Best of Elmo

The Best of Elmo is a 1994 Sesame Street video originally released on VHS as part of the "My Sesame Street Home Video" series.

In this video, Elmo prepares for the "Monster Art Show", but he must choose only one of his drawings. He shows the drawings to his friends, who all like his drawings so much that he gives them the drawings. Will he have any left to enter?

Plot

It all begins as Maria leaves the Fix-It Shop carrying a large board of wood, Elmo walks by and accidentally bumps into her, dropping a bunch of pictures from his hands. After Maria helps pick them up, Elmo reveals that he's bringing them to the Monster Art Show, and wants his friends to help decide what picture is best. Maria notices a drawing with Ernie...

Maria tells Elmo that she likes the previous drawing the most, which Elmo, to her surprise, says she can keep (as there's plenty more pictures to choose for the show). Maria spots another picture and asks where he got all his IDeaS; Elmo says it's because of using his imagination.

Meanwhile, at Finders Keepers, Ruthie startles Elmo as he handles a Chandelle boa. After Elmo regains posture, Ruthie looks at his pictures and learns that he intends to display them at the Monster Art Show, which was where she had bought some pictures. She notices two of his pictures, one of him scaring Julia Roberts and one of him sitting on a ledge while wearing tap shoes.

Elmo assures Ruthie there's lots of drawings left for the show, as The Two look at a couple of more pictures. She finds one of the number 3 (from Elmo's number collection), and another with two backup singers. Elmo explains the latter is AbOUT the number 5, despite having no numbers on the picture.

Now at the Park, Elmo has laid his drawings on the ledge, commenting about how he's already just given out a few of them. Zoe suddenly appears, sees Elmo’s pictures, and asks if she can keep some of them, especially one with Elmo and Telly, one with Elmo and Whoopi.

Grasping the previous two pictures, Zoe notices two more – one with a face and one with trees. Elmo, meanwhile, starts to feel bummed as the number of pictures gets smaller ("It's not easy being the best.").

Zoe departs, taking the pictures she likes. Elmo decides to pick the best drawing for the Art Show, but finds he has only one picture remaining. Elmo shows his last picture to the viewer – a drawing of Elmo playing the piano...

Elmo decides it's time to pick the best drawing for the Monster Art Show, but finds he just has the last picture remaining in his hand. He decides to hang it up at the show, but a sad blue Honker comes by, explaining that he's never gotten one of Elmo's pictures and feels left out. This leaves Elmo with a conundrum, asking the viewer what they would do. He realizes that friends' feelings are more important than a contest, and generously gives his last drawing to the Honker. However, now Elmo feels sad that there's no pictures left to enter, and walks away.

Then Elmo finds everyone gathered in front of 123 Sesame Street looking at his pictures, and explains his problem. They all decide to give their pictures back, with Maria telling Elmo that he can return the pictures to them after the show. Elmo gleefully thanks them for their good deed, but now faces another problem: what picture should he pick for the show? Everyone laughs together as Elmo asks the viewer what they liked best. and the credits roll.

The cast of Sesame Street

• Ruth Buzzi as Ruthie
• Sonia Manzano as Maria

Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets

• Caroll Spinney as Big Bird
• Martin P. Robinson as Telly Monster/Mr. Snuffleupagus/Announcer
• Bryant Young as Mr. Snuffleupagus (Back Half)
• Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn/Zoe
• Jerry Nelson as Herry Monster
• Kevin Clash as Elmo/Wolfgang the Seal/Hoots the Owl
• Jim Henson as Ernie

Additional Muppets performed by Joey Mazzarino, David Rudman, Carmen Osbahr, Pam Arciero, Jim Martin, Noel MacNeal, Peter Linz, Rick Lyon, and Tyler Bunch.

Crew

• Executive Producers: Kathleen Minton, Todd Kessler
• Produced by: Emily Squires
• Directed by: Emily Squires, Richard Hunt, Lisa Simon, Jon Stone
• Written by: Sonia Manzano, Judy Freudberg, Tony Geiss, Jeff Moss, Nancy Sans, Norman Stiles
• Muppets, Costumes and Props by Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop supervised by Ed Christie with Peter MacKennan, Rollin Krewson, Connie Peterson, Stephan Rotondaro, Mark Ruffin, Laurent Linn, Carlo Yannuzzi, Fred Buchholz, Mark Zeszotek
• Muppet Coordinator: Kevin Clash
• With Special Appearances by: Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts
• Associate Producer: Angela Santomero
• Songs by: Chris Cerf, Sarah Durkee, Tony Geiss, Bob Golden, Jeff Moss, Norman Stiles
• Editor: John Tierney
• Assistant Editor: Andy Turits
• Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
• Graphic Designer: Mike Pantuso
• Art Director: Mark Kara
• Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
• Makeup and Hair Stylist: Evelyn Suarez
• Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova, James Dark
• Post Production Supervisor: Cynthia Albanese
• Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
• Props: Wayne Spoor, Thomas Henry, Julie Wigg
• Outside Props: Ron Paul Vail
• Property Master: Tina Zeno
• Associate Director/Stage Manager: Cher Jung
• Unit Manager: Jackie Davies
• Master Electricians: Dave Sonnenberg
• Light Board Operator: Ed Tindall
• Lighting Director: Mitchell Bogard
• Camera: Rudy Carames, Barbara Drago, Dave Driscoll, Rick Mendoza
• Technical Manager: Neil Morrison
• Technical Directors: John M. Lutz, Paul Spitzer
• Audio: Gary Silver, Mark Schultz
• Audio Assistants: Tricia Reilly, Mark Deadman
• Sound Effects: [...] Maitland
• Video: Dennis Michels
• Utility: Tim Stringfollow, Mark Cummings
• Engineer in Charge: Frank O'Connell
• Post Production Coordinator: Pamela B. Ginsburg
• Production Manager: Christina Delfico
• Assistant to the Producer: Danette DeSena
• Production Associate: Tim Carter
• Production Assistants: Randy Gladding, Edie Hoback, Ruth Luwisch
• Post Production Assistant: Peter Rivera
• Executive in Charge of Production: Janice Burgess
• Special Thanks to: Marjorie Kalins, Sharon Lerner, Tish Rabe, Leslie Raicer
• "Sesame Street" and the "Sesame Street" sign are registered trademarks and service marks of Children's Television Workshop.
• © 1994 Children's Television Workshop Sesame Street Muppets © 1994 Jim Henson Productions, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED