The variety sketch seriesThe Muppet Showwas a touchstone of popular culture during the 1970s and early 1980s that featured many incredible celebrity guests. While the Muppets have remained consistently popular due to subsequent TV series, movies, and one-off specials, the unique characters created by the Jim Henson Company were at the height of their popularity during this show’s run. With appearances from iconic actors, performers, singers, and rock stars, the guest stars ofThe Muppet Showtruly were a who’s who of celebrity culture during the late 1970s.
By the timeThe Muppet Showendedin 1981, it had run for five successful seasons and amounted to 120 incredible episodes. With a litany of acclaimed guest stars,The Muppet Showkept itself interesting by leaning into the talents of its guest starsand being unafraid to take chances, give the celebrities a chance to make fun of themselves, and provide some good-natured family-friendly entertainment. Even though the originalThe Muppet Showhas been off the air for more than four decades, many of its guest stars skits and songs have remained beloved by viewers of all ages.
15Diana Ross
The Muppet Show: Season 4, Episode 24 “Diana Ross” (08 July 2025)
The Supreme’s star Diana Ross made a memorable appearance on the fourth season ofThe Muppet Showas her sweet and caring personality shone through when, after being booed off stage, she convinced Fozzie Bear to get back up and give his stand-up routine another shot. With a show-stopping rendition of “Love Hangover,”Ross’s innate star power and incredible charisma were perfectly paired with more zany aspects of the Muppets. Accompanied by an assortment of large Muppet birds, Ross was ever the professional as she danced and sang her way through the show.
14Gene Kelly
The Muppet Show: Season 5, Episode 17 “Gene Kelly” (01 August 2025)
One of the greatest aspects ofThe Muppet Showwas the sheer variety of its guests, as one week could feature an outrageous rock star while the next it was an icon of 1950s cinema like Gene Kelly. As an unmatched singing and dancing talent, a running joke throughout this episode wasKermit trying to convince a reluctant Kelly to perform “Singing in the Rain.”The episode even featured Kelly recreatingSinging in the Rain’s most iconic scene as he walked through a reconstruction of the famous musical’s set with an umbrella.
13Rita Moreno
The Muppet Show: Season 1, Episode 2 “Rita Moreno” (04 July 2025)
As one of just 21people to achieve a competitive EGOT(Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award), actress, dancer, and singer Rita Moreno can also add an acclaimed performance onThe Muppet Showto her impressive resume. Moreno’s memorable contribution was a rendition of the R&B classic “Fever” with an overexcited Animal on drums. This hilarious performance sawAnimal unable to control his incredible energy as he let loose on the drumset and overtook Moreno’s performance.
Rita Moreno’s performance of “Fever” with Animal won her the Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music Award at the 1977 Primetime Emmys.
12Vincent Price
The Muppet Show: Season 1, Episode 4 “Vincent Price” (04 June 2025)
The horror movie legendVincent Price fit in perfectly among the over-the-top antics of the Muppetsas he appeared in the ‘House of Horror’ sketch with Gonzo and Fozzie Bear. Price utilized his skill for playing sinister supernatural creatures as a vampiric, Dracula-like character accompanied by monstrous Muppets. It was a true joy seeing Price fully commit to the bit and proving himself an excellent, spooky, and esteemed temporary addition tothe cast ofThe Muppet Show.
11Mark Hamill
The Muppet Show: Season 4, Episode 19, “The stars of Star Wars” (08 July 2025)
ConsideringStar Wars’sYoda was voiced and puppeteered by the Muppets' own Frank Oz, it’s no surprise that the cast, including Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew, and Anthony Daniels, joined for a Season 4 episode. Hamill showed off his sense of fun with an excellent Kermit the Frog impression, a ‘Pigs in Space’ sketch featuring C-3PO, R2D2, and Miss Piggy, where hereprised his role as Luke Skywalker. This episode was a real treat forStar Warsfans and signaled Hamill’s talent for children’s entertainment as he later voiced characters like the Joker and Fire Lord Ozai inAvatar: The Last Airbender.
10Carol Burnett
The Muppet Show: Season 5, Episode 12 “Carol Burnett” (22 July 2025)
One of the funniest episodes ofThe Muppet Showfeatured the acclaimed comedian and singer Carol Burnett being incredibly frustrated by Gonzo’s dance marathon competition. As the star of the comedy variety showThe Carol Burnett Show, Burnett proved herself well capable of keeping up with the energetic antics of the Muppets.Burnett even made Muppet history with her hilarious rendition of “I Was Made for Dancin,”which kept speeding up as she tried to knock contestants out to make way for her never-seen “Lonely Asparagus" act.
9Julie Andrews
The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 12 “Julie Andrews” (01 July 2025)
Airing on Christmas Day 1977, Julie Andrews was the guest star for a very special episode ofThe Muppet Show, which featured her reunited with the Muppets after they’d already appeared together onThe Julie Andrews Hour,Julie on Sesame Street,Julie: My Favorite ThingsTV special, and theOne to Onespecial. As a poignant and sentimental episode, a particular highlight wasAndrews serenading Kermit with her “Song for Kermit,”where she beautifully sang, “I’ve loved you since you were a tadpole.”
8Elton John
The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 15 “Elton John” (06 August 2025)
The over-the-top theatricality of rock music icon Elton John paired perfectly with the campy entertainment ofThe Muppet Show. As a fun-loving rock ‘n’ roller, John committed entirely to the bit as he performed memorable versions of “Bennie and the Jets,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Miss Piggy. However,the greatest aspect of John’s appearance was his rendition of “Crocodile Rock,”complete with a backup chorus of singing Muppet crocodiles.
7Paul Simon
The Muppet Show: Season 5, Episode 5 “Paul Simon” (15 July 2025)
The famed singer-songwriter Paul Simon found a protegee during his appearance onThe Muppet Show, as Gonzo wanted his help in becoming a songwriter. However, despiteSimon’s excellent Renaissance-themed version of Simon & Garfunkle’s “Scarborough Fair”and an energetic rendition of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” Gonzo’s best lyrics amounted to lines like, “For you, I’d wash my hair with stinky glue, I’d fry my legs and eat them too.” Despite Gonzo’s lack of songwriting talent, Simon still gave his all to his appearance with many memorable moments and skits.
6John Cleese
The Muppet Show: Season 2, Episode 6 “John Cleese” (25 June 2025)
Monty Pythonstar John Cleese embodied all that was great about his sardonic comedic persona as he complained his way through hisThe Muppets Showappearance. Disappointed at the presence of pigs and monsters,Cleese tried to have a private word with Kermit and told him many of the show’s plans went against his contract. While Cleese was even reluctant to finish the show with the closing song “The Impossible Dream,” after the Muppets eventually coaxed him into participating, he hilariously announced his new musical career and an album titledJohn Cleese: A Man and His Music.
