Rowlf The Salesman (1966 IBM Film) [4K]

Firstly, I'd like to give a HUGE thanks to FT Depot for scanning & restoring this film out of my collection!!! They do great work over at their channel, go check 'em out!
/ @ftdepot
Secondly, let me apologize for the heavy audio noise and pillarboxing, I would've fixed it in editing but didn't want to risk any quality loss from exporting.
Finally, I have no clue as to any specific dates this was made or any official titles. The film is missing its beginning, but Muppet Wiki states "The film opens with some brief behind-the-scenes footage of the taping of The Jimmy Dean Show, followed by scenes of Rowlf outside the studio theater greeting fans, smoking cigars lit with money, and riding in a limousine." Out of all things to cut out!!! Bah. But yeah! This! In watchable quality! After years and years and years! Enjoy!

[@LamangoKaijura]

The fact Jim put Rowlf in a pool and the ocean...

[@yosefdemby8792]

Note how he doesn't move his right hand in those scenes.

[@DoctorInk20]

Henson put his puppets through the works in those days.

[@waitingforwhoasked6403]

Mad lad

[@ansumanahargett6227]

@@DoctorInk20Of course.

[@kerryelsley1790]

Mad lad

[@DeadSkullable]

So that's how Rowlf went through the retirement of being a salesperson and moved on to being a pianist for the Muppet Show.

[@Obsessedwithcookies758]

Rowlf was an icon back in the mid 60’s! And he still is!

[@ansumanahargett6227]

I’ll say! Really superb, and nostalgic!

[@helloitismetomato]

Not surprising to me that Rowlf the pianist is also a touch typist Also, this smooth jazz bass line makes Rowlf seem even more like Tom Waits than he already does

[@ansumanahargett6227]

Like in those classes detective movie

[@tobybartels8426]

After his adventure with the electric typewriter, he writes to his mom on a fully manual one.

[@tobybartels8426]

That was Part 1. I'm impressed with the machine in part 3; it's faster than the dot-matrix printers I was using two decades later (and must have produced better looking copy too).

[@Jbrangwynne53]

4K Muppet restorations. I never realized this is something I needed until now.

[@keshiaanders6452]

Rowlf is so cute!😊 Also, that suitcase went down the stairs faster than a Slinky.😆

[@ansumanahargett6227]

😂😅

[@puzzleshield6956]

Now that scene where Rowlf's suitcase went down the stairs was pure gold. It's also kinda funny to me when I first saw it just now.

[@banjokazooie370]

Rowlf is the best muppet.

[@ansumanahargett6227]

Apart from Kermit

[@xanadustudios2586]

Rowlf: It's nice to know that Jack Myers hasn't forgotten about me. Jack Myers: I wish I COULD forget about him. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@martinaakervik]

It’s funny and deep. It tells so many stories of sadness and bad luck you feel it’s a complete person in this. It reflects us as humans. A puppet dog did it better than most.

[@OrionOodama]

What a heartwarming story by Rowlf. Dad used to be a salesman for couple of years and felt how demanding and challenging it was for him so to make ends meet. I used to be briefly too but decided not to continue while keeping a previous job. Behind the smile and optimism of Rowlf lie hardships and constant rejection. I guess that's what Dad felt but he kept it to us, his kids. "In Pursuit of Happiness" suddenly remembered from nowhere. Praying and believing Dad is now with God, eternally enjoying His glory from his life sufferings.

[@gianandreamajone8238]

That's one hell of a success story, mum buying out Rowlf's quota and over. The American dream coming true!

[@ktrnvz]

omg this is incredible... you are restoring and preserving history right here. thank you so much for having this done !!

[@billygarcia9885]

The staircase bit is sublime, classic Henson.

[@magnetoonproductions9541]

Before he became a pianist, Rowlf was the face of the Muppets and Kermit was just a simple costar.

[@otaking3582]

It's weird to imagine a time when IBM existed but people still used typewriters...

[@invisiblemansleepininyobed9989]

4K is what Rowlf deserves

[@Lohengrin1850]

This is amazing! Thank you for having this restored and sharing it. Rowlf is my favorite Muppet and I always get excited seeing new clips of his

[@samp.8099]

Wow! I would never have imagined to see this is such high quality

[@Savagewolver]

You know, as prolific as Rowlf was in Jim’s early career, I’m astonished that his prevalence in modern muppets is kinda dim, almost nonexistent.

[@fotioskatsoulis99]

From playing the keyboard on the ibm pre computer days, the typewriter and later after a decade he started another keyboard on the muppet show, tickling the ivories 🎹

[@SL-cl9gt]

The main office at warehouse I used work in had old IBM printers with the little holes on the sides of the papers. As a kid in the. 90’s I thought they were really neat. I loved watching them print documents so I could deliver them to my dad. I loved peeling off the sides pieces

[@andrewcolinwilson1]

RIP Rowlf the Dog (1936-1990)

[@vaneram1072]

When the bag fell down it was the most heartfelt moment of my life😊😅❤

[@matthewkrenzler1171]

2:02 - he suddenly clicks an aldi trailer quite perfectly.

[@654zns]

This is great. Hopefully we'll get the full video someday along with other missing IBM films

[@AJKPenguin]

I wouldn't be able to sell. Way to go Rowlf. I had difficulty selling garbage bags as a fundraiser.

[@GregoriousGregori9]

Rowlf; The Coolest Canadian on the Planet

[@dealpianolucy]

Aww, I love Rowlf

[@ansumanahargett6227]

Me too

[@joeacker703]

This is hilarious! I love Rowlf!

[@Lionloverky]

Thank you for sharing this with us all ❤

[@TheEmeraldWeirdo]

Did the case going down the stairs in Part Two remind anyone else of Oscar getting flung out of the skating rink in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street?

[@docdave15]

Just when i think i've seen all Muppet things!

[@ImToffe]

Amazed that this is in 4k

[@525Lines]

I love these muppet corporate videos.

[@leet7489]

I love Rowlf

[@Katzi_]

Loved this!!!

[@Splifftone]

Awesome! Thanks for the upload.

[@gilition]

This is fucking amazing.

[@kloinman4370]

the person you need.

[@ansumanahargett6227]

This is a real funny bit with a Muppet.

[@ansumanahargett6227]

Rowlf is a real klutz

[@ansumanahargett6227]

5:02 I can’t stand to see a grown dog cry

[@MrNoisy1976]

Egads, he is probably gonna drop the suitcase tho

[@JojoMonReturns91]

You know, Ive been watching this short since when it was uploaded half complete from one youtuber named batman1971 and henceforth he uploaded this one here: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXyxhWN6e5usqMk#searching After finding this, I can see the intro and outro finally after seeing it incomplete for many years! This might have been interesting since Rowlf the Dog talking about the models actually makes more sense here about the typewriters (I like Typewriters btw) Thanks again for the upload! ;)

[@TheAnchorArmsChad]

Always wanted to learn how to use a Typewriter

[@yosefdemby8792]

Shame David Lazer doesn't have his own Wikipedia article.

[@tavvyprods1275]

Mike’s Toon Town sent me here.

[@MarshalGrover]

4:42 - this might be the only joke I don't get (and maybe the Sperry Rand Building at 6:56 too). Some kind of in-joke to the IBM folks?

[@bcbock]

Competitor. His boss was giving him a terrible territory to try to sell to.

[@aborne]

Anyone have the corporate “Leo & Grump” videos? Those were really good.

[@suzzy1790]

My dad was 1

[@Alpha8713]

I want to buy a typewriter from Rowlf. Anyone know his phone number?

[@cartoon-nw1vh]

2:02

[@user-tl9xh5rw1w]

I think he did appear sesame street but kermit became sesame street regular. I like kermit but i wish rowlf dog would been regular on sesame street. So jim henson would done ernie kermit rowlf guy smiley on sesame street

[@ligerblubber]

❤️

[@tobybartels8426]

But what is this machine that he's using in the Conclusion? There's no way they had a machine to parse speech back then, so is this a recording to give to a secretary to type up, or did it produce an audiotape to put in the mail or something?

[@leet7489]

probably a dictaphone

[@tobybartels8426]

@@leet7489 : That makes sense. So a recording for a secretary to type up later.

[@c00kee]

@@leet7489 Wash your mouths out - "Dictaphone" is a competing brand. The unit Rowlf is holding looks very much like an IBM "Executary" Portable Dictation recorder. Uses magnetic belts. For its time, was quite a compact unit, but still a bit weighty.

[@terrytaylor9349]

@@c00kee It was an IBM 224 or 274 portable dictation unit. I used to work on them as an IBM OPD Customer Engineer.

[@JojoMonReturns91]

Interesting information. So was it like a voice recorder that would record your voice and then it would be sent by tape? Im interested with the device since its great to learn about past technology like the Selectric and other typewriters. :)

[@HyperionHQ]

✌️❤️

[@tubebobwil]

I didn't get the joke about the West side of the street...

[@abagelmuppetstuff]

As someone explained it on Reddit, it may be a reference to the borders of Rowlf's selling district. He just made a big sale and then found out it was outside his domain.

[@kilijshark7667]

Wait a minute, Rowlf’s mom bought all this machines? That’s stupid

[@sandeec6381]

My mom used to buy a lot of candy bars every year when we had school fundraisers so I could get a prize at least in the first level. I think that’s the funny part. Rowlf’s mom is still helping him out, buying what he’s selling so he can make it to the 100% club. 😊

[@yosefdemby8792]

5:00 I don't get it.

[@soohigh5475]

I am guessing it's implying that the west side of the street is not part of his sales territory, so he can't close this lucrative and easy deal there.

[@CWRoederer]

What the previous person said-he has a certain territory he’s allowed to sell within, and the west side of the street isn’t part of it.

[@yosefdemby8792]

@@CWRoederer Ah.

[@user-tl9xh5rw1w]

And as much i like kermit i kind prefer rowlf over kermit

[@yosefdemby8792]

Got any more?

[@sonicboomman9850]

why was rowlf crying after mr.bigelow told him the adress

[@xanadustudios2586]

It was out of his selling area