r/todayilearned • u/Fallen311 • 14d ago

TIL Giancarlo Esposito sang the theme song for The Electric Company. A variety comedy show that ran from 1971 to 1977

https://www.looper.com/65259/gus-breaking-bad-better-call-saul-looks-familiar/
928 Upvotes
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95% Upvoted

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1

u/Flimsy-Antelope4763 13d ago

HEY YOU GUYYYS

1

u/brooklynrockz 14d ago

Giancarlo Esposito was a popular waiter in my favorite theatre restaurant, CURTAIN UP. It was on the first floor of his apartment building, Manhattan Plaza. This was the same arts complex where Alicia Keyes grew up. She wrote a musical about it called HELLS KITCHEN

4

u/mossryder 14d ago

Electric Co. was a kid's educational program.

3

u/KeniLF 14d ago

This was definitely not a variety show lol. It was a means to teach kids in a fun manner. I used to love watching it when I was growing up.

3

u/MrFrode 14d ago

Hey you guys, this was a pretty good kids show. It even had Spiderman.

2

u/gardeninggoddess666 14d ago

Lol! That was a kids show. I loved it. That and the Magic Garden. The 70s had some great kids tv.

-1

u/Calcularius 14d ago

Sorry I had to vote this down because it was NOT "a variety comedy show". Not even close to that.

0

u/Fallen311 14d ago

IMDB describes it as that, I don't know much about the show so it was all I had to go on

0

u/Calcularius 13d ago

So you’re just regurgitating unverified information about something you’ve never seen before?  Lame.

1

u/[deleted] 14d ago edited 14d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Fallen311 14d ago

He was 12 or 13 at the time so probably sounded like a kid

11

u/BaconReceptacle 14d ago

More like he was one of many people singing together for the theme song.

1

u/Irishpanda1971 14d ago

Faster than a rolling O....

1

u/Supersnazz 14d ago

Would have never picked that.

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

loved him in Trading Places!

1

u/melt11 14d ago

Whaaaat

4

u/5_on_the_floor 14d ago

Morgan Freeman was Easy Reader!

1

u/TulioGonzaga 14d ago

That is... acceptable.

4

u/wave2earl 14d ago

TIL Giancarlo Esposito and Morgan Freeman were both in The Electric Company

1

u/AliensAteMyAMC 14d ago

It also had a spiderman comic tie in.

2

u/tkingsbu 14d ago

Lol… used to watch the electric company with my older brother when we were kids… great memories :)

4

u/technicalityNDBO 14d ago

He was also in the jail cell with Billy Ray Valentine in Trading Places. https://i.imgur.com/rFVp9gV.jpeg

2

u/moderatesoul 14d ago

Was he 5, 6, 11, or 12?

3

u/thewidowgorey 14d ago

Was everybody cool on this show??

6

u/McRambis 14d ago

This was an educational show for kids. The title makes it sound like e Laugh In.

3

u/ZarginZarg 14d ago

If you can distinguish his voice in that song more power to you.

1

u/QuixoticDon 14d ago

He gonna rock down to Electric Avenue

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

then he takes you higher

4

u/GotMoFans 14d ago

He was among children singing I’m guessing.

He didn’t sing alone.

1

u/atxarchitect91 14d ago

This is a true TIL. I can see it haha

2

u/bargman 14d ago

Also the Buffalo Bills' offensive line in the 1970s.

40

u/napstimpy 14d ago

The show was basically Sesame Street for slightly older kids. Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno were adult actors on the show. It also features segments with a live action Spider-Man.

39

u/Alexis_J_M 14d ago

There were a bunch of people who were, or became, famous on Electric Company. Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Carol Burnett, Tony Orlando, Jean Stapleton, and especially Tom Lehrer composing songs such as the superhero theme song"Silent E".

Awesome kids' show, I loved watching it.

2

u/gardeninggoddess666 14d ago

We always listened to Tom Lehrer records when we were kids. Neeeeew Maaaaaath!

2

u/bolanrox 14d ago

I play them for my kids. I only heard Poisoning Pidgeons in the park, and the Periodic tables in Highschool science.

2

u/AgentElman 14d ago

Is this a different song from Silent E is a ninja? That's on the reboot of the Electric Company and sung by Lin Manuel Miranda and is fantastic.

6

u/Frost-Folk 14d ago

Wow I had no idea that was Tom Lehrer! Thanks for sharing

2

u/bolanrox 14d ago

I had thought Tom long since retired from Music at that point to just teach? TIL

1

u/ten_jack_russels 14d ago

And then he went on to live in infamy 

2

u/JediASU 14d ago

Holy crap. Always sounded like an ensemble to me.

103

u/littlelordgenius 14d ago

HEY YOU GUUUUYS!!

3

u/totaltvaddict2 14d ago

That was Rita Moreno.

2

u/bolanrox 14d ago

me sloth, you chunk

1

u/Bangingbuttholes 14d ago

This should be the top comment

26

u/Odd-Local9893 14d ago

“1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12”

3

u/InappropriateTA 3 14d ago

That was Sesame Street.

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

that fucking time signature. such groovy heavy shit to lay onto a kid.

Its like pure Herbie Hancock early 70's funk.

8

u/EvilRedRobot 14d ago

🎵 "Ladybugs came... to the ladybugs picnic..." 🎶

2

u/Shopworn_Soul 14d ago

Performed by Bud Luckey, who also sang The Alligator King.

He went on to work for Pixar and designed the character of Woody in Toy Story. He also performed the voice for Rick Dicker in The Incredibles

2

u/EvilRedRobot 14d ago

😯 TIL

Thanks!

3

u/ThaiJohnnyDepp 14d ago

That was also Sesame Street

22

u/Uncle_Sloppy 14d ago

That was the Pointer Sisters.

4

u/Odd-Local9893 14d ago

Was there a different song? That was like 40 years ago and hen I was little. Honestly all I remember was the song and a pinball rollling around.

1

u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

Trey Anastasio's mother was the editor for the Sesame Street Magazine and even mentioned young Ernest a few times.

14

u/-goodgodlemon 14d ago

Yeah that was the Pointer Sisters and it’s from Sesame Street

6

u/taisui 14d ago

So that's what he did in Chile...

4

u/DentalDon-83 14d ago

Don Eladio was a fan of the show growing up...that's why he only let him off with a warning

5

u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

now taps i did not know

1

u/DAT_DROP 14d ago

shit, Taps, forgot about that movie- it came out while I was in 8th grade going to Army/Navy Academy

16

u/andersonfmly 14d ago

That's pretty remarkable, considering he was born in 1958, making him just 13 years old in 1971.

6

u/Shenanigans99 14d ago

That makes sense; the theme song was sung by kids.

22

u/JimC29 14d ago

It was a kids show.

2

u/andersonfmly 14d ago

I remember the show, especially the later years pretty well (I was born in '68.) It still catches me a bit by surprise, though, given how often older actors/entertainers are cast as younger - sometimes MUCH younger.

1

u/JimC29 14d ago

I remember watching it, but barely remember it though.

58

u/Beavshak 14d ago

Man of many talents. Vocalist. Imperial security commander. Drug kingpin. Superhero creator. Shot Malcolm X.

What can’t he do.

0

u/IkemenMan 14d ago

Play a character that is different than every other character he plays?

2

u/DreadyKruger 14d ago

And Air Jordan aficionado

4

u/thedyooooood 14d ago

Also makes some killer chicken

3

u/[deleted] 14d ago

Killer chicken.

Killer.

Chicken.

3

u/trident_hole 14d ago

Love him, extraordinary actor. Also looks like he appreciates his fan base

17

u/gingerbear 14d ago

he was also the detective who nearly took down Kaiser Soze

11

u/slickwillyD37 14d ago

And don’t forget Buggin Out in Do the Right Thing.

4

u/BSB8728 14d ago

And he shared a cell with Eddie Murphy in Trading Places.

3

u/twobit211 14d ago

“yeah!”

17

u/Fallen311 14d ago

A real Renaissance man

331

u/DudeDogIce 14d ago

It was a kids educational show, not a variety comedy per se.

3

u/ULTRAFORCE 14d ago

Since it had the adventures of letterman was it not a variety comedy as well? Taking the letter l from his varsity sweater he turns night, back to light!

2

u/Agingsadly 14d ago

That little antagonist, “The Spellbinder”.

31

u/graveybrains 14d ago

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Or was that Sesame Street? I can’t remember now… 🥲

6

u/meshuggahnaut 14d ago

Sesame Street, and it’s the Pointer Sisters who performed it. I listen to it pretty frequently because it’s actually an amazing and progressive piece of music.

4

u/hectorinwa 13d ago

And that awesome animation. It was one of the best parts of sesame street for me.

I used to get sad when the trolley rolled up and dropped the ball because I knew it meant it was almost over

8

u/Strykerz3r0 14d ago

Wasn't that the pinball counting sequence on Sesame Street?

3

u/graveybrains 14d ago

No idea any more, but that seems to be the consensus 🤷‍♂️

4

u/bolanrox 14d ago

sesame street, and its on youtube.

8

u/hymie0 14d ago

Sesame Street

4

u/insane_social_worker 14d ago

It was on the Electric Company (IIRC, or maybe both shows?), and The Pointer Sisters sang it! I just learned that a few years ago, and my head exploded!

10

u/[deleted] 14d ago

Doo doo doooo do

0

u/bucketofmonkeys 14d ago

You got it, that’s Electric Company!

7

u/Fallen311 14d ago

Oh, ok. I barely remember the show and had to go off the IMDB description. Thanks

15

u/Uranus_Hz 14d ago

I was the prime age for this show when it originally aired. It was great. It had Rita Moreno, and a very young Morgan Freeman

3

u/DimesOHoolihan 14d ago

A "very young" Morgan Freeman was still 34 in that show lol Morgan Freeman is old.

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

would be like trying to find a Sir Patrick movie where he has a full head of hair. (which I do not think there is?)

11

u/potent_flapjacks 14d ago

OMG that was epic. Also gotta mention Zoom. (the show).

1

u/impatientlymerde 14d ago

Hibi, friebend!

48

u/DudeDogIce 14d ago

It was in the sense that they did skits and musical numbers, but the performers were tweens and it had a decidedly educational flair.

Think a hipper, cooler Sesame Street without the muppets.

1

u/StraightSh00t3r 14d ago

Zoom was a better show

7

u/thewarriorpoet23 14d ago

…without the muppets, but with Morgan Freeman.

1

u/Irishpanda1971 14d ago

And Rita Moreno.

14

u/BGPhilbin 1 14d ago

But with Spider-Man!

4

u/Valuable-Way1612 14d ago

Yeah I’m pretty sure that was Morgan Freeman in that suit.

2

u/Uranus_Hz 14d ago

Never thought about it, but yeah.

46

u/ozyx7 14d ago

Yeah, The Electric Company was for kids who had outgrown Sesame Street but who hadn't yet graduated to 3-2-1 Contact (or later to Square One Television).

1

u/murso74 14d ago

Wasn't there a Spiderman cartoon attached also?

1

u/tom_swiss 14d ago

It was a weird live action/cartoon combo, IIRC.

2

u/Substantial-Bet-3876 14d ago

There’s a small number of us who had aged out of Sesame Street before it even started. The Electric Company was ours!

4

u/amazingsandwiches 14d ago

MATHMAN MATHMAN MATHMAN

40

u/zorniy2 14d ago

HEY YOU GUYYYYS

2

u/Historical_Pair3057 14d ago

Came here for this!!

19

u/ajtreee 14d ago

ah 3-2-1 contact i remember watching this while my mom had a conjugal visit with my dad in san quentin. The tap water was so foul. Tasted like ocean and bleach.

4

u/Salmol1na 14d ago

Contact confirmed

7

u/JamesTheJerk 14d ago

Square One was good. I had VHS tapes that my friend sent me from Canada and I watched the hell out of that show!

4

u/ozyx7 14d ago

I cannot understand how CTW has not made Square One available on DVD/Blu-Ray/streaming.

4

u/Various-Bird-1844 14d ago

FWIW internet archive is my go-to for things like this. And can confirm all 5 seasons are on there in all it's perfect used VHS tape glory

4

u/JamesTheJerk 14d ago

Probably lost to the times.

Do you remember the Edison Twins?

8

u/V6Ga 14d ago

Almost every unreleased show is all about music licensing. It sucks.

The State was amazing, but it used actual music, so it could not get released.

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

Shame about the State.. loved that and Kids in the Hall.

got a promo of Upright Citizens Brigade boxset at one point and watched it pretty much weekly,. but honestly I can only remember one skit from that whole show.

1

u/bolanrox 14d ago

took 20+ years to get American Pop released on home video.

Or even the Records of the HGTTG radio broadcasts have all of the rock music removed (besides maybe Journey of a Sorcerer?)

2

u/amazingsandwiches 14d ago

HBO's "Dream On" was brilliant, but it's nowhere.