Forty Days of Frankenstein, Day Nine: In the 1970s, Frankenstein was just kind of “in the air and everywhere,” the trailing edge of the Monster Craze that began in the mid-1950s. As testament to this, behold this kid-friendly Frankenstein, appearing for the first time on episode 782 of Sesame Street, April 15, 1975. The cartoon segment (artist sadly uncredited) was designed to teach small children about the idea of “front and back.” Full disclosure, I was eight-and-a-half at the time, and already knew about “front and back,” but that didn’t keep me from being entertained. At no time is the name “Frankenstein” spoken, but this is pretty clearly a flat-head, green-face Monster. No sport coat, but he does have a pretty snazzy vest, and (in a nice detail) the giant asphalt-spreader boots. I love how the Monster is wind-up, which somehow makes him not-scary, and I love his tiny Mad Science Dad. It’s little things like this image that made me the Frankenstein fan I am today:
