Wheels, Crowns, and Flutes
Trailer
Synopsis
Three ravenous monsters intercept every snack before the narrator can take a single bite: the short-furred, bulge-eyed Wheel-Stealer tears through the wheels; the sharp-nosed Flute-Snatcher snatches the flutes mid-air; the towering, Boris Karloff-accented Crown-Grabber claims the crowns with knitting-needle teeth. The narrator then warns that these creatures may already be living in disguise inside your home — and for a brief moment, all three transform into ordinary people before snapping back to their monstrous selves.
Context & Trivia
This 1966 test commercial for General Foods Canada's "Wheels, Crowns, and Flutes" snack products never aired, but it is historically significant as it marked the first appearance of three Jim Henson monsters that would later evolve. The Wheel-Stealer, a furry, bug-eyed monster, is the direct ancestor of the beloved "Sesame Street" character, Cookie Monster. The Wheel-Stealer's design was groundbreaking, as Jim Henson and his puppet builder, Don Sahlin, developed a method for the puppet to convincingly feed itself on camera, combining a tube function in the sleeve with a live hand. The Crown-Grabber, a large monster with a Boris Karloff accent, later became the Beautiful Day Monster, appearing in various variety shows and on "Sesame Street". The Flute-Snatcher also made appearances in variety shows and on "Sesame Street", albeit in a less prominent role.
Puppeteers
Jim Henson
Puppet design
Jim Henson
Puppet companies
The Jim Henson Company
Puppet building
Don Sahlin
Direction
Jim Henson
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