Big Bird
item # 7000 by Ideal

I don't know much about this except that it was made based on the Worlds Of Wonder Teddy Ruxpin. Using specially encoded cassette tapes, Big Bird appears to read the stories to you as he moves his beak and blinks his eyes. And just like Teddy Ruxpin, Bird also has friends that can help him read certain stories to you - Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster. From what I have found, there were only twelve stories every written/recorded for Big Bird and his friends, of which I don't have any of course.

The first thing that I noticced about my new Big Bird is that he appears to have a very bad skin condition... acne. And from the pictures of others that I've seen on the internet, it must be a common problem. On his beak are several small brown discolored spots. Nothing I have tried so far has affected them, although I'm told Oxy-10 might help.

Someone must have gotten a tape stuck in him at one time, and in the process of trying to get it out, they broke the circuit board in half and bent several very important pieces of metal in the cassette mechanism. After about an hour of repairing the circuit board and another hour or so trying to repair all of the bent metal, Big Bird was up and singing just like Vince Gill! Not having the special tapes to test him with, I don't know if the beak and the eyes work correctly or not. If anyone has a cassette that would be willing to donate (or even copy), I'd really appreciate it!

I finally got three cassette tapes and their associated books off eBay in almost perfect condition - after losing bids on nearly a dozen other auctions. We tried him out tonight and amazingly, even with a broken neck (the plastic spinal bar that goes up the back to hold his head straight is broken, so Big Bird's head kinda leans to the left a little bit - but we don't talk about it in front of him) his beak and his eyes move perfectly in time to the cassette.

Out of the nineteen program/book sets that were recorded for Big Bird and his pals Cookie Monster and Oscar, I now have three:

• I Want To Go Home
• The Sesame Street Player Presents Mother Goose
• Big Bird and Little Bird's Big & Little Book

The other sixteen that I still need are:

• Big Bird Can Share
• Big Bird's Day on the Farm
• A Birthday Surprise (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• The Cupcake Caper (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• Goldilocks and the Three Grouches (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• I Can Count to Ten and Back Again
• I Think That It Is Wonderful
• Imagine That (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• No Cookies 'Til Dinner (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• Big Bird's Amazing Dream (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• Animal Alphabet (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• The Colors of Spring (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• Friends to the Rescue (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• A Very Special Picnic (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• It's a Deal! (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)
• Oh Brother (Bird, Cookie & Oscar)

So... if you happen to have one of these, we're still looking ;)

Year Released: 1986
Original Price: $

Technical Specifications:
Power Supply: 4 x AA batteries

Dimensions: 17" tall (standing)
Weight: 3.375 lbs

Here is a copy of an original 1987 advertisement for the StoryMagic cast of characters. Click the image for a larger version...