In 1971, Children's Television Workshop (CTW) introduced a new show, "Electric Company", which would follow in the footsteps of its wildly successful "Sesame Street".
The hourly show was itself a solid success with kids and parents and reached 6.5 million kids regularly, both in school and at home. EC was planned to reinforce school-reading curricula, using the winning entertainment techniques on television-comic vignettes, animation, electronic effects and music. CTW also produced a variety of support materials, such as teaching guides, books, magazines and puzzles, for use in schools and day care centers.
EC went on to win several awards for outstanding children's programming and counted Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Luis Avalos, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, and Lee Chamberlain as part of its cast. The show ran until 1981.
God, I miss this show...where else could you see a mute Spider-Man?