Speaking of Sesame Street: Mr Hooper’s Death.
And speaking of Sesame Street, I bawled like a baby at the above episode, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper," about the beloved shopkeeper’s real-life death. It seems that when actor Will Lee, who played Mr. Hooper, died in the winter of 1983, the producers of Sesame Street debated how to address his absence before deciding to have the character of Mr. Hooper die as well. Will Lee, a member of the Federal Theater Project and James Earl Jones’s teacher at The American Theater Wing, was blacklisted in the 1950s and had been acting for over 30 years when he took the role of Mr. Hooper.
"Episode 1839" aired on Thanksgiving Day 1983 and is now considered one of the most important moments in the history of children’s television. I watched it again and, despite or because of a facefull of tears, I concur. The medium doesn’t get any better than this.
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I remember that episode, and I remember having a sort of befuddled reaction – since I must have been five when it aired. Man. I haven’t thought about that in YEARS.
I remember that episode, and I remember having a sort of befuddled reaction – since I must have been five when it aired. Man. I haven’t thought about that in YEARS.
I was 20 years old in 1983. As I had basically spent my childhood with Mr. Hooper and Captain Kangaroo nearly everyday. I can’t really explain it…but even now it hits me like a bucket of cold water. I cried.
I was 20 years old in 1983. As I had basically spent my childhood with Mr. Hooper and Captain Kangaroo nearly everyday. I can’t really explain it…but even now it hits me like a bucket of cold water. I cried.