How Did We Get to ‘Sesame Street?’
Sesame Street, one of the most iconic children’s television shows of all time, turns 55 this year! Which got us wondering, how exactly did the beloved show begin, and how did it team up with Jim Henson and his Muppets? It all started back in the late ’60s when a documentary producer named Joan Ganz Cooney and a psychologist named Lloyd Morrisett started discussing how they could make a children’s television show that was both entertaining and educational after noticing children watching a lot of TV.
Cooney signed on to a study, funded by the Carnegie Corporation, on how to use television for early childhood education. They discovered that TV could be used to teach basic skills to children, especially those who may not have access to a daycare or preschool. Cooney’s team was soon full of educators, child development experts, psychologists and media professionals to work on a potential show. They wanted not only to teach children but also to showcase the diversity of America.
Sesame Workshop/Courtesy: Everett Collection
Jim Henson was brought onboard to create characters that would appeal to young children. He created many of the lovable characters including Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. If you’ve seen the early episodes, you may even remember one of Henson’s most famous Muppets appearing on the show: Kermit the Frog! He appeared on the show when it first premiered in 1969, often as a reporter in the Sesame Street News Flash segments.
Sesame Workshop/CTW/Everett Collection
The show was an instant hit, premiering on Nov. 10, 1969, due to the combination of live-action scenes, animation and puppetry. Kids and their parents loved that it had a diverse cast and addressed issues such as empathy and respect along with learning numbers and letters. In later years, Sesame Street became groundbreaking for tackling difficult subjects such as the death of a loved one in age-appropriate ways. It is truly one of the best children’s shows of all time, as is evident by all of the care put into making it.
Jim Henson working Ernie and Frank Oz with Bert. David Attie/Getty Images
Watch the first episode of Sesame Street and tell us who your favorite character is! I loved Big Bird when I was a kid.
Kid Stuff
June 2018
Unleash your inner child by reliving your favorite kids TV shows, cartoons, toys and more!
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