Joan Ganz Cooney
Children's Show Creator
About This Interview
In her four-and-a-half hour interview for the Archive of American television, Joan Ganz Cooney talks about her early involvement in public television in New York, where she worked as a producer for local station WNET. She discusses the creation of Children's Television Workshop (CTW), and the academic hurdles she overcame in 1969 to create and produce the internationally acclaimed Sesame Street. She details additional CTW programs like the hugely successful Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, and Square One TV, and discusses several of the lesser-known CTW programs targeted towards adults. The interview was conducted by Shirley Wershba in New York, NY on April 27, 1998.
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Highlights
Joan Ganz Cooney on importance of research in the development of Sesame Street (01m 26s)- Joan Ganz Cooney on the use of Muppets on Sesame Street and initial reaction to the show (02m 00s)
- Joan Ganz Cooney on the importance of humor in Sesame Street (00m 50s)
- Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983) (01m 16s)
Chapters
- Chapter 1
- On her childhood and early influences
- On religion; on entering the media and on moving to New York and working for RCA and The U.S. Steel Hour
- Chapter 2
- On David Sarnoff, William S. Paley, and Pat Weaver
- On the New York intellectual crowd she spent time with whle in her 20s; on Partisan Review
- On the beginnings of educational television in New York; on becoming a producer at Channel 13 New York
- On her early work at Channel 13 and the struggle for the survival of public television
- Chapter 3
- On her documentary, A Chance at the Beginning, the formation of Head Start, and additional work at Channel 13
- On the documentary format for television
- On the creation of The Children's Television Workshop
- Chapter 4
- On hiring producers for The Children's Television Workshop
- On bringing Jim Henson onto Sesame Street; on the creation of content for Sesame Street
- On the creation of Big Bird, Oscar, and bringing in Gordon and Susan; on measuring the success of Sesame Street
- On the music on Sesame Street and the joys of working with Jim Henson
- Chapter 5
- On the research conducted for Sesame Street
- On Jim Henson and the Muppets on Sesame Street
- On network interest in Sesame Street, humor and guest stars; on incorporating
- On the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)
- On the format and topics covered on Sesame Street
- On other programs she helped develop for the Children's Television Workshop: The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Best of Families, Square One TV
- Chapter 6
- On The Electric Company
- On the formation of the Children’s Television Workshop in 1968 and its incorporation in 1970
- On the financial structure of the Children’s Television Workshop, Inc.
- On the international success of Sesame Street
- Chapter 7
- On the grant from The Ford Foundation in the 1970s to help fund The Children's Television's Workshop; on cable investments
- On The Children's Television Workshop's partnership with Atari and investment in theme parks
- On The Children's Television Workshop's success with licensing; on digital ventures
- On executive/consultant Mike Dann's contributions and how The Children's Television Workshop handled international productions - particularly those in Israel and Palestine
- Chapter 8
- On planning and testing of program to promote reading, The Electric Company
- On the programs Feeling Good and Latin American Health Minutes
- On the dramatic series, Best of Families
- On the science program, 3-2-1 Contact and the math program, Square One TV
- Chapter 9
- On the format and funding of the science program, 3-2-1 Contact, on the math program, Square One TV, and on the reading program, Ghostwriter
- On her reflections on her career and on her personal life
- On how Sesame Street competes in the new marketplace; on the show's legacy
- On her personal legacy; on her reflections on people with whom she's worked
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i love jgc!!!!! <3
That "The show will never be owned by a single talent" was non-negotiable, Kevin Clash / Elmo.
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