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Sesame Street: "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"

Children’s Programming

About This Show

The Sesame Street episode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" aired on Thanksgiving Day in 1983 so that the entire family could watch the show that dealt directly with the death of character Mr. [Harold] Hooper (actor Will Lee had died the previous year).  Head writer Norman Stiles and his writing staff fashioned a script following extensive research, and the show is most remembered for the scene in which Bird Bird comes to fully understand what is meant by his friend Mr. Hooper's death.  The show was aired once and never rerun and is considered a landmark in children's television programming.  For the 1983-84 season of the show, performer Carroll Spinney (Bird Bird) and the writers of Sesame Street were awarded the Peabody Award; the show also won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing as well.

People Who Talked About This Show

  • Bob McGrath
  • Carroll Spinney
  • Joan Ganz Cooney
  • Sonia Manzano

Featured Content

Video: Notable scene from Sesame Street: "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" in which Bird Bird comes to fully realize Mr. Hooper's death.

Resources

Official website: Sesame Street.org

Mr. Hooper/Will Lee entry at Sesame Street.org

Book: Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis

IMDb entry on Will Lee

Wikipedia entry on Mr. Hooper

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Watch Interview Highlights

  • "Big Bird"/"Oscar the Grouch" performer Carroll Spinney on the Sesame Street  episode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" which addressed the death of character "Mr. Hooper," following actor Will Lee's death
  • "Big Bird"/"Oscar the Grouch" performer Carroll Spinney on Will Lee ("Mr. Hooper") and "Big Bird's" mispronounciation of "Mr. Hooper's" name
  • Sonia Manzano on Sesame Street  castmate Will Lee ("Mr. Hooper")
  • Bob McGrath ("Bob") on getting acting advice from Will Lee ("Mr. Hooper")
  • "Big Bird" performer Carroll Spinney on telling Will Lee ("Mr. Hooper") he loved him, during what turned out to be Lee's last day of shooting
  • "Big Bird" performer Carroll Spinney on performing the scene in "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" when Big Bird comes to fully realize that Mr. Hooper has died
  • Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street  episode following actor Will Lee's death,  "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"
  • Sonia Manzano ("Maria") on Carroll Spinney's performance as "Big Bird" in the episode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"
  • Bob McGrath ("Bob") on the research/script done for the episode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper," which dealt with the death of character Mr. Hooper following actor Will Lee's death
  • Sonia Manzano ("Maria") on execuitve producer Dulcy Singer's fight to make a show which would address the death of Mr. Hooper (following actor Will Lee's death)
  • Bob McGrath ("Bob") on filming the emotional scene of epsiode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" when Big Bird comes to understand that Mr. Hooper has died
  • Sonia Manzano ("Maria") on the research and script of "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"
  • Sonia Manzano ("Maria") on execuitve producer Dulcy Singer's fight to make a show which would address the death of Mr. Hooper (following actor Will Lee's death)
  • Sonia Manzano ("Maria") on Carroll Spinney's performance as "Big Bird" in the episode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"
  • Sonia Manzano on Sesame Street  castmate Will Lee ("Mr. Hooper")
  • Bob McGrath ("Bob") on the reception of epsiode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper."

People Talking About This Show

  • Joan Ganz Cooney
    • Clip: 1
  • Sonia Manzano
    • Clip: 1
    • Clip: 2
    • Clip: 3
    • Clip: 4
  • Bob McGrath
    • Clip: 1
    • Clip: 2
    • Clip: 3
    • Clip: 4
  • Carroll Spinney
    • Clip: 1
    • Clip: 2
    • Clip: 3
    • Clip: 4

From the Collection

  • Sesame Street Turns 40 link to show page

    SESAME STREET TURNS 40! Visit the Archive's Sesame Street show page for personal recollections from the show's creators, cast and crew.

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