December 7, 1982 - A day that will live in Sesame Infamy - 30 years later

[Sesame Archives]

It was the day of the death of Mr. Hooper actor Will Lee at age 74. Some news sources said it was cancer, and others said a heart attack. Was the latter contributed by the former? His final Sesame Street segment was taped the day before Thanksgiving 1982, where he and the rest of the cast at the time were in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Does anyone know which one it was? My guesses are when he was watching a ballgame and Telly had no idea why he was feeling happy, then mad, then sad. Then Olivia and Luis join in leaving Telly baffled. Another guess was when Biff and Forgetful Jones were repaving the sidewalk in front of his store, and FJ mistakenly switches cake mix and cement mix, resulting in a cake sidewalk and a cement cake!

 

[minor muppetz]

My guesses are when he was watching a ballgame and Telly had no idea why he was feeling happy, then mad, then sad. Then Olivia and Luis join in leaving Telly baffled. Another guess was when Biff and Forgetful Jones were repaving the sidewalk in front of his store, and FJ mistakenly switches cake mix and cement mix, resulting in a cake sidewalk and a cement cake!

I've never heard of either of those segments, but I'd like to see them. Especially the one with Biff and Forgetful Jones. Sounds interesting.

 

[Slackbot]

According to Caroll Spinney's memoir, Will Lee died of prostate cancer, not heart troubles.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Hooper? He hardly knew her!

Seriously, it really hurt when I found out Will Lee passed away. I was 14 at the time, and well past the targeted viewing age of Sesame Street, but when you grew up with the man (I was about 20 months when Sesame aired) it's like saying goodbye to your own grandfather.

And the special that aired a year later on Thanksgiving- I've watched that scene so many times, of Big Bird having to say goodbye, and I still can't watch it without getting choked up. I can only imagine how it must have been for the rest of the cast members.

And Hooper's Store has seen many owners over the last 30 years- David, Gina, Mr. Hanford, Alan, etc. but it will always have the soul of the little man with the bowtie and reading glasses who only charged a dime for a cup of coffee. Starbucks, eat your heart out!

Harold Hooper- never forgot ya, never will.

 

[FrackleFan2012]

Mr. Hooper a.k.a Will Lee was a great character on the street. Even though I wasn't around when Mr. Hooper died, he was an inspiration to everyone.

 

[FrackleFan2012]

His final Sesame Street segment was taped the day before Thanksgiving 1982, where he and the rest of the cast at the time were in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Does anyone know which one it was?

I know that there was Big Bird, Maria, Mr. Hooper, David, and Susan in the parade. I don't know which other Muppets were there since I wasn't born back then.
Probably, Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Grover, and The Count.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Mr. Dooper was one of my favorite people on the show, I wasn't such a big fan when I was younger. Actually, I wasn't really a fan of any of the humans so much, but when I got older I really started to appreciate some of the humans, Mr. Flooper one of them.

I miss Mr. Hooper. Sesame Archives, thank you for reminding us about this, it might have gone completely unremembered.

 

[Sesame Archives]

Mr. Hooper a.k.a Will Lee was a great character on the street. Even though I wasn't around when Mr. Hooper died, he was an inspiration to everyone.

That he was!

 

[Katzi428]

Hooper? He hardly knew her!

Seriously, it really hurt when I found out Will Lee passed away. I was 14 at the time, and well past the targeted viewing age of Sesame Street, but when you grew up with the man (I was about 20 months when Sesame aired) it's like saying goodbye to your own grandfather.

And the special that aired a year later on Thanksgiving- I've watched that scene so many times, of Big Bird having to say goodbye, and I still can't watch it without getting choked up. I can only imagine how it must have been for the rest of the cast members.

And Hooper's Store has seen many owners over the last 30 years- David, Gina, Mr. Hanford, Alan, etc. but it will always have the soul of the little man with the bowtie and reading glasses who only charged a dime for a cup of coffee. Starbucks, eat your heart out!

Harold Hooper- never forgot ya, never will.

When I read that Will Lee (or as we all know him Mr. Hooper) passed away & saw his kind face in the obituaries column in my paper , I knew I was saying goodbye to my childhood (Like you said,Brian...it was saying goodbye to your grandfather.) When the special played on Thanksgiving the following year , I still had a sister & brother that watched Sesame Street .So I watched it with them (I didn't HAVE to but I WANTED to. ) Needless to say I shed tears along with the everyone on the "Street" & my family.
Agreed with the "fuzzy one: " You'll NEVER be forgotten Mr. Looper..er....Hooper....Tell everyone that was on the Street w/you here on earth but is now is with you! See you whenever wherever!