God bless Mr. Hooper

[guy smilie]

hey, does anyone remember the episode where mr hoopers death was explained properly to Big Bird? it was really a moving moment, and if you do remember it, would you mind writing a little about what you thought and if it qualifies as a great television moment in your opinion?

 

[jeffkjoe]

I remember this very poignant episode, Thanksgiving Day 1983. Will Lee had died in late 1982, but the producers resisted revealing his character's death for quite some time.

Norman Stiles, longtime head writer of Sesame Street, wrote a beautiful script which explained this issue without patronizing little kids in a very touching, yet simple way.

What really touched me was that right after the humans each took turns and explained to Big Bird the concept of death and "not coming back," they faded to black and then played the classic 1969 live-action clip of the sunflower growing (you know, the one set to classical music), I guess to symbolize that from death comes life.

The very last scene of the episode had Big Bird meeting a newborn baby who had just been born to a couple on Sesame Street. A positive and encouraging way to end that show.

 

[guy smilie]

thanks, that's ht hit very squarely on the head. It definitely was a beuatiful episode.

 

[guy smilie]

from http://forestpirate.subtlehints.net/archives/2003/02/27.php

The first children show that I remember touching on the subject of death was Sesame Street.
Will Lee, the actor who played Mr. Hooper, passed away in 1982. Instead of writing the
character out of the show the producers incorporated his death into it. The culminating

scene
of the episode had the Sesame Street adults explaining to Big Bird why Mr. Hooper wouldn't

be
coming back. I believe I saw the episode and it was very touching. I know I was shocked

when I
heard about Mr. Hoopers death. At 6 years old I hadn't had any experiences with death

before
this one.


from

http://www.mnstate.edu./advocate/Archive/32-23/CurrentEdition/Web Pages 3-6/oped-jenel.

html

I was six, going on seven. "Sesame Street" dealt with this head-on.


While Big Bird was dealing with the reality of Mr. Hooper's death on the show, all of us

kids
watching were right there with him. We felt for him (and ourselves) as Maria, David, Luis

and
the rest of the gang explained that Mr. Hooper wasn't coming back. We started to understand
that people wouldn't be there forever. But we also understood that we'd always remember

them.


It may sound silly to some of us semi-grown-ups now, kids mourning the death of the

fictional
characters of these shows. But we related to Big Bird's adventures. He was designed to let

us
do so. He was a portrayal of us.


from http://entertainment.lycos.com/television/guide/sesame_st.asp

Memorable Moments
• Big Bird comes to terms with Mr. Hooper's death.

 

[mikebennidict]

no it's not silly. especially morning the loss of Mr. Hooper. especially since the WillLee the actor who played him really did die.

 

[Krazedmuppet]

I think in time or people, it was rated as one of the most memorable moments on TV, I did not see this epsode, since I was not born yet, I think it was 1 or 2 years before I was born

 

[zanimum]

...and if it qualifies as a great television moment in your opinion?

At last year's Daytime Emmy awards, it was one of the top 10 moments of daytime TV, ever; it was the only one that wasn't from a soap opera. Wayne Brady said something like "God bless Mr. Hooper", quite honestly expressing his sentiments, but the audience took it as a joke.

 

[mikebennidict]

to bad for the audience.

 

[salemfan]

Does somebody have information about obtaining this episode on video?