If they had mentioned David's death on the show

[Daffyfan4ever]

Yeah. I was a little surprised when I heard the mention of Sam in that because I didn't think he was on the show at the time. If they could mention long-lost characters around that time, why won't they do it now?

 

[Ilikemuppets]

That statement doesn't really make sense. They could always have David either suddenly move back to Sesame Street or at least just come back to visit all his old friends every once in a while with a replacement actor.

If they had written his death into the script then of course it would make no sense at all to replace him.

That's true, but if was probably agreed and decided that his character should move away. It's probably little bit harder to explain the absence of a husband, wife, son or daughter, thought.

I'm just glad that at least there was an explanation of what happen to him, thought, unlike some others on the show.

 

[BooberFraggless]

Yeah, I never stopped to think about the fact that Gordon had a Wife on the show, which is why he pretty much had to be replaced. Same with Miles and Gabi being replaced and not just written out of the show. The only significant charachter who I can really think of who dissapeared with No explination is Forgetful Jones, I mean he was there as a regulra from 1980-1991

 

[Ilikemuppets]

You know, they kind of did that to most of Richard Hunt's characters.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Well, Gladys came back recently, so I could see a few other of Hunt's characters making a comeback if they can get some new puppeteers.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Let's hope for the best.

 

[Collgoff]

That statement doesn't really make sense. They could always have David either suddenly move back to Sesame Street or at least just come back to visit all his old friends every once in a while with a replacement actor.

If they had written his death into the script then of course it would make no sense at all to replace him.

Oh I agree!

 

[Drtooth]

This is an old thread and all, but since someone brought it back, I might as well add to it, since I never saw it before....

Besides, by that time, Mr. Handford was already running the store, and had been for almost a year or more by the time Northern Calloway died, comparing dates. With the exception of Mr. Hooper, and he deserved to be the exception, there has never been any mention of characters once they've been dropped, whether because they died or left the show. They don't talk about Linda or Mr. Handford or so on either, and while I can understand the nostalgic desire to have old friends mentioned, it happens very rarely in adult television either ("M*A*S*H*" being one of the few where recast characters were never forgotten), let alone other kids shows. And assignificant a character as David was, he hadn't been with the show from the very beginning, which Mr. Hooper had. Plus, while seven years seems like a long time between episodes (Mr. Hooper in 1983, Calloway/David in 1990), considering how many people to this day remember the "Mr. Hooper" episode, it would have been a mistake to try to recreate that. They could have dealt with it another way, perhaps, without mimicking the way emotions were dealt with regarding Mr. Hooper, but again, the character's departure had already been explained.

The only cast member outside of Will Lee to receive a tribute was Michael Jeter, just in the credits of "Street We Live On," which struck me as appropriate, since the other Mr. Noodle lived in Elmo's fantasy world anyway, so having him die would have been utterly inappropriate.

I agree with all of that.

I would hate for them to acknowledge the death of a character on the show after they were written off due to an illness. Again, he could have gotten better, he could have gotten worse.... turns out that he died. There's no right way to bring that up in the context of the show. All I could think of is Maria saying, "Oh, remember how David left a while ago? He's dead now." Death shouldn't be ignored, but there's just something depressing about saying that someone left then he died. And I'm sure there's a context the kid's could pick up... if someone leaves, you NEVER see them again.

Had he died while he was still on the show, that would have been an opportunity. I'm sure it would have been handled similar to Mr. Hooper. But after someone leaves? That would be very tricky. They probably would have had some luck trying to explain the death of the actress that played Olivia (as she was Gordon's relative)... but with someone who's just a friend who left a while ago, how do you explain that? Actually, how the heck do you explain people who just left the show and never were mentioned again for that matter?

 

[Sesamo2012]

in some ways i thought that Davids death was a loss to sesame street cause it seemed that after he had been on the show he seemed healthy and fine, but the people that knew him said that he was also going through some hard times and put on some pounds and theirfore he started to get sick, i could be wrong but i wish he were still alive today, cause he was a good man to the show and role model for people that liked to act and sing.

 

[Collgoff]

in some ways i thought that Davids death was a loss to sesame street cause it seemed that after he had been on the show he seemed healthy and fine, but the people that knew him said that he was also going through some hard times and put on some pounds and theirfore he started to get sick, i could be wrong but i wish he were still alive today, cause he was a good man to the show and role model for people that liked to act and sing.

Well can't fight with that and David died in the same year as Jim Henson.