If they had mentioned David's death on the show

[Daffyfan4ever]

Maybe the problem is that they have had so many actors who have been on the show pass away: [ex: Olivia (Aliana Reed Hall), Uncle Wally (Bill McCutheon), Mr. MacIntosh (Chet O'Brien), Willy (Kermit Love).] I guess they don't feel it would be necessary to talk about death over and over again. Plus they have addressed the death concept in a recent special with Elmo's Uncle Jack. It seems like they might feel it's necessary to do it when the timing is right.

 

[Collgoff]

Maybe the problem is that they have had so many actors who have been on the show pass away: [ex: Olivia (Aliana Reed Hall), Uncle Wally (Bill McCutheon), Mr. MacIntosh (Chet O'Brien), Willy (Kermit Love).] I guess they don't feel it would be necessary to talk about death over and over again. Plus they have addressed the death concept in a recent special with Elmo's Uncle Jack. It seems like they might feel it's necessary to do it when the timing is right.

I know and even that it's would be nice to see Elmo's uncle Jack on Sesame street before he died.
Although when I see Jessie with her daddy he sounded like Elmo's daddy.

 

[Pockets 8]

Does anyone know WHY Olivia, Linda, & David were dropped from the series as well as Mr. McIntosh & Wiley the hot dog man? Was Gordon (Roscoe Orman) really removed recently?

 

[Collgoff]

Does anyone know WHY Olivia, Linda, & David were dropped from the series as well as Mr. McIntosh & Wiley the hot dog man? Was Gordon (Roscoe Orman) really removed recently?

I don't know why but I do know the woman who played Olivia died of bresse cancer 2 years ago!

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Does anyone know WHY Olivia, Linda, & David were dropped from the series as well as Mr. McIntosh & Wiley the hot dog man? Was Gordon (Roscoe Orman) really removed recently?

I never heard of him being removed. I surely hope not. Roscoe/Gordon is about the best actor on the show. He did stop mentioning 'The Good Egg/Viewer's Like You' sponsors and handed that role over to Chris if that's what you're talking about.

 

[ISNorden]

David didn't get a death episode because he didn't die along with Northern Calloway; the actor left the show while he was still alive, so having the character just leave town made sense at the time. If I recall correctly, Calloway even planned to return to Sesame Street if his health improved enough. (Under the circumstances, I still wonder why David's role wasn't recast; if kids could accept a new Gordon after Matt Robinson died, why not find another youngish black actor with David's sense of humor and taste for funk?)

Since Calloway's death and David's moving away are at least two seasons apart, it would be much harder to have the remaining cast discuss an event that happened "off camera". Who would find out that David had died...and how would they get the news? What cause of death would be reasonable for a character young enough to be some preschoolers' parent or uncle? The more problems that come up with integrating the show and real life, the easier it is to understand why David didn't get a memorial episode like Mr. Hooper's.

 

[ISNorden]

Does anyone know WHY Olivia, Linda, & David were dropped from the series as well as Mr. McIntosh & Wiley the hot dog man? Was Gordon (Roscoe Orman) really removed recently?

Linda and Olivia left Sesame Street because the actresses who played them got better-paying roles acting on prime-time shows. (In Alaina Reed's case, I think some clause in her contract for 227 forbid acting on other shows at the same time.)

David left the show because his performer (Northern Calloway) had major health problems; Calloway allegedly died of stomach cancer a few years after the producers had David move to his grandmother's farm.

Mr. Macintosh and Wiley were dropped because their peformers died of old age, plain and simple.

Gordon hasn't left Sesame Street yet, and I doubt he will soon; with the science-centered curriculum in the last two seasons, having a science teacher as a character has been a major help to the show.

 

[CensoredAlso]

(Under the circumstances, I still wonder why David's role wasn't recast; if kids could accept a new Gordon after Matt Robinson died, why not find another youngish black actor with David's sense of humor and taste for funk?)

Well I guess when it came down to it Gordon was supposed to be the husband/father figure on the show and it was ultimately most crucial to keep that particular role filled.

 

[minor muppetz]

Mr. Macintosh and Wiley were dropped because their peformers died of old age, plain and simple.

Actually, Kermit Love retired, and died in 2007 or 2008, several years after Willy's last appearance (I don't know when Willy's last season was). I don't know when Chet O'Brien died, but I would assume it was after Mr. MacIntosh was no longer on the show.

And Gordon is still on the show. Tough Pigs recently visited the set during the taping of an upcoming episode and interviewed him.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

I'm thinking that since the show was still relatively new when they recast Gordon, they may have been experimenting at the time. I guess it seems like they felt people wouldn't notice. (Though it's hard to imagine no one noticing a guy with a big afro, turning into a bald guy.) It seems like they feel people are more aware of things these days. (presumably the reason why we don't see the Henson Ernie anymore) Hypothetically, if any of the actors that are on the show today were to pass away or retire or whatever. They probably wouldn't replace them. They'd just go on with out them. Though they did have recasts for Miles and Mr. Hanford, but those were quite a few years back as well.