Mr. Hooper's Last episode

[hooperfan]

 

[gravy]

I know you're not supposed to usually trust Wikipedia for information (especially in cases like these) but Will Lee's page says his last segments were taped on November 24, 1982. I would discredit this, but that range of episodes isn't guided so it's got me curious... Is there anything of Hooper relevancy on that day?

 

[Oscarfan]

No episodes were taped that week, according to our documents. We don't really have dates for inserts taped back then, so...maybe? But it doesn't seem likely.

That was Thanksgiving week that year, so if they weren't shooting any episodes that week, I'd imagine they had the week off and did the parade instead (episodes resumed taping that Monday).

 

[YellowYahooey]

Wikipedia did state that Will Lee appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25, 1982. Wikipedia currently has a zero tolerance policy regarding providing data without credible sources. Unless that information has "citation needed" at the end of the sentence.

So maybe Will Lee's last involvement with the show's cast was not involving taping of an actual episode. And I agree that tapings of television programs would be halted that week in November in honor of Thanksgiving.

Episode 1790 is likely in the running to be Hooper's last appearance on an original segment, as I recall seeing a recap on Muppet Wiki in which David took over as merchant. David definitely took that role by the mid-April 1983 airings, as was noticed in the episode in which the Amazing Mumford changes David's nose to grow to Pinocchio-length.

 

[hooperfan]

But, to be fair, David ran the store many times on his own. So, even though the "nose" episode aired late in the season, it wasn't unusual to see him alone behind the counter

 

[Oscarfan]

Yeah. There was an early episode (https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_0227) where Mr. Hooper's doctor recommends he take things easy, thus hires Cookie Monster to help at the store to give him a little time off. One could assume once Tom/David come along, he'd still be doing that.

 

[YellowYahooey]

But, to be fair, David ran the store many times on his own. So, even though the "nose" episode aired late in the season, it wasn't unusual to see him alone behind the counter

I think it sounds like David was in training to be Hooper's successor by Season 14.

Based on what was said about episode 227, it sounds like Mr. Hooper was experiencing health issues in the early stages even during the second season.

 

[gravy]

Based on what was said about episode 227, it sounds like Mr. Hooper was experiencing health issues in the early stages even during the second season.

He was an old man.

 

[Fozzieboba]

Well, if there's info on a certain episode from a script in the 14th season, we'd probably know.....

 

[Muppet Master]

So episode 1790 aired posthumously. I wonder if Will Lee's death had been publicized at that point since March 1983 was 4 months after he passed away. I was also not aware that the goodbye Mr. Hooper episode aired nearly a year after he passed.