Northern Calloway (David)

[backpackmina]

I found this really interesting piece on Northern Calloway (David from 1971-1989) that I wanted to share. David, to this day, is my favorite character from Sesame Street. He was just so hip and big brotherly, and he and Maria were a couple for a while (the first inter-racial couple on children's TV, I just realized).

What made David unique and a positive role model to urban children was that unlike the older boys that got involved in drugs and gangs in their neighbourhoods, David was not only studying in university to become a lawyer but he also held a part-time job at Mr. Hooper's store...and STILL managed to be the coolest cat on Sesame Street.

The above quote is ironic because Northern had a drug addiction and was also a sufferer from mental illness and even insanity! Check this crazy story:

In 1980 Nashville Tennessee police arrested a half naked Northern Calloway, who was wearing nothing but a Superman T-shirt, during a wild rampage in a quiet residential neighbourhood. Calloway had been in Nashville performing a Sesame Street themed stage production while staying at the home of the theatre's marketing director. Apparently, sometime during the evening of September 20th, Calloway had beat his host with a metal iron, causing her to suffer a head injury and broken ribs, before tearing off half naked to the streets. In his rampage Calloway managed to break a series of windows, as well as take the iron to a car. Police found him by following a trail of the actors blood, caused by cuts suffered by shattered glass, and Calloway was reported to the police as muttering strange phrases and trying to eat grass. As police and ambulance drivers attempted to strap the enraged Calloway to a stretcher he was reported to have screamed "I'm David of Sesame Street and they're trying to kill me." When finally being interviewed days later about his rampage, Calloway was quoted by the Nashville Tennessean as saying, "It will be a sad, sad thing for the children to hear about this. I can't remember a thing. I've never had a spell like this before." Calloway was transferred to Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute for further study. However, the strange story of Northern Calloway's insanity ends there. The woman whom he attacked lived and soon Calloway was not only out of the hospital but back on Sesame Street without the CTW batting an eyelash, and would play the role for another nine years without incident.

What I don't understand is that CTW didn't fire him!! Why didn't they?? At the very least, they could've offered counseling or something like that like some companies do.

Northern lost his battle with cancer in 1990, just a few months after his departure from SS and a few weeks before his 42nd birthday. A tragic life indeed, but I'll continue to remember Northern for being awesome David.

 

[GonzoLeaper]

It is very sad about all the struggles that Northern Calloway went through, but I also love his work as David and he is also one of my favorite characters on Sesame Street.

 

[fuzzygobo]

At the time, it might've generated bad publicity- tabloid headlines shouting "SESAME STAR FREAKS OUT!!!". During the 80's they gradually phased David out.
I still remember it was a little sad seeing him at Luis and Maria's wedding. He and Maria used to be such a hot item, now she and Luis are tying the knot.
And poor David is sitting WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY in the back, almost in the next county.
But it makes sense they had Maria marry Luis. As Calloway's health got worse (and towards the end he was really beginning to look bad, all fat and bloated), it would've taken quite some effort to explain his absence after his death. And leave Maria a widow with a baby daughter? They handled Mr. Hooper's death quite well, but David's death would've been a more delicate matter.

Apparently it was written he'd go live on his grandmother's farm, and that would be the end of it.

It wasn't until the Unpaved book came out in 1998, that I was even aware he died. I understood him being written out, but thought MAYBE he'd come back someday. But it wasn't meant to be.

Even still, I grew up with David, and he was as groovy as they come.

 

[GrouchFanatic]

I really don’t know what to think about him; a part of me thinks he was a lunatic. Part of me wonders how a guy could develop so many mental health problems so fast. He was certainly a short fuse, & a part of him really hated admitted when he was clearly wrong & tried to get out of it, like he did the time Snuffy was finally revealed. I wish he could’ve gotten some help.