Sesame Workshop has named Sherrie Westin its new chief executive officer, shifting from the interim position she was named to by the nonprofit’s board of trustees earlier this year.
Previously, Westin served as the president of the organization behind “Sesame Street” since 2021. She was appointed interim CEO upon the exit of chief Steve Youngwood in February. The appointment of Westin to fulltime CEO makes her the first woman to be named CEO of Sesame Workshop since “Sesame Street” creator Joan Ganz Cooney.
“After an extensive CEO search, the Sesame Workshop Board of Trustees unanimously selected Sherrie Westin, who has proven herself to be deeply knowledgeable, tireless in her efforts on behalf of children and families, and passionately committed to our mission,” Sesame Workshop board of trustees Gaby Sulzberger said. “Sherrie is the inspirational leader the Workshop needs, and she has the Board’s absolute confidence and support as she...
Previously, Westin served as the president of the organization behind “Sesame Street” since 2021. She was appointed interim CEO upon the exit of chief Steve Youngwood in February. The appointment of Westin to fulltime CEO makes her the first woman to be named CEO of Sesame Workshop since “Sesame Street” creator Joan Ganz Cooney.
“After an extensive CEO search, the Sesame Workshop Board of Trustees unanimously selected Sherrie Westin, who has proven herself to be deeply knowledgeable, tireless in her efforts on behalf of children and families, and passionately committed to our mission,” Sesame Workshop board of trustees Gaby Sulzberger said. “Sherrie is the inspirational leader the Workshop needs, and she has the Board’s absolute confidence and support as she...
- 7/1/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Jim Henson is a man who needs no introduction. He’s a household name, famous for his intricate puppets and his creative genius. Throughout the late 20th century, he captivated people worldwide with fun characters and innovations in puppetry that could only be thought up by someone as gifted and ingenious as Henson himself. He brought smiles to millions of faces, and his work has forever left an impact on the world of entertainment as a whole. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Muppets ever since childhood; I remember putting Muppet movies on VHS on repeat, and the characters have always been a joy to watch. Reflecting on the work of Jim Henson is a fitting way to honor his legacy, so I’d like to take a look back at his works in the world of puppetry and the impact they have left. Henson was a...
- 5/31/2024
- by Ben Ross
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Sesame Street is set to undergo some major renovations.
The long-running children’s series will be getting a creative overhaul for its 56th season, which will debut in 2025.
“With any change you have evolutions, and then you have things that are slightly bigger steps, while still staying core to who we are,” says Steve Youngwood, the CEO of Sesame Workshop, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “We felt like this was a moment to step back and think bigger about how we evolve it.”
The most significant change will see the program drop the “magazine”-style format it has long used in favor of two longer, more narrative-driven segments, which will be paired with a new animated series, Tales From 123. The new format will feature two 11-minute story segments, with the new animated series sandwiched in between them.
“It’s going to give us an opportunity to dive further into the narrative,...
The long-running children’s series will be getting a creative overhaul for its 56th season, which will debut in 2025.
“With any change you have evolutions, and then you have things that are slightly bigger steps, while still staying core to who we are,” says Steve Youngwood, the CEO of Sesame Workshop, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “We felt like this was a moment to step back and think bigger about how we evolve it.”
The most significant change will see the program drop the “magazine”-style format it has long used in favor of two longer, more narrative-driven segments, which will be paired with a new animated series, Tales From 123. The new format will feature two 11-minute story segments, with the new animated series sandwiched in between them.
“It’s going to give us an opportunity to dive further into the narrative,...
- 10/30/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Photo credit: Getty Images
Fred White
White, the original drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire who played on their 1980 hit “Shining Star,” died Jan. 1 of undisclosed causes. He was 67.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Gangsta Boo
The Tennessee-based former member of the Oscar-winning rap group Three 6 Mafia, whose real name was Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, died Jan. 1 of undisclosed causes, though an autopsy is pending. She was 43.
James D. Brubaker
Brubaker, who started out as a driver on Hollywood sets before rising through the ranks to become a producer on films including “Rocky IV” and “Right Stuff,” died Jan. 3 after a series of strokes. He was 85.
Peter Rawley
Rawley, a longtime talent agent for ICM Partners and former MGM executive, died on Jan. 3. He was 85.
Photo credit: Gregory Yee/Twitter
Gregory Yee
Yee, a breaking news reporter for the LA Times, died Jan. 4 from complications from a respiratory illness. He was 33.
Earl Boen
Boen,...
Fred White
White, the original drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire who played on their 1980 hit “Shining Star,” died Jan. 1 of undisclosed causes. He was 67.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Gangsta Boo
The Tennessee-based former member of the Oscar-winning rap group Three 6 Mafia, whose real name was Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, died Jan. 1 of undisclosed causes, though an autopsy is pending. She was 43.
James D. Brubaker
Brubaker, who started out as a driver on Hollywood sets before rising through the ranks to become a producer on films including “Rocky IV” and “Right Stuff,” died Jan. 3 after a series of strokes. He was 85.
Peter Rawley
Rawley, a longtime talent agent for ICM Partners and former MGM executive, died on Jan. 3. He was 85.
Photo credit: Gregory Yee/Twitter
Gregory Yee
Yee, a breaking news reporter for the LA Times, died Jan. 4 from complications from a respiratory illness. He was 33.
Earl Boen
Boen,...
- 10/1/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
PBS Kids SVP and general manager Sara DeWitt always thought she would go into publishing after earning her English degree with a focus on children’s literacy development from Stanford University. But after taking an “experimental class” for her master’s degree, her entire career trajectory changed.
“The idea was that you had all these computer science folks who were suddenly in positions where they had to write story to get people through game environments and you had all these English majors who understood story but were afraid of the technology,” DeWitt told TheWrap for this week’s Office With a View. “My prerequisite for that class was having to learn HTML and then I got paired with computer science students to tackle different challenges and create different media types and I came out of it thinking there’s something really interesting here about what I’ve been thinking about...
“The idea was that you had all these computer science folks who were suddenly in positions where they had to write story to get people through game environments and you had all these English majors who understood story but were afraid of the technology,” DeWitt told TheWrap for this week’s Office With a View. “My prerequisite for that class was having to learn HTML and then I got paired with computer science students to tackle different challenges and create different media types and I came out of it thinking there’s something really interesting here about what I’ve been thinking about...
- 5/4/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Lloyd Morrisett, the co-creator of beloved children’s series “Sesame Street,” has died, Sesame Workshop announced via Twitter on Monday. He was 93.
“Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93,” the nonprofit educational organization behind “Sesame Street” wrote. “A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with Sesame Street only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact.”
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
The org, previously known as the Children’s Television Workshop, continued its tweet thread, praising Morrisett as a “wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader of the Workshop for decades,” adding that he...
“Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93,” the nonprofit educational organization behind “Sesame Street” wrote. “A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with Sesame Street only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact.”
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
The org, previously known as the Children’s Television Workshop, continued its tweet thread, praising Morrisett as a “wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader of the Workshop for decades,” adding that he...
- 1/25/2023
- by Benjamin Lindsay
- The Wrap
"Sesame Street” co-creator and children’s entertainment pioneer Lloyd N. Morrisett has died. He was 93.
News of Morrisett’s death was announced Monday by the Sesame Workshop, who mourned the passing of the man who helped bring the organization into existence back in 1969.
“Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93,” they shared in a series of posts, which accompanied a photo of Morrisett on the iconic “Sesame Street” itself.
“A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with ‘Sesame Street’ only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact,” Sesame Workshop shared. “A wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader of the Workshop for decades, Lloyd was fascinated by the power of technology and constantly thinking about new ways it could be used to educate.
News of Morrisett’s death was announced Monday by the Sesame Workshop, who mourned the passing of the man who helped bring the organization into existence back in 1969.
“Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93,” they shared in a series of posts, which accompanied a photo of Morrisett on the iconic “Sesame Street” itself.
“A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with ‘Sesame Street’ only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact,” Sesame Workshop shared. “A wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader of the Workshop for decades, Lloyd was fascinated by the power of technology and constantly thinking about new ways it could be used to educate.
- 1/25/2023
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
Lloyd Morrisett, the co-founder of Sesame Street, the beloved television show watched by millions of children around the world, has died at the age of 93.
Morrisett’s death was announced by Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit he helped co-found, on Tuesday. No details of his death were given.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
Born on Nov. 2, 1929 in Oklahoma City, Morrisett was an only child. His father,...
Morrisett’s death was announced by Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit he helped co-found, on Tuesday. No details of his death were given.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
Born on Nov. 2, 1929 in Oklahoma City, Morrisett was an only child. His father,...
- 1/25/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Lloyd Morrisett, Sesame Street Co-Creator And And Children's Television Workshop Founder, Dies At 93
Lloyd Morrisett, the co-creator of the beloved, long-running educational children's show "Sesame Street," has died. Sesame Workshop, the organization he originally founded as The Children's Television Workshop in 1968, shared the news of his passing via Twitter today. The former psychologist and pioneer in educational television was 93.
"Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, Ph.D., who died at the age of 93," the Sesame Workshop page shared, along with a sweet photo of Morrisett being hugged by a puppet version of himself.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
Morrisett changed the course of television history in the late 1960s when he and his close friend Joan Ganz Cooney co-founded The Children's Television Workshop, a non-profit that the pair created...
"Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, Ph.D., who died at the age of 93," the Sesame Workshop page shared, along with a sweet photo of Morrisett being hugged by a puppet version of himself.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
Morrisett changed the course of television history in the late 1960s when he and his close friend Joan Ganz Cooney co-founded The Children's Television Workshop, a non-profit that the pair created...
- 1/25/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Lloyd Morrisett, the co-founder of Sesame Street whose curiosity about whether television could serve as a tool to teach children was piqued when he observed his young daughter staring at a TV test pattern, has died. He was 93.
Morrisett’s death was reported by Sesame Workshop. No details of his death were immediately available.
Morrisett, then an experimental educator for the nonprofit Carnegie Corp. of New York, and Joan Ganz Cooney, a producer for a New York public TV station, were the driving forces behind the Children’s Television Workshop, which began in March 1968.
Out of that, Sesame Street debuted on Nov. 10, 1969, reaching more than half of the nation’s 12 million 3- to 5-year-olds in its first season.
At a dinner party hosted by Cooney and her husband in their Manhattan apartment in February 1966, Morrisett, who had a background in psychology, told a story about waking up early on a...
Morrisett’s death was reported by Sesame Workshop. No details of his death were immediately available.
Morrisett, then an experimental educator for the nonprofit Carnegie Corp. of New York, and Joan Ganz Cooney, a producer for a New York public TV station, were the driving forces behind the Children’s Television Workshop, which began in March 1968.
Out of that, Sesame Street debuted on Nov. 10, 1969, reaching more than half of the nation’s 12 million 3- to 5-year-olds in its first season.
At a dinner party hosted by Cooney and her husband in their Manhattan apartment in February 1966, Morrisett, who had a background in psychology, told a story about waking up early on a...
- 1/24/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sesame Street is bidding adieu to one of its own, as the children’s series co-creator Lloyd N. Morrisett has died. The creative was 93 years old. In a statement from fellow Sesame Street co-creator Joan Ganz Cooney, she said, “Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no Sesame Street. It was he who first came up with the notion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills, such as letters and numbers. He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over fifty years, and he will be sorely missed.” Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px — Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023 Along with co-creating one of television’s longest-running children’s programs, Morrisett was a Lifetime Honorary Trustee. He “leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over,...
- 1/24/2023
- TV Insider
Lloyd N. Morrisett, the co-founder with Joan Ganz Cooney of Sesame Street, has died, Sesame Workshop announced. He was 93.
“Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no Sesame Street,” said Ganz Cooney in a statement. “It was he who first came up with the notion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills, such as letters and numbers. He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over fifty years, and he will be sorely missed.”
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After co-founding Children’s Television Workshop in 1968, Morrisett remained a Lifetime Honorary Trustee until his death.
“Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible...
“Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no Sesame Street,” said Ganz Cooney in a statement. “It was he who first came up with the notion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills, such as letters and numbers. He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over fifty years, and he will be sorely missed.”
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Andrew Leynse Dies: Off Broadway Artistic Director Who Championed Works By A.R. Gurney, Terrence McNally, Theresa Rebeck Was 53 Related Story Yoshio Yoda Dies: 'McHale's Navy' Actor Was 88
After co-founding Children’s Television Workshop in 1968, Morrisett remained a Lifetime Honorary Trustee until his death.
“Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible...
- 1/24/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Sesame Street’ co-creator Lloyd Morrisett has died, Sesame Workshop announced on Monday. He was 93 years old.
“A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with ‘Sesame Street’ only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact,” Sesame Workshop (originally known as the Children’s Television Workshop) wrote of one of its founders.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
Morrisett co-founded the Children’s Television Workshop with his close friend and fellow “Sesame Street” creator Joan Ganz Cooney in 1968, where he continued to serve as chairman of the workshop board until 2000. He remained a board member until he died.
Prompted in part by the Civil Rights Movement and the war on poverty,...
“A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with ‘Sesame Street’ only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact,” Sesame Workshop (originally known as the Children’s Television Workshop) wrote of one of its founders.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93. pic.twitter.com/I9cSez95Px
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) January 23, 2023
Morrisett co-founded the Children’s Television Workshop with his close friend and fellow “Sesame Street” creator Joan Ganz Cooney in 1968, where he continued to serve as chairman of the workshop board until 2000. He remained a board member until he died.
Prompted in part by the Civil Rights Movement and the war on poverty,...
- 1/24/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Bob McGrath, an actor and recording artist who became a generational icon as one of the original human stars of “Sesame Street,” died Sunday at his home in New Jersey. He was 90.
McGrath’s death was confirmed by his family members through a post on his Facebook page: “The McGrath family has some sad news to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.”
Sesame Workshop shared a statement mourning the “beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years.”
“Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world, whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple joy of feeling music in their hearts,” reads Sesame Workshop’s statement. “A revered performer worldwide, Bob’s rich tenor filled airwaves...
McGrath’s death was confirmed by his family members through a post on his Facebook page: “The McGrath family has some sad news to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.”
Sesame Workshop shared a statement mourning the “beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years.”
“Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world, whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple joy of feeling music in their hearts,” reads Sesame Workshop’s statement. “A revered performer worldwide, Bob’s rich tenor filled airwaves...
- 12/4/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
It’s difficult, outside the US, to understand just what its television landscape looked like in the Sixties and before. There were a handful of programmes aimed at children, such as Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood, but they weren’t relatable to kids from all backgrounds, and almost everything else available was first and foremost about pushing products. Early on in this documentary, one of its contributors describes Sesame Street as "What television would do if it loved people rather than trying to sell to people," and all of the magic comes from there.
Could television be socially useful? To Americans, this was a new idea. It began with Joan Ganz Cooney, who imagined a series which could prepare young children for school and help to close the literacy gap between kids from different backgrounds, improving the life chances of those from the inner cities and reducing the economic gap between Americans of different races.
Could television be socially useful? To Americans, this was a new idea. It began with Joan Ganz Cooney, who imagined a series which could prepare young children for school and help to close the literacy gap between kids from different backgrounds, improving the life chances of those from the inner cities and reducing the economic gap between Americans of different races.
- 12/11/2021
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Sesame Street has become one of the most important and enduring television programs in American history, but there was a time, back in the mid-1960s when it was just a concept—and a bold one.
“The goal and plan was to reach children that were being underserved within education due to poverty and racism,” noted Ellen Scherer Crafts, producer of the HBO documentary Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, during its panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Documentary awards-season event. “The goal was to educate all children.”
The film examines the key figures who took the show from concept to reality, including creators Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, and other vital contributors like Jim Henson, whose Muppets delighted the young target audience, and composer Joe Raposo, who wrote the title theme song, as well as “Bein’ Green” and countless others.
“Some of the most beautiful quotes in the film,...
“The goal and plan was to reach children that were being underserved within education due to poverty and racism,” noted Ellen Scherer Crafts, producer of the HBO documentary Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, during its panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Documentary awards-season event. “The goal was to educate all children.”
The film examines the key figures who took the show from concept to reality, including creators Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, and other vital contributors like Jim Henson, whose Muppets delighted the young target audience, and composer Joe Raposo, who wrote the title theme song, as well as “Bein’ Green” and countless others.
“Some of the most beautiful quotes in the film,...
- 11/21/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Screen Media today released the first official trailer for the critically acclaimed “Sesame Street” documentary, “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.” Directed by Marilyn Agrelo (“Mad Hot Ballroom”) and inspired by Michael Davis’ eponymous nonfiction New York Times bestseller, the documentary chronicles the improbable origins of the groundbreaking children’s television show that had real-world effects on equality, education, and representation worldwide.
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to rave reviews, including from IndieWire’s own Kate Erbland, who called the film “loving and wide-ranging,” adding: “Initially conceived of as a then-revolutionary combination of children’s entertainment and educational instruction — literally inventing the idea of educational TV — ‘Sesame Street’ has only maintained and expanded its lofty ambitions over the course of more than five decades. That success, Agrelo’s film sagely argues, was no accident, but instead the product of careful, considerate, and forward-thinking planning.
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to rave reviews, including from IndieWire’s own Kate Erbland, who called the film “loving and wide-ranging,” adding: “Initially conceived of as a then-revolutionary combination of children’s entertainment and educational instruction — literally inventing the idea of educational TV — ‘Sesame Street’ has only maintained and expanded its lofty ambitions over the course of more than five decades. That success, Agrelo’s film sagely argues, was no accident, but instead the product of careful, considerate, and forward-thinking planning.
- 4/6/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The history and impact of Sesame Street is explored in the new trailer for the upcoming documentary, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, which will arrive in theaters April 23rd, and on-demand services May 7th.
Directed by Marilyn Agrelo, Street Gang is based on Michael Davis’ 2008 book of the same name, which chronicles how Sesame Street went from an out-there experiment in children’s television to a groundbreaking show with a tremendous influence not just on television, but education and representation around the world.
The new trailer offers...
Directed by Marilyn Agrelo, Street Gang is based on Michael Davis’ 2008 book of the same name, which chronicles how Sesame Street went from an out-there experiment in children’s television to a groundbreaking show with a tremendous influence not just on television, but education and representation around the world.
The new trailer offers...
- 4/6/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Sidestepping the curse that has befallen lesser behind-the-scenes documentaries taking on subjects with an immense archival body amassed over the course of decades, Marilyn Agrelo’s fascinating and well-constructed Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a focused look at the show’s origins before it became an international cultural juggernaut. Keying in primarily on the show’s first twenty years––including the development of the Children’s Television Workshop, whose $8 million dollar budget was funded partially by the US Department of Education––the film is an affectionate look at the power of TV to transform early childhood education, using Madison Avenue advertising techniques to teach the alphabet. The very act of creating education programing with inner-city children rather than suburban children in mind proved to a radically political act, and the film unpacks early decisions that set the tone without expanding too ploddingly on its legacy as...
- 2/6/2021
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
It is impossible to have grown up in the United States and not have had Sesame Street make some sort of effect on you. Starring Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie and Oscar the Grouch, the public access television show is perhaps the most revolutionary and important television show ever to air in the United States. So, being tasked with the challenge of telling the creation, history, and significance of this show was not something taken lightly by director Marilyn Agrelo and for the group of people around the world who got to watch the premiere of Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, they may all agree, it was a slam dunk!
The documentary begins at the tail end of 1960s when a women by the name of Joan Ganz Cooney came up with the idea of a children’s show that would be meant to educate but also entertain.
The documentary begins at the tail end of 1960s when a women by the name of Joan Ganz Cooney came up with the idea of a children’s show that would be meant to educate but also entertain.
- 1/31/2021
- by Nathan McVay
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Last summer, as protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement spread across the nation, parents who wanted to talk to their young children about racism had support from “Sesame Street.”
“Not all streets are like Sesame Street,” Elmo’s dad, Louie, said in a special episode of the long-running children’s television series that was produced in conjunction with CNN. “Across the country, people of color, especially in the Black community, are being treated unfairly because of how they look, their culture, race, and who they are. What we are seeing is people saying, ‘Enough is enough.’”
The special was widely praised for its progressive message, one that stayed true to the show’s original vision as developed by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett in the late 1960s. Those origins are explored in the new film “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street,” which debuts at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Not all streets are like Sesame Street,” Elmo’s dad, Louie, said in a special episode of the long-running children’s television series that was produced in conjunction with CNN. “Across the country, people of color, especially in the Black community, are being treated unfairly because of how they look, their culture, race, and who they are. What we are seeing is people saying, ‘Enough is enough.’”
The special was widely praised for its progressive message, one that stayed true to the show’s original vision as developed by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett in the late 1960s. Those origins are explored in the new film “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street,” which debuts at the Sundance Film Festival.
- 1/31/2021
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
"Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” has the good fortune to be arriving with about a hundred more built-in advantages than most documentaries. Offering up vintage backstage footage of Jim Henson and Frank Oz operating the Muppets feels a little like Henry Houdini coming back to reveal all his secrets. For parts of a nostalgically inclined audience, almost everything beyond that might be gravy. Yet that’s almost the least of the pleasures in a highly satisfying HBO documentary (premiering at the Sundance Film Festival) that wisely places roughly equal emphasis on how the sausage was made and how the culture was changed. It’s hard to ask for much more than a doc that captures creatives thoughtfully sneaking the civil revolution as well as basic education into children’s TV and includes a Muppets blooper reel.
As key veterans of the show’s early days discuss the...
As key veterans of the show’s early days discuss the...
- 1/31/2021
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
It makes perfect sense that there’s now a documentary about the long-running children’s television series “Sesame Street.” After all, there’s already been a doc about the puppeteer who played the characters of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on that show (“I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story”), and one about the man who played Elmo (“Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey”) — while “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” Morgan Neville’s 2018 film about another children’s TV icon, Mister Rogers, recently became the 12th highest-grossing nonfiction film of all time.
So what took so long to make “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street?” Marilyn Agrelo’s film premiered at the virtual Sundance Film Festival on Saturday morning, joining this year’s Sundance docs “Summer of Soul” and “Rebel Hearts” and last year’s “Crip Camp” as a celebration of revolutionary work that came out...
So what took so long to make “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street?” Marilyn Agrelo’s film premiered at the virtual Sundance Film Festival on Saturday morning, joining this year’s Sundance docs “Summer of Soul” and “Rebel Hearts” and last year’s “Crip Camp” as a celebration of revolutionary work that came out...
- 1/30/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
A is for Acquisition! Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s company Screen Media has acquired the North American rights to HBO’s Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street ahead of its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Screen Media is set to release the docu in theaters and into the home entertainment market in Spring 2021. The HBO Documentary Film will debut on HBO and HBO Max later in the year.
Inspired by Michael Davis’ New York Times best-selling book and directed by Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom), the documentary chronicles the improbable origins and expansion of the groundbreaking show that not only changed children’s television programming, but had real-world effects on equality, education, and representation worldwide.
In Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street, we are re-introduced to the visionary “gang” of mission-driven artists, writers, and educators that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society...
Inspired by Michael Davis’ New York Times best-selling book and directed by Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom), the documentary chronicles the improbable origins and expansion of the groundbreaking show that not only changed children’s television programming, but had real-world effects on equality, education, and representation worldwide.
In Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street, we are re-introduced to the visionary “gang” of mission-driven artists, writers, and educators that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society...
- 12/18/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Screen Media has bought North American rights to HBO’s “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” and will premiere the title at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival in January.
The documentary, inspired by Michael Davis’ New York Times best-selling book, is directed by Marilyn Agrelo and produced by Trevor Crafts and Ellen Scherer Crafts. The film chronicles the improbable origins and expansion of the groundbreaking show that not only changed children’s television programming, but had real-world effects on equality, education and representation worldwide.
Screen Media will release in theaters and into the home entertainment market in the spring of 2021. It will have its television debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max later in the year.
Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett originated “Sesame Street” as an experiment to harness the burgeoning power of television and create an educational, impactful, uplifting...
The documentary, inspired by Michael Davis’ New York Times best-selling book, is directed by Marilyn Agrelo and produced by Trevor Crafts and Ellen Scherer Crafts. The film chronicles the improbable origins and expansion of the groundbreaking show that not only changed children’s television programming, but had real-world effects on equality, education and representation worldwide.
Screen Media will release in theaters and into the home entertainment market in the spring of 2021. It will have its television debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max later in the year.
Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett originated “Sesame Street” as an experiment to harness the burgeoning power of television and create an educational, impactful, uplifting...
- 12/18/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The HBO film about the origins of the children’s TV show premieres at Sundance.
Screen Media has picked up North American rights to HBO documentary Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street, which is set to screen in the premieres section of next month’s Sundance Film Festival.
Screen Media plans to release the film in cinemas and the home entertainment market in the spring. The project will screen on HBO and streaming service HBO Max later in the year.
Directed by Marilyn Agrelo, the documentary chronicles the origins and growth of the groundbreaking show that changed children’s television,...
Screen Media has picked up North American rights to HBO documentary Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street, which is set to screen in the premieres section of next month’s Sundance Film Festival.
Screen Media plans to release the film in cinemas and the home entertainment market in the spring. The project will screen on HBO and streaming service HBO Max later in the year.
Directed by Marilyn Agrelo, the documentary chronicles the origins and growth of the groundbreaking show that changed children’s television,...
- 12/18/2020
- ScreenDaily
A documentary about the beloved children’s show “Sesame Street” is coming to HBO Documentary Films called “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street,” and the film will debut in 2021.
The documentary film is directed by Marilyn Agrelo and follows the work of Muppets creator Jim Henson along with some of the other pivotal voices who helped bring “Sesame Street” to the air in the 1960s and made it a household name for generations.
“Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” is specifically inspired by the civil rights movement and focuses on the first two experimental and groundbreaking decades of “Sesame Street,” highlighting this visionary “gang” that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society and engaged children in ways that entertained and educated them like never before.
People like media executive Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett wanted to use television as an educational and impactful...
The documentary film is directed by Marilyn Agrelo and follows the work of Muppets creator Jim Henson along with some of the other pivotal voices who helped bring “Sesame Street” to the air in the 1960s and made it a household name for generations.
“Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” is specifically inspired by the civil rights movement and focuses on the first two experimental and groundbreaking decades of “Sesame Street,” highlighting this visionary “gang” that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society and engaged children in ways that entertained and educated them like never before.
People like media executive Joan Ganz Cooney and Sesame Workshop co-founder Lloyd Morrisett wanted to use television as an educational and impactful...
- 12/8/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Here’s some news brought to you by the letters C, E and O: Steve Youngwood has been selected to succeed the retiring Jeffrey D. Dunn as Sesame Workshop CEO. The transition will begin on Jan. 1, 2021.
Additionally, Sherrie Westin has been elected as president of Sesame Workshop, the company that produces “Sesame Street.”
Dunn, who has been CEO there since 2014, will become executive chairman of Sesame Workshop and advise Youngwood and Westin for the following six months. He officially retires on June 30, 2021, which is when Sesame Workshop’s current fiscal year comes to a close.
According to the glowing quotes in the Tuesday morning media release, everyone will be sad to see Dunn go.
“Jeff has been an extraordinary CEO and an incredible leader at a critical moment for Sesame Workshop and the world,” said Jane D. Hartley, chairman of the board. “Under his watch, the organization has grown tremendously,...
Additionally, Sherrie Westin has been elected as president of Sesame Workshop, the company that produces “Sesame Street.”
Dunn, who has been CEO there since 2014, will become executive chairman of Sesame Workshop and advise Youngwood and Westin for the following six months. He officially retires on June 30, 2021, which is when Sesame Workshop’s current fiscal year comes to a close.
According to the glowing quotes in the Tuesday morning media release, everyone will be sad to see Dunn go.
“Jeff has been an extraordinary CEO and an incredible leader at a critical moment for Sesame Workshop and the world,” said Jane D. Hartley, chairman of the board. “Under his watch, the organization has grown tremendously,...
- 10/27/2020
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Grover, Big Bird and Cookie Monster will soon have a new boss.
Sesame Workshop’s Board of Trustees elected Steve Youngwood to take over as CEO of the nonprofit educational organization starting on January 1, 2021. He will replace Jeffrey D. Dunn, who will take on a new position as executive chairman. Sherrie Westin, president of of the company’s social impact and philanthropy division, will become president.
As chief operating officer, Youngwood has supervised a dramatic expansion of Sesame Workshop’s media business, and helped put the organization on more solid financial footing. The company, once focused on producing its flagship landmark children’s program, “Sesame Street, ” now works not only with PBS, which has aired that program for decades, but WarnerMedia, Apfel and YouTube among others. Sesame Workshop has dramatically increased its production pipeline, and currently maintains several projects for HBO and HBO Max, including a ersatz late-night program featuring Elmo,...
Sesame Workshop’s Board of Trustees elected Steve Youngwood to take over as CEO of the nonprofit educational organization starting on January 1, 2021. He will replace Jeffrey D. Dunn, who will take on a new position as executive chairman. Sherrie Westin, president of of the company’s social impact and philanthropy division, will become president.
As chief operating officer, Youngwood has supervised a dramatic expansion of Sesame Workshop’s media business, and helped put the organization on more solid financial footing. The company, once focused on producing its flagship landmark children’s program, “Sesame Street, ” now works not only with PBS, which has aired that program for decades, but WarnerMedia, Apfel and YouTube among others. Sesame Workshop has dramatically increased its production pipeline, and currently maintains several projects for HBO and HBO Max, including a ersatz late-night program featuring Elmo,...
- 10/27/2020
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Chance the Rapper is in negotiations to join Anne Hathaway in Warner Bros.’ live-action adaptation of “Sesame Street.”
"Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel is helming the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM. “Eight Grade” director Bo Burnham is contributing songs to the new film, which will hit theaters Jan. 15, 2021.
Shawn Levy and Michael Aguilar will produce the pic. Mike Rosolio and Chris Galletta have written drafts of the script with Jesse Ehrman overseeing the project for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, which holds the rights to the show, will also be involved in the development of the movie.
The story follows the Sesame Street characters after they are mysteriously expelled from their own neighborhood, forcing them to collaborate with history show host Sally Hawthorne to prove that Sesame Street actually exists. The educational series first premiered in 1969 with a combination of live-action puppetry and animation. “Sesame Street” is also...
"Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel is helming the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM. “Eight Grade” director Bo Burnham is contributing songs to the new film, which will hit theaters Jan. 15, 2021.
Shawn Levy and Michael Aguilar will produce the pic. Mike Rosolio and Chris Galletta have written drafts of the script with Jesse Ehrman overseeing the project for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, which holds the rights to the show, will also be involved in the development of the movie.
The story follows the Sesame Street characters after they are mysteriously expelled from their own neighborhood, forcing them to collaborate with history show host Sally Hawthorne to prove that Sesame Street actually exists. The educational series first premiered in 1969 with a combination of live-action puppetry and animation. “Sesame Street” is also...
- 3/3/2020
- by Justin Kroll
- Variety Film + TV
Washington, D.C. — Political chatter was kept to a minimum Sunday night as the Kennedy Center Honors presented elaborate tributes to “Sesame Street” — made more poignant by the death of legendary puppeteer Caroll Spinney earlier in the day — as well as Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, Earth, Wind and Fire and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.
The gala, in its 42nd year, once again capped a weekend of festivities that included a banquet on Saturday night at the U.S. State Department. Excluded for the third straight year was any participation by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, either as hosts of a traditional Sunday afternoon reception at the White House or attendees at the gala. It’s a workable arrangement for all given the president’s unpopularity within the arts and entertainment communities.
In their fifth year as producers of the Honors, White Cherry Entertainment’s Ricky Kirshner and...
The gala, in its 42nd year, once again capped a weekend of festivities that included a banquet on Saturday night at the U.S. State Department. Excluded for the third straight year was any participation by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, either as hosts of a traditional Sunday afternoon reception at the White House or attendees at the gala. It’s a workable arrangement for all given the president’s unpopularity within the arts and entertainment communities.
In their fifth year as producers of the Honors, White Cherry Entertainment’s Ricky Kirshner and...
- 12/9/2019
- by Paul Harris
- Variety Film + TV
Five more artists were added to the four-decade tradition of Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. The 42nd annual program, which will air December 15 on CBS, was hosted by previous recipient LL Cool J. We’ve got the complete list of performers for the 2019 Kch ceremony, which featured tributes to Earth, Wind and Fire, Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, “Sesame Street” and Michael Tilson Thomas.
SEEKennedy Zentrum Honors: 50 Entertainers Who Deserve To Be Selected
Ronstadt is one of the top vocalists of the past five decades and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has sold over 50 millions albums, had 31 gold and platinum records and has won 10 Grammy Awards. Her tribute featured Don Henley, Kevin Kline, Emmylou Harris, Carrie Underwood, Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood and Flor de Toloache.
Field is a two-time Oscar winning actress for “Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart.
SEEKennedy Zentrum Honors: 50 Entertainers Who Deserve To Be Selected
Ronstadt is one of the top vocalists of the past five decades and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has sold over 50 millions albums, had 31 gold and platinum records and has won 10 Grammy Awards. Her tribute featured Don Henley, Kevin Kline, Emmylou Harris, Carrie Underwood, Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood and Flor de Toloache.
Field is a two-time Oscar winning actress for “Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart.
- 12/9/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Caroll Spinney, the longtime Sesame Street puppeteer who voiced the characters of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for nearly 50 years, died Sunday at the age of 85.
The Sesame Workshop confirmed that Spinney died at his home in Connecticut following a lengthy battle with dystonia.
After initially meeting Jim Henson in 1962, Spinney joined Sesame Street for its inaugural season in 1969 and remained with the beloved series through his retirement in 2018.
“Caroll was an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from...
The Sesame Workshop confirmed that Spinney died at his home in Connecticut following a lengthy battle with dystonia.
After initially meeting Jim Henson in 1962, Spinney joined Sesame Street for its inaugural season in 1969 and remained with the beloved series through his retirement in 2018.
“Caroll was an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from...
- 12/8/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for 49 years at “Sesame Street,” died Sunday in Connecticut after living with dystonia. He was 85.
Sesame Workshop announced his death, calling him an “artistic genius” whose “legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.” Spinney’s death came on the same day “Sesame Street” is to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.
“His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world,” the announcement continued, “and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while,” Sesame Workshop said.
Spinney was with “Sesame Street” from the beginning in 1969, and continued working as Big Bird and Oscar through 2018, though he stopped performing inside the...
Sesame Workshop announced his death, calling him an “artistic genius” whose “legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.” Spinney’s death came on the same day “Sesame Street” is to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.
“His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world,” the announcement continued, “and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while,” Sesame Workshop said.
Spinney was with “Sesame Street” from the beginning in 1969, and continued working as Big Bird and Oscar through 2018, though he stopped performing inside the...
- 12/8/2019
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
Caroll Spinney, a puppeteer who brought the beloved Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life, died today at his Connecticut home. He was 85 and died from Dystonia, a movement disorder.
His death was announced by the Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit focused on helping preschool-age children reach their potential.
Spinney was described by Sesame Workshop as “an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from its earliest days in 1969.”
Spinney joined Jim Henson and developed a huge career using the Muppets characters. Big Bird visited China with Bob Hope, danced with the Rockettes, was celebrated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Us postage stamp, and was named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress.
A favorite highlight for Spinney was conducting symphony orchestras and performing with them across the United States, Australia,...
His death was announced by the Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit focused on helping preschool-age children reach their potential.
Spinney was described by Sesame Workshop as “an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from its earliest days in 1969.”
Spinney joined Jim Henson and developed a huge career using the Muppets characters. Big Bird visited China with Bob Hope, danced with the Rockettes, was celebrated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Us postage stamp, and was named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress.
A favorite highlight for Spinney was conducting symphony orchestras and performing with them across the United States, Australia,...
- 12/8/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
"Sesame Street” bowed 50 years ago, on Nov. 10, 1969, one week after the launch of PBS. A month later, Variety reporter Les Brown gushed, “It may be just the show to put public television on the ratings map.”
He was right. “Sesame Street” drew 1.9 million households — especially impressive since it was seen in only 67% of the country.
On Dec. 24, 1969, series creator Joan Ganz Cooney explained the show’s success to Variety: 18 months of research and planning, lack of interference from the companies funding the new show, and hiring the right people.
Not everyone was enthused. In May 1970, a Mississippi state commission banned the series, saying “Mississippi was not yet ready for” the integrated cast. A July 22, 1970, Variety story said that was the tip of the iceberg. Stations in seven Southern states had been preempting all PBS shows aimed at black audiences, citing a matter of “taste.” The shows included “Soul!,” Tony Brown...
He was right. “Sesame Street” drew 1.9 million households — especially impressive since it was seen in only 67% of the country.
On Dec. 24, 1969, series creator Joan Ganz Cooney explained the show’s success to Variety: 18 months of research and planning, lack of interference from the companies funding the new show, and hiring the right people.
Not everyone was enthused. In May 1970, a Mississippi state commission banned the series, saying “Mississippi was not yet ready for” the integrated cast. A July 22, 1970, Variety story said that was the tip of the iceberg. Stations in seven Southern states had been preempting all PBS shows aimed at black audiences, citing a matter of “taste.” The shows included “Soul!,” Tony Brown...
- 11/8/2019
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
The 2019 Kennedy Center Honors recipients were announced on Thursday. The 42nd annual class is Earth, Wind and Fire, Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, “Sesame Street” and Michael Tilson Thomas. The event will be filmed on December 8 and will be broadcast December 15 on CBS.
SEEKennedy Center Honors: 50 Entertainers Who Deserve To Be Selected
Earth, Wind and Fire has been performing for five decades and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson will represent the group at the ceremony.
Field is a two-time Oscar winning actress for “Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart.” She was also nominated for “Lincoln.” She is an Emmy winner and Tony Awards nominee plus more awards.
Ronstadt is one of the top vocalists of the past five decades and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has sold over 50 millions albums,...
SEEKennedy Center Honors: 50 Entertainers Who Deserve To Be Selected
Earth, Wind and Fire has been performing for five decades and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson will represent the group at the ceremony.
Field is a two-time Oscar winning actress for “Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart.” She was also nominated for “Lincoln.” She is an Emmy winner and Tony Awards nominee plus more awards.
Ronstadt is one of the top vocalists of the past five decades and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has sold over 50 millions albums,...
- 7/18/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Sesame Street, actress Sally Field, singer Linda Ronstadt, R&b band Earth, Wind & Fire and conductor and San Francisco Symphony co-founder Michael Tilson Thomas have been named the 2019 recipients of the 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements.
Sesame Street will be the first television program to ever receive the award. Co-founders Joan Ganz Cooney and Dr. Lloyd Morrisett will accept “on behalf of the show, Muppets creator Jim Henson, Muppets artists Caroll Spinney and Frank Oz, and the thousands of creatives who have built the program’s 50-year legacy.”
Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein praised this year’s honorees as “icons who, through their artistry, have left an indelible stamp on our collective cultural consciousness.”
Here are his descriptions of the five recipients:
“Earth, Wind & Fire’s hooks and grooves are the foundation of a seminal style that continues to shape our musical landscape”; “Sally Field has brought us unforgettable characters,...
Sesame Street will be the first television program to ever receive the award. Co-founders Joan Ganz Cooney and Dr. Lloyd Morrisett will accept “on behalf of the show, Muppets creator Jim Henson, Muppets artists Caroll Spinney and Frank Oz, and the thousands of creatives who have built the program’s 50-year legacy.”
Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein praised this year’s honorees as “icons who, through their artistry, have left an indelible stamp on our collective cultural consciousness.”
Here are his descriptions of the five recipients:
“Earth, Wind & Fire’s hooks and grooves are the foundation of a seminal style that continues to shape our musical landscape”; “Sally Field has brought us unforgettable characters,...
- 7/18/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, veteran R&b group Earth, Wind & Fire, “Sesame Street” and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, will be recognized at the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors, the organization announced on Thursday.
The 42nd annual awards will take place on Dec. 8 and will be broadcast Sunday, Dec. 15 on CBS.
This year’s awards will be the first time an individual TV show has been recognized, and “Sesame Street” co-founders Joan Ganz Cooney and Dr. Lloyd Morrisett will accept the Kennedy Center Honors on behalf of themselves, Muppets creator Jim Henson (who died in 1990), Muppets artists Caroll Spinney and Frank Oz, and the thousands of creatives who have built the program’s 50-year legacy.
Also Read: Sally Field Relieved Burt Reynolds Will Never Read Her Memoir: 'This Would Hurt Him'
Earth, Wind & Fire, which has featured at least over a dozen members in its time as a band, are being honored collectively as a musical group.
The 42nd annual awards will take place on Dec. 8 and will be broadcast Sunday, Dec. 15 on CBS.
This year’s awards will be the first time an individual TV show has been recognized, and “Sesame Street” co-founders Joan Ganz Cooney and Dr. Lloyd Morrisett will accept the Kennedy Center Honors on behalf of themselves, Muppets creator Jim Henson (who died in 1990), Muppets artists Caroll Spinney and Frank Oz, and the thousands of creatives who have built the program’s 50-year legacy.
Also Read: Sally Field Relieved Burt Reynolds Will Never Read Her Memoir: 'This Would Hurt Him'
Earth, Wind & Fire, which has featured at least over a dozen members in its time as a band, are being honored collectively as a musical group.
- 7/18/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Production on Warner Bros./MGM’s “Sesame Street” movie starring Anne Hathaway has been delayed nine months until April 2020, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
As of right now, the film is still set for release on January 15, 2021, but it’s likely the film may not hit that release date given the push in production. Insiders tell TheWrap the film was meant to start shooting this July, but there was a conflict with Hathaway’s schedule. Hathaway is wrapping production on Robert Zemeckis’ film “The Witches,” also for Warner Bros., this week. She has numerous other projects in development and also wrapped production on an untitled Todd Haynes film and Dee Rees’ “The Last Thing He Wanted.”
"Portlandia” co-creator Jonathan Krisel is directing the live-action musical based on the long-running PBS children’s series “Sesame Street.” Mike Rosolio wrote the first draft of the screenplay, with Chris Galletta...
As of right now, the film is still set for release on January 15, 2021, but it’s likely the film may not hit that release date given the push in production. Insiders tell TheWrap the film was meant to start shooting this July, but there was a conflict with Hathaway’s schedule. Hathaway is wrapping production on Robert Zemeckis’ film “The Witches,” also for Warner Bros., this week. She has numerous other projects in development and also wrapped production on an untitled Todd Haynes film and Dee Rees’ “The Last Thing He Wanted.”
"Portlandia” co-creator Jonathan Krisel is directing the live-action musical based on the long-running PBS children’s series “Sesame Street.” Mike Rosolio wrote the first draft of the screenplay, with Chris Galletta...
- 6/13/2019
- by Beatrice Verhoeven and Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Bo Burnham is on his way to Sesame Street.
The “Eighth Grade” director is set to contribute songs to a Warner Bros. live-action adaptation of the popular children’s show, which will hit theaters Jan. 15, 2021. “Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel is helming the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM.
Also attached to the film is star Anne Hathaway and producers Shawn Levy and Michael Aguilar. Additionally, Mike Rosolio and Chris Galletta have written drafts for the pic with Jesse Ehrman shepherding the project for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, which holds the rights to the show, will also be involved in the development of the movie.
The story follows the Sesame Street characters after they are mysteriously expelled from their own neighborhood, forcing them to collaborate with history show host Sally Hawthorne to prove that Sesame Street actually exists. The educational series first premiered in 1969 with a combination of live-action puppetry and animation.
The “Eighth Grade” director is set to contribute songs to a Warner Bros. live-action adaptation of the popular children’s show, which will hit theaters Jan. 15, 2021. “Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel is helming the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM.
Also attached to the film is star Anne Hathaway and producers Shawn Levy and Michael Aguilar. Additionally, Mike Rosolio and Chris Galletta have written drafts for the pic with Jesse Ehrman shepherding the project for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, which holds the rights to the show, will also be involved in the development of the movie.
The story follows the Sesame Street characters after they are mysteriously expelled from their own neighborhood, forcing them to collaborate with history show host Sally Hawthorne to prove that Sesame Street actually exists. The educational series first premiered in 1969 with a combination of live-action puppetry and animation.
- 6/10/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
"The Americans,” “Barry,” “The End of the F***ing World,” “The Good Place,” “Hannah Gadsby: Nanette,” “Killing Eve,” “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” “Pose” and “Random Acts of Flyness” have been named the entertainment winners at this year’s Peabody Awards, Variety has learned exclusively.
Additionally, “Sesame Street” has been named the winner of the Institutional Award for five decades of educating and entertaining children, globally. And Cartoon Network’s “Steven Universe” has been named the winner of the Peabody for children and youth programming.
"The Americans,” from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions, aired on FX for six seasons from 2013 to 2018. It wrapped its run in May of last year. The 1980s-set thrilled centered on two Soviet spies who were deep undercover as middle class American parents. Amblin Television also produced.
“Barry,” from HBO Entertainment in association with Alec Berg and Hanarply, currently airs its second season on HBO.
Additionally, “Sesame Street” has been named the winner of the Institutional Award for five decades of educating and entertaining children, globally. And Cartoon Network’s “Steven Universe” has been named the winner of the Peabody for children and youth programming.
"The Americans,” from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions, aired on FX for six seasons from 2013 to 2018. It wrapped its run in May of last year. The 1980s-set thrilled centered on two Soviet spies who were deep undercover as middle class American parents. Amblin Television also produced.
“Barry,” from HBO Entertainment in association with Alec Berg and Hanarply, currently airs its second season on HBO.
- 4/18/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
You can get to Sesame Street on Jan. 15, 2021.
Warner Bros. has set a release date for its live-action “Sesame Street” movie.
"Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel will helm the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM.
Shawn Levy is producing with Michael Aguilar. Mike Rosolio and Chris Galletta have written drafts for the pic. Jesse Ehrman is shepherding the project for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, which holds the rights to the show, will also be involved in the development.
The educational series premiered in 1969 with a combination of live-action, puppetry, and animation. “Sesame Street” is home to the Jim Henson creations Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and Elmo.
The TV series is produced by Sesame Workshop, known as the Children’s Television Workshop until 2000, and was created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett.
Warner Bros. has also set an April 16, 2021 debut for its...
Warner Bros. has set a release date for its live-action “Sesame Street” movie.
"Portlandia” director and co-creator Jonathan Krisel will helm the musical, co-financed by Warner Bros. and MGM.
Shawn Levy is producing with Michael Aguilar. Mike Rosolio and Chris Galletta have written drafts for the pic. Jesse Ehrman is shepherding the project for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, which holds the rights to the show, will also be involved in the development.
The educational series premiered in 1969 with a combination of live-action, puppetry, and animation. “Sesame Street” is home to the Jim Henson creations Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and Elmo.
The TV series is produced by Sesame Workshop, known as the Children’s Television Workshop until 2000, and was created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett.
Warner Bros. has also set an April 16, 2021 debut for its...
- 3/12/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros. has set the release dates for previously-announced films based on “Sesame Street” and “Tom and Jerry.”
The untitled “Sesame Street” movie, a live-action musical, arrives Jan. 15, 2021, and the untitled “Tom and Jerry” movie, which is a live-action and animation hybrid, comes out April 16, 2021.
"Portlandia” co-creator Jonathan Krisel is directing the “Sesame Street” movie based on the long-running children’s series created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett that features muppet characters created by Jim Henson including Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie and many others.
Also Read: 'Sesame Street' to Introduce First Homeless Muppet (Videos)
Mike Rosolio wrote the first draft of the screenplay, with Chris Galletta writing the most recent draft. Shawn Levy is producing with Michael Aguilar. Levy has been developing the project since 2012 when 20th Century Fox held the rights. Jesse Ehrman is overseeing for Warner Bros.
The untitled “Sesame Street” movie, a live-action musical, arrives Jan. 15, 2021, and the untitled “Tom and Jerry” movie, which is a live-action and animation hybrid, comes out April 16, 2021.
"Portlandia” co-creator Jonathan Krisel is directing the “Sesame Street” movie based on the long-running children’s series created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett that features muppet characters created by Jim Henson including Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie and many others.
Also Read: 'Sesame Street' to Introduce First Homeless Muppet (Videos)
Mike Rosolio wrote the first draft of the screenplay, with Chris Galletta writing the most recent draft. Shawn Levy is producing with Michael Aguilar. Levy has been developing the project since 2012 when 20th Century Fox held the rights. Jesse Ehrman is overseeing for Warner Bros.
- 3/12/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Focus Features is in advanced negotations to acquire worldwide rights to “Street Gang,” Marilyn Agrelo’s documentary exploring the “Sesame Street” phenomenon. HBO has acquired U.S. streaming and broadcast rights, Variety has learned.
Introduced to buyers at the Afm by the Exchange, “Street Gang” is partly based on Michael Davis’ best-selling book of the same name published in 2008. It charts the creation of the groundbreaking puppet series which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year and has become a cultural and social phenomenon.
“Street Gang” sheds light on the most experimental period of the children’s show, and features behind-the-scene footage, as well as interviews with co-creators Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, original head writer Norman Stiles, as well as some original cast members and puppeteers including Big Bird puppeteer Caroll Spinney and Prairie Dawn puppeteer Fran Brill.
“Street Gang” is being by produced by Macrocosm Entertainment and Citizen Skull Productions.
Introduced to buyers at the Afm by the Exchange, “Street Gang” is partly based on Michael Davis’ best-selling book of the same name published in 2008. It charts the creation of the groundbreaking puppet series which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year and has become a cultural and social phenomenon.
“Street Gang” sheds light on the most experimental period of the children’s show, and features behind-the-scene footage, as well as interviews with co-creators Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, original head writer Norman Stiles, as well as some original cast members and puppeteers including Big Bird puppeteer Caroll Spinney and Prairie Dawn puppeteer Fran Brill.
“Street Gang” is being by produced by Macrocosm Entertainment and Citizen Skull Productions.
- 11/6/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Joan Ganz Cooney, the children’s TV icon and co-creator of Sesame Street, is set to participate in Street Gang, a documentary about the groundbreaking show.
Also lined up to appear in the film — based partly on Michael Davis’ best-selling book and being introduced to buyers at Afm by The Exchange — are fellow co-creator Lloyd Morrisett; several original castmembers and puppeteers, including Caroll Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar) and Fran Brill (Prairie Dawn); composer Chris Cerf; and original head writer Norman Stiles. Spinney, 84, announced recently that he was retiring after doing Big Bird for nearly 50 years.
Marilyn Agrelo is directing ...
Also lined up to appear in the film — based partly on Michael Davis’ best-selling book and being introduced to buyers at Afm by The Exchange — are fellow co-creator Lloyd Morrisett; several original castmembers and puppeteers, including Caroll Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar) and Fran Brill (Prairie Dawn); composer Chris Cerf; and original head writer Norman Stiles. Spinney, 84, announced recently that he was retiring after doing Big Bird for nearly 50 years.
Marilyn Agrelo is directing ...
- 11/1/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Joan Ganz Cooney, the children’s TV icon and co-creator of Sesame Street, is set to participate in Street Gang, a documentary about the groundbreaking show.
Also lined up to appear in the film — based partly on Michael Davis’ best-selling book and being introduced to buyers at Afm by The Exchange — are fellow co-creator Lloyd Morrisett; several original castmembers and puppeteers, including Caroll Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar) and Fran Brill (Prairie Dawn); composer Chris Cerf; and original head writer Norman Stiles. Spinney, 84, announced recently that he was retiring after doing Big Bird for nearly 50 years.
Marilyn Agrelo is directing ...
Also lined up to appear in the film — based partly on Michael Davis’ best-selling book and being introduced to buyers at Afm by The Exchange — are fellow co-creator Lloyd Morrisett; several original castmembers and puppeteers, including Caroll Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar) and Fran Brill (Prairie Dawn); composer Chris Cerf; and original head writer Norman Stiles. Spinney, 84, announced recently that he was retiring after doing Big Bird for nearly 50 years.
Marilyn Agrelo is directing ...
- 11/1/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Variety and Rolling Stone will co-host their first-ever Criminal Justice Reform Summit next month in Los Angeles.
Featuring CNN host and activist Van Jones, as well as Kim Kardashian West and hip-hop artist Meek Mill, the Nov. 14 event will bring together the entertainment, philanthropic, advocacy and policymaking communities to drive criminal justice reform.
Jones will keynote the conference by talking about the failings of the American criminal justice system with Kardashian West, who recently began leveraging her celebrity platform to advocate for prison reform with D.C.’s top policymakers. Notably, she aided in the early release of Alice Marie Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender who spent 21 years in prison, after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
“Not only do we face a mass incarceration problem in the United States, but almost 60 percent of inmates currently in prison or jail are racial and ethnic minorities,” said Jones,...
Featuring CNN host and activist Van Jones, as well as Kim Kardashian West and hip-hop artist Meek Mill, the Nov. 14 event will bring together the entertainment, philanthropic, advocacy and policymaking communities to drive criminal justice reform.
Jones will keynote the conference by talking about the failings of the American criminal justice system with Kardashian West, who recently began leveraging her celebrity platform to advocate for prison reform with D.C.’s top policymakers. Notably, she aided in the early release of Alice Marie Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender who spent 21 years in prison, after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
“Not only do we face a mass incarceration problem in the United States, but almost 60 percent of inmates currently in prison or jail are racial and ethnic minorities,” said Jones,...
- 10/26/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Caroll Spinney is saying goodbye to Sesame Street.
The puppeteer, who has been part of the TV series since its premiere in 1969, has announced she is retiring.
He plays Big Bird, and Oscar the Grouch.
"Big Bird brought me so many places, opened my mind and nurtured my soul. And I plan to be an ambassador for Sesame Workshop for many years to come," Spinney said of his decision to exit the show, adding:
"After all, we’re a family! But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and respected — and actually hand-picked for the guardianship of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch — to take my alter-egos into their hands and continue to give them life."
Related: True Detective Season 3: Premiere Date Announced
"Before I came to Sesame Street, I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important. Big Bird helped me find my purpose,...
The puppeteer, who has been part of the TV series since its premiere in 1969, has announced she is retiring.
He plays Big Bird, and Oscar the Grouch.
"Big Bird brought me so many places, opened my mind and nurtured my soul. And I plan to be an ambassador for Sesame Workshop for many years to come," Spinney said of his decision to exit the show, adding:
"After all, we’re a family! But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and respected — and actually hand-picked for the guardianship of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch — to take my alter-egos into their hands and continue to give them life."
Related: True Detective Season 3: Premiere Date Announced
"Before I came to Sesame Street, I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important. Big Bird helped me find my purpose,...
- 10/17/2018
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
One of Sesame Street‘s most familiar faces is leaving the neighborhood.
Puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who has played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since the show’s premiere in 1969, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from both iconic roles.
Spinney released the following statement about his decision to retire:
Big Bird brought me so many places, opened my mind and nurtured my soul. And I plan to be an ambassador for Sesame Workshop for many years to come. After all, we’re a family! But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and...
Puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who has played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since the show’s premiere in 1969, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from both iconic roles.
Spinney released the following statement about his decision to retire:
Big Bird brought me so many places, opened my mind and nurtured my soul. And I plan to be an ambassador for Sesame Workshop for many years to come. After all, we’re a family! But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and...
- 10/17/2018
- TVLine.com
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