When Will Lee, the actor who played kindly old shopkeeper Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street died in 1983, producers of the show thought it could be a crucial teaching moment about death for young viewers. So Mr. Hooper died, too. And here’s a clip. I know last week was the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, but it took me awhile to steel myself against recalling the childhood trauma experienced by watching the incredibly sad sequence of Big Bird coming to understand the shock and finality of the death of a loved one. It’s also fairly agonizing when Bob chokes back tears. Landmark TV here.
Mr. Hooper Is Dead
Damn you Retroist, why did you have to go and make me cry!