Sesame Street

Forty Years of Sweeping the Clouds Away

The Muppet cast of Sesame Street

Hold on to your feathers – Sesame Street is nearly 40! Since 1969, children and adults alike have flocked to the place where multiethnic, multigenerational, and even multispecies residents coexist in harmony. The people on this very special street learn life’s lessons together, provide viewers with strong role models, and teach children that everyone brings a special ability to the community. Here, children learn to use their imaginations, build social skills, and respect people’s differences.

Early days on Sesame Street

The phenomenon that changed the face of children’s television came about after co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney observed that children in underserved communities were at a disadvantage when it came to school preparedness. She assembled a team of educational advisors, researchers, and television producers to create a show that would directly impact children’s lives.

“Our original goal was simple: to create a successful television program that would make a difference in the lives of children, in particular, poor inner-city children, and help prepare them for school,” Cooney says. This goal seemed revolutionary at the time – and it worked. Sesame Street was an instant success.

Improving children’s lives

Sesame Street put television to work as an educational tool, and independent research has repeatedly and conclusively proven that the approach succeeds in improving cognitive skills,  teaching respect and social skills, and promoting school readiness skills. Children who watch the show as two-year-olds gain an advantage in math, vocabulary, and other school readiness skills by the time they are five.  

A unique brand of humor

While Sesame Street’s educational approach is key, it leaves plenty of room for humor. Sesame Street’s iconic comedic style appeals to children and their parents alike, encouraging intergenerational co-viewing. Most notably, this style includes parodies of popular television shows for grown- ups, such as A's Anatomy, RSI: Rhyme Scene Investigation, and Meal or No Meal.

The Street continues to innovate

Sesame Street is constantly evolving and continuing to change the face of children’s media. Looking to increase children’s interactivity with the show, the Elmo’s World segment debuted in Season 30. Elmo’s World takes place in a computer animated crayon-drawn room, and each segment focuses on a particular topic (examples include dogs, bananas, and singing) with supporting skits and interviews.

Research conducted revealed that children's participation in the show (singing, dancing, or smiling) increased with repeat viewings. Elmo’s World continues to be a successful component of Sesame Street and leads the way to the 40^th season milestone.

The longest street in the world

Each of Sesame Workshop's international co-productions is carefully crafted to meet local children’s specific needs. Child development experts in each country work with local directors, producers, and writers to translate the show’s magic in a way that captures the rich cultural flavors of each region. The engaging live action, animation, and colorful characters create a world of fun for young children and their families.

Northern Ireland became the newest member of the international Sesame Street family in April 2008, when Sesame Tree hit the airwaves on BBC Northern Ireland. The new show promotes respect and understanding and encourages Northern Ireland's children to explore and appreciate the world around them.

Extending the Sesame Street experience

Sesame Street has also expanded its core educational objectives to include initiatives that help equip children with the skills to succeed in the world. Topics include healthy eating, school preparedness, music, and bilingual learning. Through these initiatives, Sesame Workshop uses the positive power of the Sesame Street experience to reach as many children and families as possible and have maximum impact on their lives.

Combining education and entertainment through a research-based curriculum, featuring a multicultural cast, and giving kids honest answers to tough questions has made Sesame Street one of the most popular children’s television programs in the world. Today, approximately eight million viewers watch Sesame Street each week, while more than 77 million are Sesame Street “graduates.” As of 2008, the program has received more Emmy Awards than any other television show in history with 109 wins.

Notable Quotes

“Hello everybodeeeeeeeee! It is I, Grover!”
"À la peanut butter sandwiches!" –The Amazing Mumford
“Hi ho! Kermit the Frog here!”
“I’m too tall to be short” –Big Bird
“I can’t hear you—I’ve got a banana in my ear.” –Ernie

Notable Cast Members

Alison Bartlett O'Reilly
Linda Bove
Ruth Buzzi
Northern Calloway
Annette Calud
Desiree Casado
Emilio Delgado
Olamide Faison
Savion Glover
Bill Irwin
Michael Jeter
Christopher Knowings
Will Lee
Chet O'Brien
Roscoe Orman
Loretta Long
Sonia Manzano
Bill McCutcheon
Bob McGrath
Alan Muraoka
Alaina Reed
Buffy Sainte-Marie
David L. Smyrl
Lillias White

Trivia

As of 2008, the program has received more Emmy Awards than any other television show in history.
In the first season, Oscar the Grouch was orange!
Big Bird is psychologically written to represent a six-year-old.
Sesame Street has hosted more than 250 celebrity guests.
Sesame Street is the most widely viewed children's series in the world.

Number of Seasons

39

Number of Episodes

Seasons 1-29: 130 episodes per season
Seasons 30-32: 65 episodes per season
Seasons 33: 50 episodes per season
Seasons 34-39: 26 episodes per season

Episode Runtime

Seasons 1-33: 56 min
Seasons 33-39: 56 or 30 min

Format

Magazine format

Target Audience Age

2-4