Jeff Moss (June 19, 1942 – September 25, 1998) was an American composer, lyricist, playwright and television writer, best known for his award-winning work on the children's television series Sesame Street.

Early life

Moss was born in New York City; his father, Arnold Moss, was a stage and screen actor, and his mother, Stella Reynolds, gave up acting to become a soap-opera writer. He attended the Browning School, a prestigious New York private school, and was first in his class.

He attended Princeton University and was a member of the Princeton Triangle Club theater company. After graduating in 1963, he took a job as a production assistant at the children's television show Captain Kangaroo. He also got an offer to work for CBS News, which he later said he had turned down because "I've seen the news."

Sesame Street

In 1969, he became the first head writer, composer, and lyricist, for Sesame Street. He would eventually win fourteen Emmy Awards for his work on the show. Moss is also credited with, among other things, creating the character of Cookie Monster, based on a puppet Jim Henson had created called "Boogle Eyes".

Moss wrote the song "Nasty Dan", which Johnny Cash sang when he appeared on Sesame Street; it later appeared on the 1975 The Johnny Cash Children's Album. In 1976, the song became a #1 hit in France for Claude François, who recorded it with French lyrics under the title "Sale Bonhomme". In 1984, Moss wrote the music and lyrics for The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Death

Moss was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in early January 1994, and died on September 25, 1998, at 56 years old. He was survived by his wife, Anne Boylan; his son, Alexander Moss; and his stepson, Jonathan Boylan Smith. Season 30 of Sesame Street was dedicated to his memory.

See also

  • Joe Raposo

References

  • Jeff Moss obituary from Children's Television Workshop