Mr. Harold Hooper is a character on the television series Sesame Street portrayed by Will Lee. He was one of the series's first four human characters. Created by producer and writer Jon Stone, Mr. Hooper is the original proprietor of Hooper's Store, the neighborhood variety store and diner that serves as a place for Muppets and humans to meet and interact. The cast and crew reported that filming it was a touching experience, with Bob McGrath listing it as one of his two favorites. Setting the standard for dealing with difficult topics on children's television, the episode remains a pivotal moment in the show's history.
Development and description
Mr. Hooper, played by Will Lee from the premiere of Sesame Street in 1969 until his death in 1982, was one of the first four human characters on the show. Created by producer and writer Jon Stone, the role of Mr. Hooper was the first to be cast. Lee came to Stone's attention through writers Bruce Hart and Carole Hart. Mr. Hooper was inspired by Captain Kangaroo, for which Stone had worked and which greatly influenced him as he developed Sesame Street. Mr. Hooper is the original proprietor of Hooper's Store, the neighborhood variety store and diner that serves as a place for Muppets and humans to meet and interact. Stone's original conception of Mr. Hooper was that he would be, like most owners of such establishments at the time, older, male, and Jewish.
Lee was a character actor and acting instructor with a range of roles in the theater. He had been blacklisted from many mainstream acting roles for about five years during the McCarthy era for refusing to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee's investigation of Communist influence in show business. According to writer Michael Davis, Lee played Mr. Hooper, known for his bowtie and horn-rimmed glasses, "with such certainty and naturalness he made adults suspend their sense of disbelief". Writer Louise A. Gikow said that Lee was "perfectly cast" as Mr. Hooper.
Mr. Hooper's last appearances on Sesame Street aired in 1983, but were taped in November 1982. Lee participated in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with other Sesame Street characters a few days before he died of a heart attack on December 7, 1982.
Death of Mr. Hooper
The producers of Sesame Street considered several ways to proceed after Lee's death, including writing around Lee's death and dropping him from the show without explanation. They also considered recasting the character or saying he could retire, or even move to Florida. Ultimately, they decided to have the character pass away, using episode #1839 to teach their audience about the difficult topic of death. According to CTW researcher Rosemarie Truglio and her colleagues, death is one of many social issues relevant to preschoolers the show has dealt with. Executive producer Dulcy Singer said they followed their instincts to be "honest and straightforward" and to "deal with it head-on".
Synopsis
In the episode, Big Bird presents his adult friends — Maria (Sonia Manzano), David (Northern Calloway), Bob (Bob McGrath), Susan (Loretta Long), Gordon (Roscoe Orman), Luis (Emilio Delgado), and Olivia (Alaina Reed Hall) — with pictures he has drawn of each of them. When he reaches his picture of Mr. Hooper, Big Bird wants to give it to him, but Maria reminds him that Mr. Hooper has died. Initially, Big Bird believes that Mr. Hooper will return, but Susan explains to him the permanence of death. David reveals that Mr. Hooper left him the store in his will, and Olivia reassures Big Bird that they still have their memories of Mr. Hooper from when he was alive. Overwhelmed with confusion and sadness, Big Bird demands an explanation for Mr. Hooper's death, to which Gordon replies, "It has to be this way... because." The episode ends with Big Bird hanging the picture near his nest.
Research
As it had done with other social issues and in developing their curriculum, the CTW researched the topic of death and how preschoolers understand it. The first step in the process was to assemble a team of experts, led by CTW research director Lewis Bernstein, in child psychology, child development, and religion. The team advised the show's writers and producers how to handle the topic, in what they called "a curriculum bath". Bernstein described it in this way: "We bring in the experts to allow the writer to soak in expertise. We in Research bring in people to provide the information, and then the artistry of the writer takes over, as they integrate what they've heard". The experts advised the producers to provide their viewers with a sense of closure about Mr. Hooper's death. They decided not to focus on how Mr. Hooper died, since explaining that he was old and ill might increase children's fears about death.
The researchers found that 73% of 4- and 5-year-olds in their study understood that Mr. Hooper was dead and that 88% of this group understood that he was not coming back, although only about one-fourth of the 3-year-old viewers responded correctly. Most of the 4- and 5-year-olds understood that Big Bird and the adults were sad. Most children (80%) were attentive during the episode. The parents interviewed had "overwhelmingly positive" reactions to the show, and half reported that they had discussed death with their children after viewing it. None of the parents reported negative reactions from their children, either immediately after watching the episode or later.
Development and legacy
Sesame Street head writer Norman Stiles was chosen to write the segments about Mr. Hooper's death. The episode focused on the cycle of birth and death by also mentioning the birth of a baby, and by remembering Mr. Hooper. Stiles said, "We decided to say that while Mr. Hooper was not here anymore, we will always have that part of him that lives within the heart, that we have our love and that it will always stay".
The episode aired on Thanksgiving Day 1983, a year after Lee's final appearance as Mr. Hooper in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. The producers chose to air it during the first week of the new season in order to explain Mr. Hooper's absence as soon as possible, for maximum exposure, and to ensure that parents were at home with their children to discuss it. The illustrations used for the episode were drawn by Caroll Spinney, who played Big Bird. Mr. Hooper's picture remained on the set from then on, as a continuing memorial to Lee and Mr. Hooper.
See also
- History of Sesame Street
- Educational goals of Sesame Street
- Sesame Street research
- Format of Sesame Street
References
Citations
Works cited
- Davis, Michael (2008). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. New York: Viking Press.
- Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration— Forty Years of Life on the Street. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. .