Kermit Love-now if there was ever a name that belonged behind the scenes on Sesame Street, that would definitely be it. Although he swears that Jim Henson didn’t name his famous Muppet Kermit the Frog after him, Kermit Love did help Henson create costumes and puppets for Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster. Love even appeared on the show as Willy the hot dog vendor.
The first episode of Sesame Street premiered November 10, 1969, which means it has been on TV for my entire lifetime. Although episodes today are a little more modern than this, I found a YouTube video for the opening sequence from a show that aired in the 70s. See if this looks familiar:
One year into the run of Sesame Street, Big Bird puppeteer Carroll Spinney was worried that he wouldn’t be able to keep living in New York on the tiny salary he was earning from the show. Kermit Love advised him to give it one more month-the next month, Big Bird was on the cover of Time magazine and the show’s future was secure. Sesame Street went from a tiny Public TV show designed to teach preschoolers to read to a worldwide cultural phenomenon. The original series has been televised in 120 countries, and more than 30 international versions have been produced, not including dubbed versions. The series has received 109 Emmy Awards, more than any other television series.
The characters that Love helped create gave my generation characters that we think of as friends, and now our children are learning to read, spell, count, share, compromise, and explore the world around them by watching the show. Sesame Street is so fun to watch that kids don’t even realize they are learning!
Mr. Love, thank you for giving us an 8 foot tall bird with yellow feathers, his giant, brown, betrunked best friend, a green grouch in a can, and a blue monster who loves cookies. Rest in Peace.
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I grew up watching Sesame Street, Big Bird was my favorite..and I did see him as my friend. It’s sad to see all of the good ole’times go away, through the death of our generations staples. Including good old Mr. Rogers. I don’t believe our children are being taught morals and values through the new age cartoons…which saddens me.
Oh how sad! I can’t believe that Kermit the frog wasn’t named after him!
My kids don’t watch Sesame Street, but I did as a kid (Before the aberration that is Elmo). I recently made my husband buy me a stuffed Mr. Snuffleupagus. Sad.
He was a genius wasn’t he.
I grew up on Sesame Street. Big Bird and Cookie Monster are my friends! I have tried many many times to get my kids to watch this show but for some reason they don’t like it. It’s sad that he has passed! And I believe in my heart of hearts that Kermit the Frog was named after Kermit Love! RIP Kermit Love.
I still love Sesame Street – it’s hard to believe it has been around longer than I have!
how sad, but what a wonderful life he must have had!
Well i don’t know much about this show.I was not even born. lol.. There is another show too name That’s 70s show. Even that’s good
i was a big fan of sesame street when i was a kid. my kids love also sesame street