Sesame Street creator Lloyd Morrisett dies leaving 'legacy among generations'

25 January 2023 , 02:09

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Sesame Street co-creator Lloyd Morrisett has died

Co-founder of Sesame Street, Lloyd Morrisett, has died at the age of 93.

The psychologist was praised in a moving tribute for having left an "outsized and indelible legacy" among generations of kids across the globe.

His death was confirmed in a statement on Twitter by the Sesame Workshop - a company he also co-founded. It read: "Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93.

"A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with Sesame Street only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact."

Rosita, Abby Cadabby, Joan Ganz Cooney, Elmo, Lloyd Morrisett, Zoe and Grover (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

It continued: "A wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader of the Workshop for decades, Lloyd was fascinated by the power of technology and constantly thinking about new ways it could be used to educate."

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The organisation went on to share a quote from Lloyd's co-founder and friend Joan Ganz Cooney, who said: "Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no Sesame Street. It was he who first came up with the notion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills, such as letters and numbers.

"He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over fifty years, and he will be sorely missed."

Sesame Workshop, which was originally called Children's Television Workshop (CTW), was the company which created legendary television show Sesame Street.

The show first aired on screen in 1969 and is still a popular show for children today. However, the initial idea was formed several years earlier in 1965 after Lloyd noticed how his three-year-old daughter engaged with the family's TV.

The recipients of the 42nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors, including Lloyd (RON SACHS/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX)

Her actions got him thinking about whether it could be used as a form of education. It's said he discussed his thoughts with his soon-to-be co-founder at a dinner party, he became fully on board with the idea.

The sad news of Lloyd's death comes just under two months after the death of Bob McGrath, one of its first non-Muppet regular characters on the show, who died at the age of 90.

Jamie Roberts