Farewell, Mr. Hooper

Remember that I grew up watching Sesame Street. I watched it from about the time it first aired in 1969 until well through High School (although in later years I only watched it occasionally and as a fan of the Muppets or as someone interested in becoming a teacher) and into college.

One of my favorite non-Muppet characters as a child was Mr. Hooper, who ran the corner store. As played by actor Will Lee, Mr. Hooper was gruff but not unfriendly. According to Joan Ganz Cooney, president of the Children’s Television Workshop, “He gave millions of children the message that the old and the young have a lot to say to each other.”

That was especially true of Mr. Hooper and Big Bird. Since Big Bird was aged at around 6-years-old, his relationship with Mr. Hooper was exactly what Cooney was speaking about. Big Bird never managed to get Mr. Hooper’s name right, calling him “Mr. Looper,” or “Mr. Dooper,” and other humorous similar sounding names. This always brought an exasperated and exaggerated “It’s HOOPER!” from Mr. Hooper. I suspect that it’s just this running joke that made Mr. Hooper the most recognizable human character on the show according to a survey done during his time on the air. Children would run up to him on the street, wanting to know how he got out of the television set or whispering “I love you.”

Lee himself spoke of the longevity of playing a character like Mr. Hooper in a 1970 article in Time Magazine. “I was delighted to take the role of Mr. Hooper, the gruff grocer with the warm heart. It’s a big part, and it allows a lot of latitude. But the show has something extra, ­that sense you sometimes get from great theater, the feeling that its influence never stops.”

Although I remember bits and pieces of Mr. Hooper’s appearances on Sesame Street from my childhood, the episode I remember the most is the one he’s not in. When Lee passed away in 1982 from a heart attack/cancer, Sesame Street was faced with a challenge. It was not uncommon for shows to deal with the death of an actor by either replacing them with another actor in the same role, or simply writing them out. Many a character had suddenly “moved away” after the actor portraying them had died.

But Sesame Street was an educational program, and it took this role seriously. They decided to deal with Lee’s death in a straightforward and honest manner, by dealing with Mr. Hooper’s death as well. Episode 1839 aired on Thanksgiving Day (November 23) 1983, a year after Lee’s death. Parents were encouraged to watch the episode with their children to answer any questions they might have. Episode 1839 was quickly chosen by the Daytime Emmys as one of the 10 most influential moments in daytime television. The original script was so intense, the cast shot the episode in one take so they wouldn’t have to do it again.

The episode begins with Big Bird entering with a funny walk. When asked why, he answers “just because.” Later, Big Bird has drawn pictures of the people on Sesame Street, and he is handing them out. Left with only the picture of Mr. Hooper (actually drawn by Big Bird’s puppeteer Caroll Spinney), Big Bird begins searching for him to present his artwork. Sadly, the human characters remind him that Mr. Hooper has died. He won’t be coming back. The episode is brilliant in its simplicity. There’s no attempt to gloss over death. The group’s explanation of death doesn’t invoke, or rule out, any religious or scientific beliefs. The answer to why someone dies is simple:  “Because. Just because.” Nothing more needs to be said.

The episode ends with Big Bird and the gang hanging the picture of Mr. Hooper behind Big Bird’s nest, where it still hangs today. The way to deal with death, whether you’re an adult or child, is to embrace your memories of the deceased. We love Mr. Hooper and remember him fondly.

Here is the segment from episode 1839. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy when you watch it!

This article is dedicated to the memory of Will Lee (August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982). We’re sure gonna miss you, Mr. Hooper!