In 1966, Lloyd Morrisett envisioned an education children’s television which eventually began “Sesame Street.” The show first aired in 1969.
He conceived the idea during discussions with co-founder and television producer Joan Ganz Cooney. The television show would “master the addictive qualities of television and do something good with them,” such as helping young children prepare for school.
Lloyd Morrisett, who helped create 'Sesame Street,' has died. #RIP https://t.co/4BvjKalKBe
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 25, 2023
Morrisett has died of natural causes at age 93.
He served as chairman of Sesame Worship until 2000. Morrisett remained on the board until his death.
Born in Oklahoma City, Morrisett was the son of Jessie Watson and Lloyd Newton Morrisett.
They moved to New York City in 1933 to escape the hardships brought about by the Dust Bowl and the Depression.
Lloyd Morrisett, Co-Creator of ‘Sesame Street,’ Dies at 93 https://t.co/wqsPZkpICy
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 24, 2023
After the Great Depression, the family moved to California. A middle school classmate from California later introduced Morrisett to Joan Ganz Cooney, who co-founded “Sesame Street.”
The show was known as the Children’s Television Workshop until June 2000. It is widely known for its images communicated through the use of Jim Henson’s Muppets.
“Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93,” the organization said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“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.”
RIP Lloyd Morrisett an absolute legend 👑 pic.twitter.com/HFMZLNCWu2
— Andy Swan (@AndySwan) January 25, 2023
From Fox News:
The show “started with a single bold question: could television be used to educate kids?” the workshop says of its history on its website.
Calling Morrisett a “wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader of the Workshop for decades,” the workshop quoted Cooney as saying. “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.”
