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Sesame Street dumps veteran cast members

Key performers, including an original cast member, gone a year after iconic show partners with HBO.

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Three long-time Sesame Street cast members are being dumped a year after the show partnered with HBO.

They are: Bob McGrath, aka “Bob,” Emilio Delgado (“Luis”) and Roscoe Orman (“Gordon”).

McGrath has been part of the show since it premiered in 1969, Delgado made his debut in 1971, and Orman joined the show in 1974.

“As of this season, I have completed my 45th season this year. And the show has gone under a major turnaround, going from an hour to a half hour. HBO has gotten involved also. And they let all of the original cast members go, with the exception of Alan Muraoka — who is probably 20 years younger than the rest of us — and Chris Knowings, who is also young.”

Sesame Workshop denied any interference from HBO in a statement: “Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado (“Luis”) and Roscoe Orman (“Gordon”) remain a beloved part of the Sesame family and continue to represent us at public events. To us, and for millions of people worldwide, they are a treasured part of Sesame Street. Since the show began, we are constantly evolving our content and curriculum, and hence, our characters, to meet the educational needs of children. As a result of this, our cast has changed over the years, though you can still expect to see many of them in upcoming productions. As we’ve stated previously, Sesame Workshop retains sole creative control over the show. HBO does not oversee the production.”

PBS CEO Paula Kerger said during Television Critics Association press tour “As you know, Sesame Street is produced by Sesame Workshop, an independent production company.

“The casting decision was made by them. We did not know about it beforehand. We found out about it after.”

Last year HBO and Sesame Workshop partnered to make the next five seasons of the iconic children’s show.

Source: Variety

5 Responses

  1. I can remember Bob from when I watched Sesame Street when it first started here. Not being a regular watcher these days I was amazed to find that he was still on it. Whether he stays or not, that is an incredible achievement.

  2. Pretty disappointing regardless of who made the final decision. Sesame Street itself these days is a pale imitation of what it once was, it’s all slick and shiny and full of Elmo, nothing like the Street I grew up watching.

  3. Just read a statement made by Roscoe Orman (Gordon) on Emilio Delgado’s Facebook page. Due to the overwhelming support these men have received, ” the new producers of Sesame Street have reached out to us with an expressed desire to continue our longstanding relationship, to be initiated with a meeting in September. Hopefully, this will result in the inclusion of veteran cast members in upcoming productions.” Looks like a good sign

  4. These would be the first guys sacked from Sesame Street ever?

    I think I read somewhere that only one person had ever “retired” or left SS.

    Bit surprised about Chris Knowings going too.

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