Hooper's Store

Last updated

Hooper's Store is a fictional business and meeting-place on the television show Sesame Street . When the show began, the store was one of the four main locations on the set representing the fictional Sesame Street, with the 123 Sesame Street brownstone, the Fix-It Shop, and the carriage house. [1] In the show, the original owner was Mr. Hooper, a gruff but friendly grocer.

Contents

After the death in 1982 of Will Lee, the actor who played Mr. Hooper, the store was managed by other characters, including David, [2] Mr. Handford, and Alan. [3]

History

Original proprietor Mr. Hooper (Will Lee) and his store in its earlier days as a candy shop/soda fountain/general store TV hoopers candy store.jpg
Original proprietor Mr. Hooper (Will Lee) and his store in its earlier days as a candy shop/soda fountain/general store

The fictional store was said to be founded by Mr. Harold Hooper in 1951 as a general store. In canon, the food menu was extensive and suited to the different characters that lived on Sesame Street, a fictional Manhattan street. Along with traditional American diner-type food, the store sold a wide range of goods from dry goods to soap dishes and stranger goods such as empty cigar boxes (in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street ) and birdseed milkshakes for Big Bird.

In Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street , Michael Davis notes that the store was one of the early core concepts that producer Jon Stone brought to the show:

There would be an older proprietor of a neighborhood variety store, the type that had a soda fountain with pedestal stools. At that time in Bronx sociological history, the owner of such a business would likely have been male, Caucasian, and Jewish. Stone asked Rosen to build into the set what ultimately became Hooper's Store. "It gave us a wonderful location both for comedy and curriculum-driven bits," Stone said. [4]

Over the course of the show, the store often acts as a gathering spot for the characters. [5] [6] In Sesame Street Unpaved, David Borgenicht writes:

Hooper's Store is what all good communities and neighborhoods require -- a gathering place. Hooper's Store is to Sesame Street what Cheers was to Cheers , what the Pirate's Cove was to The Love Boat , what Arnold's was to Happy Days : a place where Muppets and humans alike could go to get whatever they needed, whether that be a Figgy Fizz soda or a chocolate egg cream (Hooper's specialty). [7]

David and Gina

The fictional character David (Northern Calloway), a young African-American who moved to Sesame Street in the early 1970s, was soon hired by Mr. Hooper as an assistant. David was originally conceived as a hip, upbeat singer fresh out of high school who was fond of eccentric hats. Although he appeared in Season 3, he began working at the store in Season 4 while studying law at college.

Upon Mr. Hooper's death, which correlated with the death of his actor, Will Lee, in real life, the store was left to David in-universe. During seasons 16 and 17, a teenaged boy named Piri (played by Eddie Castrodad) worked at the store. Following this, David hired a new resident of the area, Gina (played by Alison Bartlett-O'Reilly) in 1987. This young teenage girl helped David as he himself had helped Mr. Hooper.

Bert was hired to help David in one Sesame Street book. During his employment he accidentally broke a teapot given to David by Mr. Hooper, but was forgiven for the mistake.

Actor Calloway faced health issues in 1989, and left the series. [8] His character moved to a farm, to live with his grandmother. The actor died in 1990.

David's final appearance was the season finale of Season 20 (the birth of Maria and Luis' daughter). Gina continued to work at the store for a couple of years after it was bought out by Mr. Handford. In 1995, she got a new job at the local daycare, until she finished college and remained on the show as a veterinarian.

Mr. Handford and Carlo

The enthusiastic Mr. Handford was a new character brought to the show exclusively to run the store, a change from the previous management of David, who started out as a character before he became the store operator. This African-American man was a retired firefighter who bought the store to keep active. Gina continued to work in the store with Mr. Handford as her new boss.

Although Leonard Jackson played him in Season 21, he was then recast and David Smyrl took over the role. While Jackson portrayed Mr. Handford as something of a “grumpy old man” with little patience for his friends’ quirks, Smyrl made the character much more cheerful, friendly, and quite young at heart.

In 1991, Hooper's Store was beginning to fall into disrepair. The final nail in the coffin came when Sully and Biff tried to hang up a picture frame for Mr. Handford, but Biff's misplaced hammer swing caused the entire woodwork of the store to collapse. No one was hurt, but the store was ruined, and Mr. Handford considered closing the store for good. Everyone convinced him that they needed him, and the store, so they all pitched in to rebuild it. The construction brought minor, cosmetic changes to the store, most notably a back door accessing the basement and kitchen.

A Hispanic-American teenager named Carlo (played by Carlo Alban) first appeared in 1993 as one of Gordon's students. In 1995, he was hired to work at the store.

These characters ran the store until 1998 when the actors left the show. There was no on-screen explanation to the characters' departures, though it has been stated in canon that Mr. Handford had retired, and sold the store to Alan (played by Alan Muraoka) that year.

Alan

Alan Muraoka joined the cast in 1998, as Alan, the new store owner. [9] Muraoka has commented that his casting was atypical for the role, as most of the previous owners "were older and more grandfather-ish." [10]

In season 35, Natalie was hired by Alan as a replacement while he took a vacation. Big Bird and Baby Bear are initially very anxious of the big change, but Natalie gradually assures them things will be fine. Natalie was played by guest star Natalie Portman. Portman was set to star as Natalie in three episodes in the 2004 season, but due to her losing her voice, Sesame Workshop had to film the other two episodes with Gabi in charge.

In Season 38, Chris Robinson joined Alan in running Mr. Hooper's Store. Chris is played by Chris Knowings, and is the nephew of Gordon and Susan.

A 2009 article about the series described the store as becoming a bodega. [11]

In themed entertainment

Various Sesame Place theme parks have featured the store. Originally at the Pennsylvania location, Mr. Hooper's Store was part of a play area. [12]

Japan's Sesame Place included Mr. Hooper's Store, a gift shop. [13]

For the 50th anniversary of the series, in 2019, an Australian pop-up exhibition of Sesame Street named its gift shop "Hooper's Store." [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sesame Workshop</span> American nonprofit organization and childrens media producer

Sesame Workshop (SW), originally known as the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), is an American nonprofit organization that has been responsible for the production of several educational children's programs—including its first and best-known, Sesame Street—that have been televised internationally. Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett developed the idea to form an organization to produce the Sesame Street television series. They spent two years, from 1966 to 1968, researching, developing, and raising money for the new series. Cooney was named as the Workshop's first executive director, which was termed "one of the most important television developments of the decade."

History of <i>Sesame Street</i>

The preschool educational television program Sesame Street was first aired on public television stations on November 10, 1969, and reached its 54th season in 2023. The history of Sesame Street has reflected changing attitudes to developmental psychology, early childhood education, and cultural diversity. Featuring Jim Henson's Muppets, animation, live shorts, humor and celebrity appearances, it was the first television program of its kind to base its content and production values on laboratory and formative research, and the first to include a curriculum "detailed or stated in terms of measurable outcomes". Initial responses to the show included adulatory reviews, some controversy and high ratings. By its 40th anniversary in 2009, Sesame Street was broadcast in over 120 countries, and 20 independent international versions had been produced. It has won eleven Grammys and over 150 Emmys in its history—more than any other children's show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Hooper</span> Sesame Street character

Mr. Harold Hooper was one of the first four human characters to appear on the television series Sesame Street. Created by producer and writer Jon Stone, Mr. Hooper is the original proprietor of Hooper's Store, the neighborhood variety store and combination diner/corner store that serves as a place for Muppets and humans to meet and interact. Lee, a character actor and instructor was "perfectly cast" as Mr. Hooper. Mr. Hooper ranked first of all human characters of the show in recognition by young viewers. Mr. Hooper, who has been described as "slightly cranky but good-hearted" and "curmudgeonly", bridges the gap between the older generation and its young audience. Hooper's Store, "an idealized social institution", is an extension of his personality. He had a close relationship with the Muppet Big Bird.

Elmo's World is a segment that is shown in the American children's television program Sesame Street. It always comes last and premiered on November 16, 1998, as part of a broader structural change to the show. It originally lasted fifteen minutes at the end of each episode. The segment ran until 2009, and then returned in 2017. The segment was designed to appeal to younger viewers and to increase ratings, which had fallen in the past decade. The segment is presented from the perspective of a three-year-old child as represented by its host, the Muppet Elmo, performed by Kevin Clash in the original series and Ryan Dillon in the 2017 reboot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roosevelt Franklin</span> Sesame Street Muppet character

Roosevelt Franklin is an African-American Muppet who was featured on the children's television series Sesame Street during the early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sesame Street (fictional location)</span> Fictional street

Sesame Street is a fictional street located in Manhattan, a borough in New York City. The street serves as the location for the American children's television series of the same name, which is centered on 123 Sesame Street, a fictional brownstone building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Lee</span> American actor (1908–1982)

William Lee was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing Mr. Hooper, the original store proprietor of the eponymous Hooper's Store. He was one of the four original human characters on Sesame Street, from the show's debut in November 1969 until his death on December 7, 1982, at the age of 74.

Elmopalooza! is a Sesame Street 30th anniversary special that aired on ABC on February 20, 1998. It was taped in the middle of the 29th season of Sesame Street, and features music video remakes of several classic songs from the show performed by celebrity guests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Calloway</span> American actor

Northern James Calloway was an American actor and singer, best known for playing David on Sesame Street from 1971 to 1989. He was institutionalized in a psychiatric hospital and died less than eight months after his last appearance on the show.

The Robinson family is a fictional family in the children's television series Sesame Street. The family consists of high school science teacher Gordon and his wife, Susan, a nurse. Later, the family expands to include their adopted son, Miles, as well as Gordon's sister, Olivia, his father, Mr. Robinson, and a brother. As African Americans, the family was created as leads for the show, originally targeted to underprivileged inner city children. Even as human roles were slowly reduced over the years, their characters maintained a constant presence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce</span> Unreleased episode of Sesame Street

"Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce" is the name of an episode on the children's television program Sesame Street. Produced in 1992, it never aired because tests revealed several unintended negative effects. Sesame Street has a history of addressing difficult topics as part of its affective curriculum goals, including death, marriage, childbirth, and disaster. Extensive research was conducted before these episodes were written and produced to determine their focus, and after they aired, to analyze their impact on viewers. This was the case for "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce." The show's producers had expressed a desire to produce the episode as early as 1989, and they were convinced that it was a topic they should address after the US Census Bureau reported that 40% of American children had experienced divorce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Muraoka</span> American actor

Alan Muraoka is a Japanese American actor and director who plays Alan, the current owner of Hooper's Store, on the television show Sesame Street since 1998. He currently serves on the board of directors at the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, an LGBTQIA safe-space, community activist center, and educational bridge dedicated to honoring Bayard Rustin through their mission and good works.

A wide variety of characters have appeared on the American children's television series Sesame Street. Many of the characters are Muppets, which are puppets made in Jim Henson's distinctive puppet-creation style. Most of the non-Muppet characters are human characters, but there are many characters that are animated.

Sesame Street is an American children's television series that is known for its use of format and structure to convey educational concepts to its preschool audience, and to help them prepare for school. It utilizes the conventions of television such as music, humor, sustained action, and a strong visual style, and combines Jim Henson's Muppets, animation, short films, humor, and cultural references. The show, which premiered in 1969, was the first to base its contents, format, and production values on laboratory and formative research. According to researchers, it was also the first to include a curriculum "detailed or stated in terms of measurable outcomes".

Music of <i>Sesame Street</i> Music of the television show Sesame Street

Music has been a part of the children's television show Sesame Street since its debut on PBS in 1969. For the first time, music was used as a teaching tool on a TV program for children; the songs written and performed on the show fulfilled specific purposes and supported its curriculum. The music on Sesame Street consisted of many styles and genres, but was consistent and recognizable so that it could be reproduced. The producers recorded and released dozens of albums of music; many songs became "timeless classics". In order to attract the best composers and lyricists, CTW allowed songwriters to retain the rights to the songs they wrote, which allowed them to earn lucrative profits. Sesame Street Book & Record, recorded in 1970, went gold and won a Grammy. As of November 2019, Sesame Workshop has partnered with Warner Music Group's Arts Music division to reform Sesame Street Records to make the music of Sesame Street fully available.

The children's television show Sesame Street, which premiered on public broadcasting television stations in 1969, was the first show of its kind that utilized a detailed and comprehensive educational curriculum, with specific educational goals, in its content. Its goals were garnered from in-house formative research and independent summative evaluations, and its first curriculum was created in a series of five seminars in 1968.

David Langston Smyrl, sometimes credited professionally as David L. Smyrl, was an American actor and television writer. He was best known for his role of Mr. Handford, the fictional retired firefighter who ran Hooper's Store on Sesame Street from 1990 to 1998. Smyrl won eight Emmy Awards for his work on Sesame Street during his time on the show.

References

  1. ↑ Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street. Black Dog & Leventhal. p. 67. ISBN   978-1579126384.
  2. ↑ Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street. Black Dog & Leventhal. p. 78. ISBN   978-1579126384.
  3. ↑ Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street. Black Dog & Leventhal. p. 81. ISBN   978-1579126384.
  4. ↑ Davis, Michael (2009). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. Penguin Books. p. 168. ISBN   978-0143116639.
  5. ↑ Manning, Anita (12 May 1989). "And baby makes three on 'Sesame Street'". The Daily Journal. Vineland NJ. Gannett News Service. p. 13. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  6. ↑ Walsh, Michael (8 August 1985). "TV nest best: watch Big Bird laying an egg". The Province. Vancouver BC. p. 34. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Borgenicht, David (1998). Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets and Songs. Hyperion Books. p. 124. ISBN   978-0786864607.
  8. ↑ "N.J. Calloway, veteran of 'Sesame Street'". Arizona Republic. Phoenix AZ. 14 January 1990. p. 37. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "'Sesame Street' timeline spans 30 seasons of prize-winning program". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis IN. 15 January 1999. p. 42. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  10. ↑ James, Greg; Fletcher, Duane (June 2007), An Interview with Alan Muraoka, The Muppet Newsflash, archived from the original on 2008-05-17, retrieved 2008-07-02
  11. ↑ Kahn, Joseph P. (7 November 2009). "Neighbourhood watch". The Boston Globe. Boston MA. p. G15. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  12. ↑ "Sunday Outing; Where 'Sesame Street' Comes to Life in Earnest". The New York Times. New York NY. 1 September 1991. p. A50.
  13. ↑ Mallin, Lorne (14 October 1990). "Tokyo celebrates Sesame Place park". The Province. Vancouver BC. p. 38.
  14. ↑ "Haven Celebrates 'Sesame Street' with Art Exhibit". LicenseGlobal. New York NY. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.