Joan Ganz Cooney

Children's Show Creator

View Full Interview

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In her four-and-a-half-hour interview, Joan Ganz Cooney talks about her early involvement in public television in New York, where she worked as a producer for local station WNET. She discusses the creation of the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), and the academic hurdles she overcame in 1969 to create and produce the internationally acclaimed Sesame Street. She details additional CTW programs like the hugely successful Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, and Square One TV, and discusses several of the lesser-known CTW programs targeted toward adults. Shirley Wershba conducted the interview on April 22 and April 27, 1998 in New York, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Someone on the US Steel Hour was leaving to go to WGBH in Boston... to an educational station. I said, 'what? There is educational television?' And I knew that I was born to be in educational television. I knew it; it was Saint Paul on the highway."

People Talking About ...

Joan Ganz Cooney

Highlights

Joan Ganz Cooney on the use of Muppets on Sesame Street and initial reaction to the show

02:00

Joan Ganz Cooney on the importance of humor in Sesame Street

00:50

Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)

01:16

On results of testing done on pre-schoolers on the efficacy of Sesame Street

00:40

On being a woman in a male dominated business

02:25

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her childhood and early influences

On religion; on entering the media and on moving to New York and working for RCA and The U.S. Steel Hour

Chapter 2

On David Sarnoff, William S. Paley, and Pat Weaver

On the New York intellectual crowd she spent time with whle in her 20s; on Partisan Review

On the beginnings of educational television in New York; on becoming a producer at Channel 13 New York

On her early work at Channel 13 and the struggle for the survival of public television

Chapter 3

On her documentary, A Chance at the Beginning, the formation of Head Start, and additional work at Channel 13

On the documentary format for television

On the creation of The Children's Television Workshop

Chapter 4

On hiring producers for The Children's Television Workshop

On bringing Jim Henson onto Sesame Street; on the creation of content for Sesame Street

On the creation of Big Bird, Oscar, and bringing in Gordon and Susan; on measuring the success of Sesame Street

On the music on Sesame Street and the joys of working with Jim Henson

Chapter 5

On the research conducted for Sesame Street

On Jim Henson and the Muppets on Sesame Street

On network interest in Sesame Street, humor and guest stars; on incorporating

On the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)

On the format and topics covered on Sesame Street

On other programs she helped develop for the Children's Television Workshop: The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Best of Families, Square One TV

Chapter 6

On The Electric Company

On the formation of the Children's Television Workshop in 1968 and its incorporation in 1970

On the financial structure of the Children's Television Workshop, Inc.

On the international success of Sesame Street

Chapter 7

On the grant from The Ford Foundation in the 1970s to help fund The Children's Television's Workshop; on cable investments

On The Children's Television Workshop's partnership with Atari and investment in theme parks

On The Children's Television Workshop's success with licensing; on digital ventures

On executive/consultant Mike Dann's contributions and how The Children's Television Workshop handled international productions - particularly those in Israel and Palestine

Chapter 8

On planning and testing of program to promote reading, The Electric Company

On the programs Feeling Good and Latin American Health Minutes

On the dramatic series, Best of Families

On the science program, 3-2-1 Contact and the math program, Square One TV

Chapter 9

On the format and funding of the science program, 3-2-1 Contact, on the math program, Square One TV, and on the reading program, Ghostwriter

On her reflections on her career and on her personal life

On how Sesame Street competes in the new marketplace; on the show's legacy

On her personal legacy; on her reflections on people with whom she's worked

Shows

3-2-1 Contact

Joan Ganz Cooney on the show, 3-2-1 Contact

01:42

Joan Ganz Cooney on the science show, 3-2-1 Contact

01:11

Joan Ganz Cooney on the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

07:04

Joan Ganz Cooney on the format and funding of the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

02:28

Joan Ganz Cooney on the success of 3-2-1 Contact versus that of Square One TV

01:03

Best of Families, The

Joan Ganz Cooney on the program, Best of Families

01:18

Joan Ganz Cooney on subsidizing the program, Best of Families

01:22

Joan Ganz Cooney on the dramatic program, Best of Familie s, a social history of New York at the turn of the 20th century

03:55

Captain Kangaroo

Joan Ganz Cooney on hiring producers from Captain Kangaroo for Sesame Street

04:10

Joan Ganz Cooney on Mike Dann helping her select executive producers from Captain Kangaroo

02:26

Court of Reason

Joan Ganz Cooney on Malcom X's appearance on the public television show, Court of Reason

00:57

Joan Ganz Cooney on the public television show, Court of Reason

04:13

Dateline

Joan Ganz Cooney on the documentary format and how she doesn't enjoy Dateline

00:56

Electric Company, The

Joan Ganz Cooney on the show, The Electric Company

01:26

Joan Ganz Cooney on the origin of the program to promote reading, The Electric Company

07:45

Joan Ganz Cooney on planning the program to promote reading, The Electric Company

08:49

Feeling Good

Joan Ganz Cooney on health series for adults, Feeling Good

04:16

Ghostwriter

Joan Ganz Cooney on the program to promote reading, Ghostwriter

01:36

Latin American Health Minutes

Joan Ganz Cooney on Latin American Health Minutes

02:04

Muppet Show, The

Joan Ganz Cooney on Jim Henson's fear of being typecast as a children's performer

00:30

Poverty, Anti-Poverty and the Poor

Joan Ganz Cooney on her documentary, Poverty, Anti-Poverty and the Poor

02:58

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Joan Ganz Cooney on wanting Sesame Street to be a Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In for kids

00:49

Sesame Street

Joan Ganz Cooney on the origin of the name for Sesame Street

01:55

Joan Ganz Cooney on the creation of Sesame Street

23:23

Joan Ganz Cooney on importance of research in the development of Sesame Street

01:28

Joan Ganz Cooney on the use of Muppets on Sesame Street and initial reaction to the show

02:00

Joan Ganz Cooney on the various Muppets on Sesame Street

02:39

Joan Ganz Cooney on the importance of humor in Sesame Street

00:50

Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)

01:16

Joan Ganz Cooney on the international versions of Sesame Street

11:36

Joan Ganz Cooney on how Sesame Street competes in the new marketplace; on the show's legacy

03:41

Sesame Street: "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"

Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper"

01:17

Square One TV

Joan Ganz Cooney on the math program, Square One TV for 8-12 year olds

01:23

Joan Ganz Cooney on the math program, Square One TV

00:41

Joan Ganz Cooney on the math program, Square One TV

04:04

Today

Joan Ganz Cooney on Pat Weaver's creation of and advertising structure on The Tonight Show and Today

01:16

Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show

Joan Ganz Cooney on Pat Weaver's creation of and advertising structure on The Tonight Show and Today

01:16

United States Steel Hour, The

Joan Ganz Cooney on getting a job at The U.S. Steel Hour

01:02

Joan Ganz Cooney on publicizing The U.S. Steel Hour

03:28

Joan Ganz Cooney on live television and later taping on The U.S. Steel Hour

03:14

Your Show of Shows

Joan Ganz Cooney on live television, as on Your Show of Shows

00:41

Topics

Civil Rights Movement

Joan Ganz Cooney on how The Children's Television Network was a beacon of hope after the death of Martin Luther King Jr.

00:44

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Joan Ganz Cooney on her high school teachers that influenced her

05:26

Criticism of TV

Joan Ganz Cooney on the use of Muppets on Sesame Street and initial reaction to the show

02:02

Joan Ganz Cooney on the criticism of the health series for adults, Feeling Good

02:13

Emmy Awards

Joan Ganz Cooney on her documentary, Poverty, Anti-Poverty and the Poor and winning an area Emmy for the program

02:58

Joan Ganz Cooney on Emmy awards for Sesame Street

00:55

John F. Kennedy

Joan Ganz Cooney on a program she produced on Cuba shortly before the Cuban Missile Crisis

01:13

Pop Culture

Joan Ganz Cooney on the pop culture phenomenon of the Talking Big Bird toy - a sample of what was to come with the Tickle Me Elmo mania

01:00

Technological Innovation

Joan Ganz Cooney on color television

00:24

Joan Ganz Cooney on struggling public TV stations -relegated to the undesirable UHF (Ultra High Frequency) range of the broadcast spectrum

00:43

Joan Ganz Cooney on The Children's Television Workshop's investments in cable systems

02:14

Joan Ganz Cooney on the online services of The Children's Television Workshop and the digital channel in the works with Nickelodeon

02:58

We Cried

Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)

01:16

Women

Joan Ganz Cooney on how the character of Susan on Sesame Street was problematic for NOW (National Organization for Women)

00:38

Joan Ganz Cooney on the initial lack of female puppeteers on Sesame Street

01:34

Joan Ganz Cooney on being a woman in a male dominated business

02:25

Professions

Producers

View Profession

Joan Ganz Cooney on becoming a producer at Channel 13 New York

03:48

Joan Ganz Cooney on her early days as a producer at Channel 13 New York

01:17

Joan Ganz Cooney on "volume producing" for Sesame Street

00:36

Joan Ganz Cooney on Dave Connell's role producing the math program, Square One TV

04:04

Puppeteer

View Profession

Joan Ganz Cooney on the initial lack of female puppeteers on Sesame Street

01:34

Genres

Children's Programming

Joan Ganz Cooney on Louis Friedman and the creation of The Children's Television Network

12:53

Joan Ganz Cooney on the creation of Sesame Street

30:45

Joan Ganz Cooney on the use of Muppets on Sesame Street and initial reaction to the show

02:43

Joan Ganz Cooney on the importance of humor in Sesame Street

00:06

Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)

01:16

Joan Ganz Cooney on the international versions of Sesame Street

11:36

Joan Ganz Cooney on Joan Ganz Cooney on Jim Henson's request to run licensing of the Sesame Street Muppets

00:47

Joan Ganz Cooney on the reading program, The Electric Company

08:49

Joan Ganz Cooney on the math program, Square One TV

07:04

Joan Ganz Cooney on the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

00:41

Joan Ganz Cooney on the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

02:28

Joan Ganz Cooney on the math program, Square One TV

04:04

Joan Ganz Cooney on the program to promote reading, Ghostwriter

01:36

Drama Series

Joan Ganz Cooney on The Golden Age of Television

01:02

News and Documentary

Joan Ganz Cooney on the importance of documentaries

07:23

People

Bill Cosby

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on contributing to The Electric Company

00:58

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on working with Bill Cosby

00:45

Bruce Christensen

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on public television's Bruce Christensen

00:22

Carl Sagan

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Carl Sagan's input on the creation of the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

01:08

Dave Connell

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Dave Connell from Captain Kangaroo executive producing for The Children's Television Workshop

06:02

Joan Ganz Cooney on contributing to The Electric Company

07:15

Joan Ganz Cooney on Dave Connell's role as producer on the reading program, The Electric Company

02:57

Joan Ganz Cooney on Dave Connell's involvement with producing the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

03:06

Joan Ganz Cooney on Dave Connell's role producing the math program, Square One TV

04:04

David Britt

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on The Children's Television Workshop's David Britt

00:56

David Sarnoff

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on meeting David Sarnoff and starting at RCA

01:49

Joan Ganz Cooney on David Sarnoff (founder of NBC) and William S. Paley (founder of CBS)

02:16

Joan Ganz Cooney on why David Sarnoff fired Pat Weaver

00:40

Dick Cavett

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Dick Cavett hosting 3-2-1 Contact

01:50

Joan Ganz Cooney on getting Dick Cavett to host the health program, Feeling Good

00:59

Ethel Winant

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on casting agent Ethel Winant's involvement in producing the dramatic program, Best of Families

02:20

Frank Oz

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Jim Henson's Muppets and Frank Oz's puppeteering on Sesame Street

02:38

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on puppeteer Frank Oz

00:42

Frank Sinatra

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Joe Raposo's friendship with Frank Sinatra and taking Sesame Street music mainstream

00:44

Fred Friendly

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Fred Friendly's disapproval of an Arabic version of Sesame Street

02:01

Fred Silverman

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Fred Silverman helping to find an Executive Producer for The Children's Television Workshop

01:52

Hartford Gunn

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on public television's Hartford Gunn

00:20

Jack Gould

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on meeting with New York Times television critic Jack Gould and having him in her corner

01:06

James Day

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on James Day, who ran local San Francisco PBS station, KQED, and served on the board of The Children's Television Workshop

00:36

Jim Henson

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on bringing Jim Henson into The Children's Television Workshop

01:38

Joan Ganz Cooney on meeting Jim Henson

05:03

Joan Ganz Cooney on Jim Henson

01:13

Joan Ganz Cooney on the initial lack of female puppeteers on Sesame Street

01:35

Joan Ganz Cooney on Jim Henson's Muppets on Sesame Street

02:38

Joan Ganz Cooney on Jim Henson's request to the run licensing of the Sesame Street Muppets

00:47

Joan Ganz Cooney on a story Jim Henson told her about someone passing on Sesame Street toys to a daughter

00:23

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on Jim Henson

01:21

Joe Raposo

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on bringing in Joe Raposo to do the music on Sesame Street

01:05

Joan Ganz Cooney on Joe Raposo's musical genius on Sesame Street

03:53

Joan Ganz Cooney on doing the music for The Electric Company

00:23

Jon Stone

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on hiring John Stone from Captain Kangaroo for The Children's Television Workshop

04:10

Joan Ganz Cooney on John Stone suggesting the stage be a street on what would become Sesame Street

00:50

Karen Carpenter

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on The Carpenters popularizing the song, "Sing" from Sesame Street

00:23

Kathy Mendoza

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Kathy Mendoza's involvement with producing the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

00:58

Lawrence K. Grossman

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on her reflections on Larry Grossman and his contributions to news and public affairs

00:38

Lewis Freedman

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Louis Friedman and the creation of The Children's Television Network

08:26

Linda Gottlieb

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on hiring Linda Gottlieb and creating show ideas that would make their way into Sesame Street

02:13

Loretta Long

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Sesame Street's "Susan," Loretta Long

00:30

Malcolm X

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Malcom X

00:57

Martin Luther King, Jr.

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on how The Children's Television Network was a beacon of hope after the death of Martin Luther King Jr.

00:44

Matt Robinson

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Sesame Street's original "Gordon," Matt Robinson

00:30

Michael Dann

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Mike Dann leaving CBS to become an executive at The Children's Television Workshop

00:24

Joan Ganz Cooney on Mike Dann helping to find an Executive Producer for The Children's Television Workshop

01:52

Joan Ganz Cooney on Mike Dann's involvement with The Children's Television Workshop

00:29

Joan Ganz Cooney on Mike Dann's early assistance with The Children's Television Workshop

06:40

Morgan Freeman

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on contributing to The Electric Company as "Easy Reader"

00:45

Paul Dooley

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on The Electric Company's head writer, Paul Dooley

02:27

Paul Firstenberg

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on executive Paul Firstenberg's push to sell the company's investments in cable

03:34

Joan Ganz Cooney on the end of Paul Firstenberg's term at the Children's Television Workshop

01:14

Rita Moreno

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on contributing to The Electric Company

00:58

Sam Gibbon

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on hiring Sam Gibbon from Captain Kangaroo for The Children's Television Workshop

04:10

Joan Ganz Cooney on contributing to The Electric Company

07:15

Joan Ganz Cooney on Sam Gibbons role as producer on the reading program, The Electric Company

00:55

Joan Ganz Cooney on Sam Gibbon's involvement with producing the science program, 3-2-1 Contact

04:04

Sheila Nevins

View Interview Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on Sheila Nevins' work on the health program, Feeling Good

00:40

Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on wanting to work for Pat Weaver at NBC

04:37

Joan Ganz Cooney on why David Sarnoff fired Pat Weaver

00:40

Will Lee

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on the Sesame Street episode following actor Will Lee's death, "Farewell, Mr. Hooper" (airdate: November 24, 1983)

01:16

William S. Paley

View Person Page

Joan Ganz Cooney on William S. Paley, founder of CBS

01:11