In 1983, after the passing of Mr. Hooper actor Will Lee, Sesame Street made the decision to be honest with their viewers and explain what had happened: Mr. Hooper had died. One of the most important moments in television history. 💛 | Muppet History

In 1983, Sesame Street faced a heartbreaking question: how do you explain the death of a beloved friend? When actor Will Lee, who played Mr. Hooper, passed away, Sesame Street chose honesty. This special episode helped generations of children and families understand and talk about grief with empathy and honesty. 42 years later, we look back at this moment and are reminded that even when someone we love is gone, the memories and love we shared remain. 💛 | Sesame Street

In 1983, Big Bird (Caroll Spinney) said goodbye to Mr. Hooper (Will Lee). They were two close friends on and off camera. They're now reunited. We're gonna miss you, Mr. Spinney. Tributes: http://bit.ly/rememberingcaroll Music: http://bit.ly/muppetradio | Muppet Central

David and Mr. Hooper work out their differences. featuring: Oscar the Grouch (Sesame Street, 1974) | Muppet Wiki

Mr. Harold Hooper (played by Will Lee) was one of the first four human characters to appear on the television series Sesame Street. After Will Lee died on December 7, 1982, the writers and producers of Sesame Street decided to have the character of Mr. Hooper die, instead of recasting or writing the character off. They created an episode to teach their young audience about death. The episode aired on Thanksgiving Day 1983. . . . #bigbird #sesamestreet #jimhenson #death #loss #grief #lifeafterlos

When actor Will Lee died, the creators of Sesame Street decided to have his beloved character of Mr Hooper die too. The episode, titled 'Farewell Mr Hooper', was created to teach children about the difficult topic of death. Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days | Now streaming - https://bit.ly/3U6sniU | SBS On Demand