Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis

From Barnes & Noble

Many of the young viewers who tuned into the November 1969 premiere of Sesame Street are now the grandparents of children just beginning to watch this astonishingly resilient show. The longest-running children's program in American television history has not only outlived numerous controversies; it has been the inspiration for dozens of international spin-offs featuring characters with names like Zeliboba, Pong Papong, and Max Meiker. Michael Davis's Street Gang traces the evolution of Sesame Street from its first inkling to the new millennium. The cast members populating this complete history include not only Bert and Ernie and Oscar the Grouch but also Muppets creator Jim Henson and even Richard Milhouse Nixon.

From the Publisher

"Davis tracks down every Sesame anecdote and every Sesame personality in his book...Finally, we get to touch Big Bird's feathers." —The New York Times Book Review

Sesame Street is the longest-running-and arguably most beloved- children's television program ever created. Today, it reaches some six million preschoolers weekly in the United States and countless others in 140 countries around the world.

Street Gang is the compelling, comical, and inspiring story of a media masterpiece and pop-culture landmark. Television reporter and columnist Michael Davis-with the complete participation of Joan Ganz Cooney, one of the show's founders-unveils the idealistic personalities, decades of social and cultural change, stories of compassion and personal sacrifice, and miraculous efforts of writers, producers, directors, and puppeteers that together transformed an empty soundstage into the most recognizable block of real estate in television history.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review.

People rarely look to find reality in TV shows, but to escape it. Sesame Street, the first educational program for children, is a happy exception, and Davis's true stories about the imaginary neighborhood only enhance the show's noble mission as well as its tone of frantic, fantastic realism. Looking beyond children's favorites of the 1950s-Captain Kangaroo, Howdy Doody, Miss Frances' Ding Dong School-four pioneering individuals asked, in 1965, "Do you think TV could be used to teach children?" Those pioneers-Tim and Joan Cooney and Lloyd and Mary Morrisett-would go on to helm "the world's most influential children's program," despite a lack of experience (Joan became an executive director with "no credentials except a BA in education"). Well-researched details and an unflinching eye make Davis's book continuously fascinating; beyond perfectly human tales of alcoholism, disease, psychotic breaks and affairs, he reports that Caroll Spinney, the man who would fill the towering, bright yellow Big Bird suit, weighed 42 pounds in the second grade and "answered to the nickname PeeWee." Davis also chronicles the barriers Sesame Street broke through, hiring women in powerful positions, reaching out to the black community with an "inner city ambassador," and addressing formerly taboo topics (breast-feeding, death) with care and sensitivity. Any grown-up fan will relish this account, gaining an even greater appreciation for the cultural contributions of Kermit, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and all their neighbors. B&w photos.
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Joseph L. Carlson - Library Journal

Caroll Spinney (carollspinney.com), the voice of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch and winner of the Library of Congress's Living Legend Award, here narrates journalist Davis's gentle yet often surprising look at Sesame Street, the world's longest-running (40 years) and widest-reaching (120 countries) children's show. This will be a sure-fire hit in just about every library; highly recommended. [Includes a bonus interview with Davis and Spinney; the Viking hc was recommended "for all reference and browsing collections," LJ12/08; visit www.streetgangbook.comfor a bonus chapter profiling Roscoe Orman, who played Gordon on the show.-Ed.]

What People Are Saying

Davis tracks down every Sesame anecdote and every Sesame personality in his book.... Finally, we get to touch Big Bird’s feathers. --James Panero, The New York Times Book Review

Davis culls insights from the show's creators and cast to serve up this painstakingly detailed history of television's most famous address. --Time.com

The author’s swift narrative -- the product of hundreds of interviews -- is essentially a Dumpster dive into Oscar’s trash can of cast stories... a sensitive, honest account that could jog fond memories even from the amnesiac Street denizen Forgetful Jones. --Drew Toal, Time Out New York

Well-researched details and an unflinching eye make Davis's book continuously fascinating. --Publishers Weekly

Anyone who has ever seen Sesame Street as parent or child -- or both -- will love the detail and exuberance of this book. --Booklist

Davis spins an evocative, insidery tale out of the wildly creative personalities and political ups and downs of the cozily delivered show. --The Washington Post

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