Roosevelt Franklin: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
WhisperToMe (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
unknown parameter |
||
| (45 intermediate revisions by 32 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Sesame Street Muppet character}} |
|||
{{Distinguish|Franklin Roosevelt}} |
{{Distinguish|Franklin Roosevelt|Rosalind Franklin}} |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
{{Infobox character |
|||
Franklin is an intelligent boy who often speaks in [[rhyme]] or [[scat singing|scat]]. Franklin began to appear more rarely in episodes created after the mid-1970s until he no longer was on the series. |
|||
| name = Roosevelt Franklin |
|||
| series = [[Sesame Street]] |
|||
| image = Roosevelt Franklin - The Year of Roosevelt Franklin Album Cover.JPG |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| first = 1970 |
|||
| last = 1975 |
|||
| lbl1 = Performed by |
|||
| voice = [[Matt Robinson (actor)|Matt Robinson]], [[Chris Knowings]] |
|||
| data1 = [[Frank Oz]], [[Ryan Dillon]] |
|||
| alias = |
|||
| species = |
|||
| gender = Male |
|||
}} |
|||
'''Roosevelt Franklin''' is an African-American [[List of Sesame Street Muppets|Muppet]] who was featured on the children's television series ''[[Sesame Street]]'' during the early 1970s. |
|||
| ⚫ | Robert W. Morrow, author of ''"Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television'', wrote that "Franklin's sudden arrival may have been in response to early |
||
==Fictional character biography== |
|||
| ⚫ | Roosevelt Franklin usually appears in scenes with his mother, voiced by [[Loretta Long]], who plays [[Susan Robinson|Susan]] on the series,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Borgenicht |first1=David |title=Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets and Songs |date=1998 |publisher=Hyperion Books |isbn=978-0786864607 |page=135}}</ref> and Roosevelt frequently recites poetry. Later scenes were set in a classroom at Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School, in which Roosevelt appears to fill in for an absent teacher while teaching lessons about up and down, high and low, loud and soft, here and there, good and bad luck, poison, Africa, rhyming words, trying and trying again, leaving other people's belongings alone, and street-crossing safety. |
||
| ⚫ | He is purple with shaggy black hair that stands on end. His name is a play on the name of U.S. President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Franklin Roosevelt]], with the first and last names reversed. ''Sesame Street'' cast member [[Matt Robinson (actor)|Matt Robinson]], who also played [[Gordon Robinson (Sesame Street)|Gordon]] on the series for the first three seasons (1969–1972), created the character and provided his voice.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davis |first1=Michael |title=Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street |date=2009 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0143116639 |pages=247–249}}</ref> Roosevelt is an intelligent boy who often speaks in rhyme or [[scat singing|scat]]. Roosevelt began to appear less frequently in episodes created after the mid-1970s until he no longer was on the series. He then made a cameo nearly 5 decades later in ''[[Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration]]''. |
||
==Conception and racial element== |
|||
| ⚫ | Jane O'Connor, the sole African |
||
| ⚫ | Robert W. Morrow, author of ''"Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television'', wrote that "Franklin's sudden arrival may have been in response to early criticism of the show as too white."<ref name=Morrowp154>{{cite book|last=Morrow|first=Robert W.|title="Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television|publisher=[[JHU Press]]|year=2006|isbn=<!--ISBN: 0801882303-->9780801882302|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=HZpIIYUrHp4C&pg=PA154 154]}}</ref> |
||
| ⚫ | Roosevelt Franklin usually appears in scenes with his mother, voiced by [[Loretta Long]], who plays [[Susan Robinson|Susan]] on the series,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Borgenicht |first1=David |title=Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets and Songs |date=1998 |publisher=Hyperion Books |isbn=978-0786864607 |page=135}}</ref> and Roosevelt frequently recites poetry. Later scenes were set in a classroom at Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School, in which Roosevelt appears to fill in for an absent teacher while teaching lessons about up and down, high and low, loud and soft, here and there, good and bad luck, poison, Africa, rhyming words, trying and trying again, leaving other people's belongings alone, and street-crossing safety. |
||
The character faded from the show because teachers were concerned that his rowdy behavior in class was setting a bad example for the pre-school audience.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gikow |first1=Louise A. |title=Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street |date=2009 |publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal |isbn=978-1579126384 |page=161}}</ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | Jane O'Connor, the sole African-American woman in early ''Sesame Street'' planning discussions,<ref>{{cite book|last=Morrow|first=Robert W.|title="Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television|publisher=[[JHU Press]]|year=2006|isbn=<!--ISBN: 0801882303-->9780801882302|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=HZpIIYUrHp4C&pg=PA153 153]}}</ref> said that Roosevelt Franklin was giving white children a stereotypical view of African-Americans.<ref name=Morrowp154/> Teachers and staffers were also concerned that his rowdy behavior in class was setting a bad example for the pre-school audience.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gikow |first1=Louise A. |title=Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street |date=2009 |publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal |isbn=978-1579126384 |page=161}}</ref> Eventually, the character was phased out of the show. |
||
| ⚫ | Franklin is featured on a 1971 |
||
| ⚫ | Franklin is featured on a 1971 record album titled ''The Year of Roosevelt Franklin, Gordon's Friend from Sesame Street'', reissued in 1974 as ''My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKaK7Ph0nz0 Sesame Street - My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin (Full Album), YouTube]</ref> |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
| Line 19: | Line 35: | ||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
{{External links|date=December 2019}} |
{{External links|section|date=December 2019}} |
||
{{ |
* {{Muppets}} |
||
*[http://www.toughpigs.com/anthhipster02.htm Roosevelt Franklin as classroom teacher] |
* [http://www.toughpigs.com/anthhipster02.htm Roosevelt Franklin as classroom teacher] |
||
*[http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/11/the_8_most_underrated_muppets.php Roosevelt Franklin chosen as the Most Underrated Muppet] |
* [http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/11/the_8_most_underrated_muppets.php Roosevelt Franklin chosen as the Most Underrated Muppet] |
||
*[http://mentalfloss.com/article/23232/9-muppets-kicked-sesame-street 9 Muppets Kicked Off ''Sesame Street''] |
* [http://mentalfloss.com/article/23232/9-muppets-kicked-sesame-street 9 Muppets Kicked Off ''Sesame Street''] |
||
{{Sesame Street Characters}} |
{{Sesame Street Characters}} |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:African-American characters in television]] |
||
[[Category:Sesame Street Muppet characters]] |
|||
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1970]] |
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1970]] |
||
[[Category:Fictional African-American people]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 04:36, 28 October 2024
| Roosevelt Franklin | |
|---|---|
| Sesame Street character | |
 The cover of Roosevelt Franklin's 1971 LP The Year of Roosevelt Franklin | |
| First appearance | 1970 |
| Last appearance | 1975 |
| Voiced by | Matt Robinson, Chris Knowings |
| Performed by | Frank Oz, Ryan Dillon |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
Roosevelt Franklin is an African-American Muppet who was featured on the children's television series Sesame Street during the early 1970s.
Fictional character biography
[edit]He is purple with shaggy black hair that stands on end. His name is a play on the name of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, with the first and last names reversed. Sesame Street cast member Matt Robinson, who also played Gordon on the series for the first three seasons (1969–1972), created the character and provided his voice.[1] Roosevelt is an intelligent boy who often speaks in rhyme or scat. Roosevelt began to appear less frequently in episodes created after the mid-1970s until he no longer was on the series. He then made a cameo nearly 5 decades later in Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Conception and racial element
[edit]Robert W. Morrow, author of "Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television, wrote that "Franklin's sudden arrival may have been in response to early criticism of the show as too white."[2]
Roosevelt Franklin usually appears in scenes with his mother, voiced by Loretta Long, who plays Susan on the series,[3] and Roosevelt frequently recites poetry. Later scenes were set in a classroom at Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School, in which Roosevelt appears to fill in for an absent teacher while teaching lessons about up and down, high and low, loud and soft, here and there, good and bad luck, poison, Africa, rhyming words, trying and trying again, leaving other people's belongings alone, and street-crossing safety.
Jane O'Connor, the sole African-American woman in early Sesame Street planning discussions,[4] said that Roosevelt Franklin was giving white children a stereotypical view of African-Americans.[2] Teachers and staffers were also concerned that his rowdy behavior in class was setting a bad example for the pre-school audience.[5] Eventually, the character was phased out of the show.
Franklin is featured on a 1971 record album titled The Year of Roosevelt Franklin, Gordon's Friend from Sesame Street, reissued in 1974 as My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Davis, Michael (2009). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. Penguin Books. pp. 247–249. ISBN 978-0143116639.
- ^ a b Morrow, Robert W. (2006). "Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television. JHU Press. p. 154. ISBN 9780801882302.
- ^ Borgenicht, David (1998). Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets and Songs. Hyperion Books. p. 135. ISBN 978-0786864607.
- ^ Morrow, Robert W. (2006). "Sesame Street" and the Reform of Children's Television. JHU Press. p. 153. ISBN 9780801882302.
- ^ Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street. Black Dog & Leventhal. p. 161. ISBN 978-1579126384.
- ^ Sesame Street - My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin (Full Album), YouTube
External links
[edit] | This section's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. (December 2019) |
