Roosevelt Franklin is a
Muppet
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...
who was featured on the children's television series ''
Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...
'' during the early 1970s.
Fictional character biography
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
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, with the first and last names reversed. ''Sesame Street'' cast member
Matt Robinson, who also played
Gordon
Gordon may refer to:
People
* Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters
* Gordon (surname), the surname
* Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War
* Clan Gordon, ...
on the series for the first three seasons (1969–1972), created the character and provided his voice. 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 many years later in ''
Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration
''Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration'' is a 2019 musical television special to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ''Sesame Street''. Hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the special aired on November 9, 2019 on HBO, followed by a November ...
''.
Conception and racial element
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."
Roosevelt Franklin usually appears in scenes with his mother, voiced by
Loretta Long
Loretta Mae Long ( Moore; born October 4, 1938) is an American actress. She played the character of Susan Robinson on ''Sesame Street'' from 1969 to 2017. Long is also a consultant and public speaker on issues of multiculturalism and educati ...
, who plays
Susan
Susan is a feminine given name, from Persian "Susan" (lily flower), from Egyptian '' sšn'' and Coptic ''shoshen'' meaning "lotus flower", from Hebrew ''Shoshana'' meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose" and a flower in general), ...
on the series, 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, perceived Roosevelt Franklin was giving white children a stereotypical view of African Americans.
[ Teachers and staffers were also concerned that his rowdy behavior in class was setting a bad example for the pre-school audience. 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''.Sesame Street - My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin (Full Album), YouTube]
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References
External links
Roosevelt Franklin chosen as the Most Underrated Muppet9 Muppets Kicked Off ''Sesame Street''
{{Sesame Street Characters
Franklin, Roosevelt
Television characters introduced in 1970
Fictional African-American people