Roosevelt Franklin facts for kids
Roosevelt Franklin is a fun Muppet character. He appeared on the famous children's TV show Sesame Street. This was in the early 1970s. He is purple and has shaggy black hair. His hair stands up! His name is a clever word play on the former U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. The first and last names are just switched around.
A Sesame Street cast member named Matt Robinson created Roosevelt. Matt also played Gordon on the show. He was Roosevelt's voice actor too.
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Who is Roosevelt Franklin?
Roosevelt Franklin is a very smart boy. He often speaks in rhymes. Sometimes he even sings in a style called scat. Scat singing uses sounds instead of words. He was a popular character on Sesame Street.
Roosevelt's Time on TV
Roosevelt Franklin appeared less often after the mid-1970s. Eventually, he was no longer on the show. Some people thought his arrival helped the show. They felt it made Sesame Street more diverse.
Roosevelt usually appeared with his mother. Her voice was done by Loretta Long. She also played Susan on the show. Roosevelt often recited poetry in these scenes.
Later, some scenes took place in a classroom. This was at Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School. Roosevelt would often fill in for the teacher. He taught many important lessons.
What Roosevelt Taught
Roosevelt taught kids about many things. He taught about "up and down" and "high and low." He also covered "loud and soft" and "here and there." Other lessons included "good and bad luck" and "rhyming words." He taught about trying again and again. He also taught about leaving other people's things alone. And he taught about being safe when crossing the street.
Why Roosevelt Left the Show
Some people working on Sesame Street had concerns. They worried that Roosevelt's behavior in class was too rowdy. They thought it might set a bad example for young children. Because of these concerns, the character was slowly taken off the show.
Roosevelt Franklin's Music
Roosevelt Franklin was also featured on a record album. It came out in 1971. The album was called The Year of Roosevelt Franklin, Gordon's Friend from Sesame Street. It was re-released in 1974. The new name was My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin.
- Roosevelt Franklin on Muppet Wiki, a Wikia wiki
