Sesame Street: Old School facts for kids

Sesame Street: Old School is a special series of DVDs. These DVDs were made by Sesame Workshop, the creators of the famous TV show Sesame Street. They feature episodes and special moments from the very first years of the show, which aired on PBS. The DVDs let you see how Sesame Street started and how it looked when your parents or even grandparents were kids!

Discovering Early Sesame Street

The Sesame Street: Old School series includes different sets of DVDs. Each set covers a specific time period from the show's early days.

What's in Each DVD Set?

• The first set, called 1969–1974, came out in 2006. It shows episodes from the very beginning of Sesame Street up to 1974.
• The second set, 1974–1979, was released in 2007. This one covers the middle to late 1970s.
• The third set, 1979–1984, came out in 2012. It features episodes from the early 1980s.

Most of these sets have three discs packed with classic episodes. The third set is a bit different, with two discs. These DVDs were mainly made for adults who grew up watching Sesame Street in the 1970s and 1980s. They even have a special message on the box for adults.

Special Moments and Features

These Old School DVDs are packed with interesting extras and behind-the-scenes peeks. They show how the show was made and what special guests appeared.

Famous Guests and Fun Segments

The DVDs include some very famous moments. For example, you can see actor James Earl Jones counting to 10. This segment was actually made before the show even officially started! Another special moment features civil rights leader Jesse Jackson leading children in his poem, "I Am - Somebody". Many of the animated and Muppet segments from these early episodes were so popular that they were shown again and again on the series for many years.

Behind-the-Scenes Extras

The DVD sets also offer a look at how Sesame Street was created:

• Volume 1 includes a special film from 1969. This film was hosted by Muppet creator Jim Henson's famous characters, Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog. It was made to show potential sponsors what Sesame Street would be like.
• Volume 2 features one of the test episodes. These were shown to groups of children in Philadelphia in 1969 to see if the show worked well.
• Volume 3 has even more cool extras. It includes comments on an episode from Sonia Manzano (who played Maria). There's also an interview with Caroll Spinney (who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch). You can also see behind-the-scenes footage and a part of the episode where Mr. Hooper passed away. Plus, there's a narration of the 1976 book How to Be a Grouch by Caroll Spinney himself.

Special Introductions to Episodes

On the first two DVD sets, each episode starts with a new animated introduction.

• In the first release, a blob-like character named "Bob" (not related to the human character Bob McGrath) shares his memories of the show. He talks about how Sesame Street grew. The very first episode's introduction includes a message for parents. It explains that these early episodes were made for a different time. They might not match how preschool shows are made today.
• On Volume 2, each episode begins and ends with new animated parts. These feature an animated typewriter character created by Jeff Hale.

Changes to the DVDs

Sometimes, parts of old TV shows can't be included on DVDs due to legal reasons. This happened with Sesame Street: Old School too.

Segments That Were Replaced

Some parts of the original episodes were changed or removed for the DVD versions. This was because of "rights issues." This means that the creators of the DVDs couldn't get permission to use certain music or performances. One example is a musical performance by Stevie Wonder. This song was made just for the show, but it was removed from the DVD version of the 1973 season premiere.