Stu Rosen facts for kids

Stuart M. Rosen (June 26, 1939 – August 4, 2019) was an American voice director and voice actor. He was best known for creating and starring in the children's TV show Dusty's Treehouse. Stu Rosen also helped bring many popular cartoons to life by directing their voice actors.

Stu Rosen's Career

Stu Rosen graduated from California State College, Long Beach. Soon after, he started working at a TV station called KCET. He quickly began to make a name for himself in television.

Creating Dusty's Treehouse

From 1968 to 1980, Stu Rosen wrote and starred in his own TV series. This show was called Dusty's Treehouse. It became a very popular children's program. We'll learn more about it later!

Directing Famous Cartoons

Stu Rosen was a talented voice director for many cartoons. He helped actors use their voices to create characters. He worked on shows like MASK and Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling.

He also directed voices for Fraggle Rock. He even worked on the first episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series). Other shows he directed include The Legend of Prince Valiant and Biker Mice from Mars.

Stu Rosen also directed voices for superhero cartoons. These included Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men, and Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He also worked on Superman: The Animated Series and Phantom 2040.

Acting in Live-Action Shows

Besides his voice work, Stu Rosen also acted in live-action TV shows. He appeared in the historical drama Rome. He also had a role in the show The Huntress.

Dusty's Treehouse Explained

Dusty's Treehouse was a special TV show for children. Stu Rosen starred in it and also created it. The show featured amazing puppets made by Tony Urbano. It first aired locally and then became a national show in 1975.

How the Show Started

The idea for Dusty's Treehouse came from an earlier show. Stu Rosen developed a program called Dusty's Attic in 1966. Dusty's Treehouse started on KNXT (now KCBS-TV) in Los Angeles. It ran from 1970 to 1980.

The show was even shown again on Nickelodeon for four more seasons. This helped many more kids enjoy it. Dusty's Treehouse won eight Emmy Awards, which are big awards for TV shows.

Adventures in the Treehouse

The show was like other classic children's programs, such as Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It featured Dusty (played by Stu Rosen) in his amazing custom-built treehouse. Anything could happen in this special treehouse!

Dusty often talked with his puppet animal friends. These friends included Maxine the crow, Scooter the squirrel, and Stanley the red-haired spider. Stanley even wore sneakers!

Dusty also went on "tree trips" using a balloon and basket. He would visit factories to see how things were made. He also went to parks, zoos, and aquariums. Other puppets would act out classic fairy tales. These included Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, and Puss in Boots.

Important Lessons

The show taught kids many important lessons. Topics included being kind to others and having good health habits. They also learned about asking for help. Sometimes, the show even talked about serious topics.

For example, one episode showed Stanley dealing with the death of his pet goldfish. Another episode showed Scooter getting hit by a car. This happened when he chased a baseball into traffic.

One episode taught Dusty a lesson about eating heavy food before bed. Maxine the crow warned him it would cause nightmares. Dusty went on a journey through Nightmare Land. He was chased by a character called Mister Stomach Ache.

Later seasons brought new characters to the treehouse. Sunny and Stormy were two female puppets with different viewpoints. There was also the mysterious Meef. He was a hairy, funny stranger who liked to collect unguarded objects.

Stu Rosen's Passing

Stu Rosen passed away on August 4, 2019. He was 80 years old. He died from cancer. His work as a voice director, actor, and creator of Dusty's Treehouse left a lasting impact.

Shows and Games Stu Rosen Worked On

Stu Rosen had many roles in television and video games.

As a Voice Actor

• 2 Stupid Dogs – Additional Voices
• Biker Mice from Mars – Pit Boss, The Governor
• Fraggle Rock – Storyteller
• Iron Man – Crimson Dynamo (2nd voice)
• Kissyfur – Floyd, Stuckey
• My Little Pony and Friends – Additional Voices
• Phantom 2040 – Biot, GP Biot, Officious Stringer, Commander
• Superman - Catcher Henchman (in "Triple-Play")
• The Legend of Prince Valiant – Additional Voices
• The Mask: Animated Series – Additional Voices
• Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa – Additional Voices
• Zazoo U – Dr. Russell
• Annabelle's Wish – Doctor (Film)
• Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers – Priest, Phone Guy #5, Beignet Vendor (Video Game)
• Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness – Yuri Markarov (Video Game)

As a Director and Producer

• 2 Stupid Dogs – Recording Director
• ABC Weekend Specials – Recording Director (The Legend of Lochnagar)
• Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Animated Series – Casting & Voice Director
• BattleTech: The Animated Series – Voice Director
• Biker Mice From Mars – Voice Director
• Captain N: The Game Master – Casting Director
• Defenders of the Earth – Voice Director
• Eek! The Cat – Casting Director, Sound Design
• Fantastic Four – Casting Director
• Fraggle Rock – Voice Director, Director
• Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers – Voice Director
• Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned – Voice Director
• Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling – Voice Director
• King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow – Voice Director
• Kissyfur – Voice Director
• Little Dracula – Voice Director
• Little Shop – Voice Director
• MASK – Voice Director, Dialogue Coach
• My Little Pony: The Movie – Voice Director
• Phantom 2040 – Voice Director, Director
• Piggsburg Pigs! – Voice Director, Sound Design
• P.J. Sparkles – Casting & Voice Director
• Pryde of the X-Men – Voice Director
• RoboCop: The Animated Series – Voice Director
• Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible – Voice Director
• Space Strikers – Voice Director
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Casting Director
• The GLO Friends Save Christmas – Voice Director
• The Incredible Hulk – Casting Director
• The Legend of Prince Valiant – Voice Director
• The Little Lulu Show – Voice Director
• The Magic Paintbrush – Voice Director
• The Mouse and the Monster – Voice Director
• The Old Man of Lochnagar – Sound Design
• Zazoo U – Casting Director