Whatever happened to Roosevelt Franklin?

[minew]

I used to dig Roosevelt and his gritty, street wise tunes. Now it seems he's been airbrushed out of our childhood memories. Even his recordings are hard to trace - available only on vintage vinyl.

Anyone seen Mr. Franklin?

[AfricaBrass]

I loved that guy! (the muppet )

I forgot all about him.

[Rooster_Ties]

I found these images, but man - I have no memory of a muppet named Roosevelt Franklin -- NONE!!!

Edited December 2, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Jim Alfredson]

I think Roosevelt joined up with the Black Panthers after his dismissal from Sesame Street due to his increasingly revolutionary ideas.

I do remember him having a FUNKY DANCE!

[Jim Dye]

Didn't they have a little tune that they played before the skits that went:

"Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School!"?

How about a Roosevelt Franklin clickable smilie!

[Rooster_Ties]

Here's the REAL reason Roosevelt beat a hasty retreat...

ERNIE: Nice to have you over, Roosevelt Franklin and Count. Would you two like to hear some music?

ROOSEVELT: Sounds great!

COUNT: Vonderful! I vill count the music notes! Ah-ha-ha!

ERNIE: Great! I'll go turn on the radio. Be right back.

ROOSEVELT: D-do you hear what I hear, Count???

COUNT: (Gulp!) I-I sure do!!! Yikes!

ROOSEVELT & COUNT: Let's get out of here!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!

BERT: Ernie, why did Roosevelt and the Count run out of here screaming in terror?

ERNIE: Gee, Bert, I guess they kind of panic whenever a radio station plays the old song "Purple People Eater".

( source )

[Jim Dye]

[AfricaBrass]

Here's a quote I found in a muppets forum about Roosevelt's demise:

  Quote

hmmmm, I own Sesame Street...Unpaved the book and it says:

"The character was abandoned because he was thought by some to be a negative cultural steryotype and because the schoolroom in which he spent most of his time was considered too rowdy and to be a bad example. The kids in the class...were prone to smart-aleck remarks, throwing papers, and general disruptive behaviour. nevertheless, roosevelt remains an old Sesame favorite, and goes down in history as one of the coolest Muppet poets."

And to end with a Roosevelt Franklin poem:

"Same Sound Brown was a rhymin' man

He would rhyme words faster than I bet you can

See if you said "moose,"

brown would say "juice."

If you say "Moose juice,:

Brown would say "Loose Goose."

If you said "Juicy Loose Goose,"

Brown would say "Moosey Gose Juice."

[Jim Dye]

You know, I think I may have a Roosevelt Franklin finger puppet around somewhere.

Probably in a box with my Nauga.

Speaking of long lost Sesame Street characters, whtat happened to Guy Smilie or Sherlock Hemlock?

[Rooster_Ties]

[Rooster_Ties]

[Rooster_Ties]

  Quote

"The character was abandoned because he was thought by some to be a negative cultural steryotype and because the schoolroom in which he spent most of his time was considered too rowdy and to be a bad example. The kids in the class...were prone to smart-aleck remarks, throwing papers, and general disruptive behaviour."

Did Roosevelt grow up and become DEEP????

[Jim Alfredson]

  AfricaBrass said:

"The character was abandoned because he was thought by some to be a negative cultural steryotype and because the schoolroom in which he spent most of his time was considered too rowdy and to be a bad example. The kids in the class...were prone to smart-aleck remarks, throwing papers, and general disruptive behaviour. nevertheless, roosevelt remains an old Sesame favorite, and goes down in history as one of the coolest Muppet poets."

See? Roosevelt was targeted by The Man for his beliefs and let go. That poem is a harbinger to the coming rap movement and all the rebellion against the status quo that the movement brought.

Roosevelt represented the REAL street, and Sesame Street couldn't handle it!

[minew]

  Jim Dye said:

Roosevelt after being pulled over by the LAPD?

[Rooster_Ties]

  minew said:

Roosevelt after being pulled over by the LAPD?

Edited December 2, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Jazzmoose]

  AfricaBrass said:

Here's a quote I found in a muppets forum about Roosevelt's demise:

  Quote

hmmmm, I own Sesame Street...Unpaved the book and it says:

"The character was abandoned because he was thought by some to be a negative cultural steryotype and because the schoolroom in which he spent most of his time was considered too rowdy and to be a bad example. The kids in the class...were prone to smart-aleck remarks, throwing papers, and general disruptive behaviour. nevertheless, roosevelt remains an old Sesame favorite, and goes down in history as one of the coolest Muppet poets."

And to end with a Roosevelt Franklin poem:

"Same Sound Brown was a rhymin' man

He would rhyme words faster than I bet you can

See if you said "moose,"

brown would say "juice."

If you say "Moose juice,:

Brown would say "Loose Goose."

If you said "Juicy Loose Goose,"

Brown would say "Moosey Gose Juice."

Never heard of him myself, but one hell of a poet, I must say!

[Rooster_Ties]

Here's a Roosevelt wanna-be...

[Jim Dye]

The following information was just e-mailed to me by a friend.

The guy who voiced Roosevelt Franklin was an actor on Sesame Street; he played

David. His real name was Northern Calloway, and his dad was Cab Calloway.

Anyway, something snapped 'cause he was picked up by the NYPD some time in the

70s, naked, screaming "I'm David from Sesame Street and they're trying to kill

me!" He died soon after that, and Roosevelt died with him.

This message will self-destruct in 15 seconds.

Edited December 4, 2003 by Jim Dye

[Jim Dye]

Did y'all know that a Sesame Street box set came out this year? I have to get it just for this:

1. Pinball Number Count – The Pointer Sisters (W. Kramer)

*Previously unreleased track, 2003

While the pinball animation segments were originally recorded in 1975, this is a new remix by Strictly Kev for Ninjatune Records. This remix includes all the pinball sequences, numbers 2-12. Number one was never featured on “Pinball Number Count”. The remix doesn’t take away from the original, in fact it enhances it. This is a true fan favorite and one of the most requested Sesame songs of all time. This Ninjatune remix will also be released on vinyl in late September 2003.

The Pointer Sisters??!!!

[minew]

Recent searches also turned up the fact that the voice of Roosevelt also played Gordon on the Street. Apparently left in 1971. Perhaps Calloway took over the character then. At any rate, "Gordon" (pictured on that album cover w/ Roosevelt) has also passed.

Looked at the box, too, but it seemed to be mostly songs of guest stars rather than the characters'. I'll have to wait for the Mosaic for a more definitive collection.