James Earl Jones was the first celebrity guest on ‘Sesame Street’ in 1969 … and he didn’t think the show would work – NBC Los Angeles

Kids today may know James Earl Jones as the voice of Mufasa in the “The Lion King” or Darth Vader in “Star Wars,” but that wasn’t the great actor’s first appearance that made an impression with young people.

Jones, who died at the age of 93 on Sept. 9, was the first-ever celebrity guest on “Sesame Street” in 1969.

In those televised segments, a young Jones slowly recites the alphabet and counts to 10 in his deep, resonant voice. His alphabet segment initially ran in the second episode of the first season of “Sesame Street,” and its success heavily influenced the way the show attempted to educate its viewers.

That wasn’t Jones’s only visit to the neighborhood. In fact, he returned to the show multiple times.

While clad in a fedora, cape and gloves, he pulled up to Mr. Hooper’s store in a limousine in a 1978 episode. In this storyline, Jones (who was playing an exaggerated version of himself this time), had a hankering for an “old-fashioned” egg cream.

“I’ve been searching high and low, near and far” for “the kind that just isn’t made anymore” Jones said dramatically.

“Well, I’ve been making the same egg cream for the last 25 years,” said Mr. Hooper.

“At last!” Jones said, exiting the car with a dramatic flourish. “The egg cream of my dreams!”

As it turns out, Mr. Hooper recognized Jones as a “famous movie star,” increasing his desire to serve the perfect egg cream.

Luckily, Jones approved.

“Just like I used to drink as a kid,” Jones said as he sipped the drink with his pinkie up.

Jones hosted “A Walking Tour of Sesame Street” in 1979 in honor of the show’s 10th anniversary. “I’m proud to say that I was the first one they asked to help with the alphabet. And I did it without cue cards,” he said on the special.

The actor continued to visit “Sesame Street” at various points throughout his career. In 2004, he appeared in an intro segment for “My Favorite ‘Sesame Street’ Moments” to celebrate the show’s 35th season.

“My favorite ‘Sesame Street’ moment was sitting in Matt Robinson’s office when they were first putting the show together and he had asked me to come and do something on it,” Jones explained in the clip. “I said, ‘I will, but I’ve got to warn you: The Cookie Monster and the muppet characters will not work because they’ll terrify children.'”

He paused and added, “What did I know?”

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