On Nov. 10, 1969, Sesame Street premiered on public television, changing children's television forever. Big Bird — that towering, yellow-feathered 6-year-old — and much of the original gang still calls Sesame Street home. Big Bird and his 'Sesame Street' buddies (from left) Cookie Monster, Prairie Dawn, Ernie, Elmo, Bert, Grover and Oscar the Grouch.
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The early cast of Sesame Street
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Sesame Street's famous resident puppets, Ernie, top, and Bert pose in Hamburg, Germany in this Jan. 22, 2003 file photo. The famous puppets are to help Afghan children overcome their country's traumatic past, starring in videos to be shown in schools recovering from Taliban rule and decades of war.
Photo Credit: CHRISTOF STACHE
Sesame Street cast for the 35th season.
Photo Credit: RICHARD TERMINE
First lady Laura Bush, center, reads a book to Sydney Martinez, left, Big Bird, background, Sienna Jerries and Elmo, right, as they tape a segment on the Sesame Street children's show promoting reading Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002, in New York. (AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser)
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Puppeteer David Rudman and Cookie Monster accept the Lifetime Achievement Award for 'Sesame Street' at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Sunday Aug. 30, 2009,in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Photo Credit: Chris Pizzello
** FILE ** In this April 10, 2008 file photo, Big Bird reads to Connor Scott and Tiffany Jiao during a taping of Sesame Street in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)
Photo Credit: MARK LENNIHAN
Joan Ganz Cooney, creator of Sesame Street arrives at the Museum of Television and Radio "She Made It" launch party, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, in New York. "She Made It" is a three year initiative celebrating the achievements of creative and business women in the television and radio industry. (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin)
Photo Credit: STEPHEN CHERNIN
In this 1989 file photo, puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets and the creative force behind the television series "Sesame Street," is shown with an Emmy Award. (AP Photo, file)
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Sesame Street's Bob McGrath cuts a 30th anniversary cake with the Cookie Monster, left, and Ernie, right, during a concert at Sesame Place theme park in Langhorne Pa., Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998. McGrath was one of the original cast members of the Childrens show 'Sesame Street,' which is in its 30th year on public television. (AP Photo/Sesame Place, Tim Shaffer)
Photo Credit: TIM SHAFFER
Dr. Phil and Dr. Feel
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Tennis champion Venus Williams with Elmo
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Seth Green has visited Sesame Street
Photo Credit: RICHARD TERMINE
Kenta Matsumoto, a Muppet operator, handles Elmo, a popular Sesame Street character, during a TV show filming at a Tokyo studio Wednesday, March 23, 2005. The themes of Japan's first local production of "Sesame Street" are focusing more on story-telling such as dealing with emotions, problem-solving and growing up, what producers call "education of the heart." (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)
Photo Credit: KATSUMI KASAHARA
Oscar the Grouch
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Elmo, center, and his father Louie, right, talk to Rosita's father Carlos during a 2007 taping of a Sesame Street production. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization that produces the hit kids' show, is working on a DVD that will be distributed to military families. It's designed to help injured veterans talk about their disabilities with their children.
Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer
Sesame Street cast
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Big Bird is seen during the taping of an episode of Sesame Street on Thursday, April 10, 2008 in New York. Being Big Bird is sweaty, physical work. But puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who has worked on Sesame Street for nearly four decades playing both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, has no wish to be anywhere else. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Photo Credit: MARK LENNIHAN
Puppeteer Caroll Spinney is interviewed during a break from taping an episode of Sesame Street on Thursday, April 10, 2008 in New York. Being Big Bird is sweaty, physical work. But Spinney, who has worked on Sesame Street for nearly four decades playing both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, has no wish to be anywhere else. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Photo Credit: MARK LENNIHAN
ELMO'S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - Uh-oh, Christmas is in trouble! When the ten numbered boxes to Stiller the Elf's magical Christmas Counter-Downer become lost, the arrival of Christmas is in doubt. Can Elmo and Abby Cadabby find the missing boxes and restore the big countdown to everyone's favorite holiday? It just might take a Christmas miracle! Hosted by Elmo and Stiller the Elf (voiced by Ben Stiller) and his frosty sidekick, Stan the Snowball, "Elmo's Christmas Countdown."
Photo Credit: THEO WARGO
New Muppet Abby Cadabby joins the cast in the 37th season’s first episode. (RICHARD TERMINE)
Photo Credit: RICHARD TERMINE
Big Bird, of the children's television show Sesame Street, arrives at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Sunday Aug. 30, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Photo Credit: Matt Sayles
Sesame Street children's television workshop
