F orty-two years ago, The Scranton Times needed no directions to get to America’s most famous fictitious street.
By all accounts, the day was sunny and the air sweet when former Scranton Times photographer Mike Mullen came to play with friendly neighbors — both humans and puppets — for a day.
If you haven’t already guessed, the newspaper’s 1977 visit was to “Sesame Street,” which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
WVIA was among the first in the country to air “Sesame Street.” An article published Aug. 17, 1969, about WVIA’s fall lineup included an announcement about the “new series ... designed for entertainment and instruction at the same time.”
“Its primary purpose is to stimulate the intellectual and social growth of children 3 years old up to kindergarten,” the article explained. “The series
will be aired by the net-
work Monday through Friday beginning in November.”
Mullen had only been working for The Scranton Times for about six months when he was invited to the set in New York by a college friend, Robert Hatch, who worked for the show’s producer, Children’s Television Workshop. Mullen brought along his girlfriend, Julie Cipolla, who later became his wife. The pair’s photos were published in The Scranton Times on May 8, 1977.
In an interview recently, Mullen said he remembered the visit well, noting that the show wasn’t as well-known as it is today.
“I was amazed at how compact and tiny the set was,” he said.
ERIN L. NISSLEY is an assistant metro editor at The Times-Tribune. She’s lived in the area for more than a decade.
Contact the writer:
localhistory@timesshamrock.com