Variety reports that three longtime SESAME STREET cast members, Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado ("Luis") and Roscoe Orman ("Gordon") will be saying farewell to the long-running children's series. McGrath has been with the series since it first debuted in 1969. Delgado first appeared in 1971 and Orman signed on in 1974.
According to MuppetCast, McGrath said of his departure, "As of this season, I have completed my 45th season this year. And the show has gone under a major turnaround, going from an hour to a half hour. HBO has gotten involved also. And they let all of the original cast members go, with the exception of Alan Muraoka - who is probably 20 years younger than the rest of us - and Chris Knowings, who is also young."
Sesame Workshop quickly responded, discarding the idea that HBO played a role in the recent events. "Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado ("Luis") and Roscoe Orman ("Gordon") remain a beloved part of the Sesame family and continue to represent us at public events. To us, and for millions of people worldwide, they are a treasured part of Sesame Street. Since the show began, we are constantly evolving our content and curriculum, and hence, our characters, to meet the educational needs of children. As a result of this, our cast has changed over the years, though you can still expect to see many of them in upcoming productions. As we've stated previously, Sesame Workshop retains sole creative control over the show. HBO does not oversee the production."
