Jon Stone
Encyclopedia
Jon Stone is best known for writing and producing Sesame Street, and is credited with helping develop characters such as Big Bird
, Cookie Monster
and Oscar the Grouch
. He is regarded by many as one of the best children's television writers. He started working for children's programs in 1955 beginning as writer as Captain Kangaroo
. He later worked for Sesame Street
as writer and executive producer.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Stone graduated from Williams College
in 1952. He received a master's degree from the Yale University School of Drama
in 1955, at which time he joined a CBS training program. Before helping to create Sesame Street, he worked on the popular children's television show Captain Kangaroo for CBS
. He also worked on several other Muppet projects before and during his time on Sesame Street, and was the author of several books including the popular "The Monster at the End of this Book".
Stone was married to former actress Beverley Owen
, who was best remembered as the original 'Marilyn' on The Munsters
first 13-episode 1964 season. During production, Owen was distraught over the separation-by-distance of her then-boyfriend, who was living on the east coast. Because of this, by late 1964 Owen was released from her contract, and left her Hollywood TV career to join and eventually marry Stone in New York The couple later had two daughters, Polly and Kate, before divorcing
a decade later in 1974.
Stone's earliest association with Jim Henson
came in 1965, working on fairy tale projects, along with writer Tom Whedon
, such as a proposed Snow White series. This was turned into a Cinderella pilot, which was shot in October of that year but never aired, and eventually became Hey, Cinderella!
. Stone also appeared in Henson's 1967 short film Ripples, as an introspective architect.
In 1968, Stone brought Henson and Joe Raposo
(who also worked on Hey, Cinderella! to the attention of Children's Television Workshop
president Joan Ganz Cooney
when she started putting together Sesame Street. He wrote the pilot script
, and was one of the three original producers of the program; he later served as an executive producer for many years.
Stone eventually became Sesame Street
director from 1969 until 1994. He also directed the 1995 Christmas special Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
. Stone died in New York, on March 13, 1997 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS). Posthumously, a memorial bench on the Literary Walk in Central Park was dedicated to Stone. The bench is located directly to the right of the bench dedicated to Jim Henson. In his New York Times obituary, Joan Ganz Cooney describes Stone as "probably the most brilliant writer of children's television material in America.”
Jon Stone is perhaps best known as the author of The Monster at the End of This Book, published by Random House
as a Little Golden Book
.
Big Bird
Big Bird is a protagonist of the children's television show Sesame Street. Big Bird, like many of the other Sesame Street characters, is a Muppet character. He is sometimes referred to simply as "Bird" by his friends....
, Cookie Monster
Cookie Monster
Cookie Monster is a Muppet on the children's television show Sesame Street. He is best known for his voracious appetite and his famous eating phrases: "Me want cookie!", "Me eat cookie!", and "Om nom nom nom" . He often eats anything and everything, including danishes, donuts, lettuce, apples,...
and Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character on the television program Sesame Street. He has a green body , has no nose , and lives in a trash can. His favorite thing in life is trash; evidence for this is the song "I Love Trash". A running theme is his compulsive hoarding of seemingly useless items...
. He is regarded by many as one of the best children's television writers. He started working for children's programs in 1955 beginning as writer as Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo is a children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running children's television program of its day...
. He later worked for Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
as writer and executive producer.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Stone graduated from Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
in 1952. He received a master's degree from the Yale University School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
in 1955, at which time he joined a CBS training program. Before helping to create Sesame Street, he worked on the popular children's television show Captain Kangaroo for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. He also worked on several other Muppet projects before and during his time on Sesame Street, and was the author of several books including the popular "The Monster at the End of this Book".
Stone was married to former actress Beverley Owen
Beverley Owen
Beverley Owen is a classically-trained American actress perhaps most widely known for having played the role of Marilyn Munster during the first season of The Munsters...
, who was best remembered as the original 'Marilyn' on The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
first 13-episode 1964 season. During production, Owen was distraught over the separation-by-distance of her then-boyfriend, who was living on the east coast. Because of this, by late 1964 Owen was released from her contract, and left her Hollywood TV career to join and eventually marry Stone in New York The couple later had two daughters, Polly and Kate, before divorcing
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
a decade later in 1974.
Stone's earliest association with Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
came in 1965, working on fairy tale projects, along with writer Tom Whedon
Tom Whedon
Tom Whedon is an American television screenwriter and son of 1950s TV screenwriter John Whedon. He and first wife, political activist Lee Stearns, are the parents of Film and TV Screenwriter Joss Whedon...
, such as a proposed Snow White series. This was turned into a Cinderella pilot, which was shot in October of that year but never aired, and eventually became Hey, Cinderella!
Hey, Cinderella!
Hey, Cinderella! is an adaptation of Cinderella, featuring Muppets. Kermit the Frog hosts the film. The music score was composed by Joe Raposo.The one-hour special was first shown on the CBC on March 16, 1969, and on ABC on April 10, 1970....
. Stone also appeared in Henson's 1967 short film Ripples, as an introspective architect.
In 1968, Stone brought Henson and Joe Raposo
Joe Raposo
Joseph Guilherme Raposo, OIH was a Portuguese-American composer, songwriter, pianist, television writer and lyricist, best known for his work on the children's television series Sesame Street, for which he wrote the theme song, as well as classic songs such as "Bein' Green" and "C is for Cookie"...
(who also worked on Hey, Cinderella! to the attention of Children's Television Workshop
Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
president Joan Ganz Cooney
Joan Ganz Cooney
Joan Ganz Cooney is an American television producer. She is one of the founders of the Children's Television Workshop , the organization famous for the creation of the children's television show Sesame Street. Cooney received her B.A...
when she started putting together Sesame Street. He wrote the pilot script
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, and was one of the three original producers of the program; he later served as an executive producer for many years.
Stone eventually became Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
director from 1969 until 1994. He also directed the 1995 Christmas special Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is a television Christmas special that first aired in 1995. The special stars Robert Downey, Jr., Leslie Nielsen, and Stockard Channing. It also features Kermit the Frog as a narrator and various other Muppets created exclusively for the special.The special was based...
. Stone died in New York, on March 13, 1997 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
(ALS). Posthumously, a memorial bench on the Literary Walk in Central Park was dedicated to Stone. The bench is located directly to the right of the bench dedicated to Jim Henson. In his New York Times obituary, Joan Ganz Cooney describes Stone as "probably the most brilliant writer of children's television material in America.”
Jon Stone is perhaps best known as the author of The Monster at the End of This Book, published by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
as a Little Golden Book
Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books is a popular series of children's books. The first 12 titles were published on October 1, 1942:#Three Little Kittens#Bedtime Stories#Mother Goose#Prayers for Children#The Little Red Hen#Nursery Songs...
.