Years active 1969–present Name Loretta Long | Role Actress | |
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Full Name Loretta Mae Moore Occupation Actress, singer, educator Movies and TV shows Sesame Street, The Adventures of Elmo in, Don't Eat the Pictures, Sesame Street: Ready for, Sesame Unpaved Similar People Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado, Roscoe Orman, Matt Robinson, Jon Stone | ||
Loretta Long discusses getting cast on "Sesame Street" - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG
Loretta Mae Long (née Moore) (born June 3, 1940) is an African American actress, singer, media personality, and educator, best known for playing Susan Robinson on Sesame Street, having starred on the show since its debut in 1969.
Contents
- Loretta Long discusses getting cast on Sesame Street EMMYTVLEGENDSORG
- Loretta Long discusses her fellow cast mates on Sesame Street EMMYTVLEGENDSORG
- Early life
- Career
- Education
- Sesame Street
- Musical career
- Personal life
- Car accident
- References
Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, she earned her Ph.D. in urban education in 1973 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst while she was starring on Sesame Street. She has acted in musicals (such as Guys and Dolls) and appeared on the Flip Wilson Show with other Sesame Street cast members during its first season.
As of 2017, Long's character Susan, is one of only three remaining characters who are still played by the actors who originated the roles. (The others are Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (Caroll Spinney) and Bob (Bob McGrath)). In the early years, she voiced a few female Muppet voices including Roosevelt Franklin's mother, Suzetta and other Muppets where a female voice was needed.
Long, in addition to starring on Sesame Street, is a consultant and public speaker on issues of multiculturalism and education.
Loretta Long discusses her fellow cast mates on "Sesame Street" - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG
Early life
Long was born as Loretta Mae Moore in Paw Paw, Michigan in 1938.
Career
Before the days of Sesame Street, Long served as co-host of the WNET -T / Channel 13 program SOUL! a weekly music, cultural, social and artistic PBS program. She co-hosted that video-taped program from its premier broadcast on Sept. 12, 1968 (when she co-hosted with Alvin Poussaint, the noted black Harvard psychologist) through December 5, 1968, when she co-hosted with then-future SOUL! sole co-host Ellis Haizlip. At the same time, Long also was a substitute teacher in New York City. She continued to substitute teach during her early days working for Sesame Street, occasionally causing confusion for her students who had watched her on Sesame Street before coming to school and then in their classroom later that same morning.
Education
Long commuted to the University of Massachusetts on her days off from Sesame Street to complete a Ph.D., awarded in 1973. Her Ph.D. dissertation "Sesame Street": A Space Age Approach to Education for Space Age Kids examined the educational model used on Sesame Street.
Sesame Street
The main role played on Sesame Street by Long is the role of Susan, the wife of Gordon Robinson. In early seasons, her character was a housewife; however, in later seasons, her role expanded to that of being a nurse, as well as the mother of adopted son Miles.
Long has also lent her voice to various Muppet segments on Sesame Street, particularly in the early seasons. On the 8th episode of the first season (1969), Long sang the voice of the mother Muppet in the song "Five People in My Family." She also provided the voice for the mother of Roosevelt Franklin, and the voice of a backup singer in the nonsense song "Mahna Mahna."
Musical career
She recorded Susan Sings Songs from Sesame Street (Scepter Records SPS-584) in 1970, including such favorites as the "ABC Song" and "If You're Happy and You Know It." The album reached #86 on Billboard's Top LP's chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Recording for Children in 1971, ultimately losing to another Sesame Street recording.
In 1975, Long released a single under her own name on RCA Records called "Rainy Day Friend" with a B-Side titled "July the 12th, 1939."
Personal life
Long was raised on a farm in Paw Paw, Michigan. She was married for a time to Pete Long, with whom she worked with on the variety series SOUL! After their divorce, she kept her married name.
Car accident
On February 10, 2010, Long was struck by a car as she crossed Route 130 in East Windsor, New Jersey, suffering head wounds as a result. She was listed in fair condition following the accident, but made a full recovery.