Norman Stiles (head writer, Sesame Street / Fernwood Tonight)

Norman Stiles and I discuss watching Howdy Doody and having a friend on Mr. Wizard; being a welfare worker and writing jokes for Allen & Rossi; writing for the Merv Griffin Show; getting into the Childrens Television Workshop and then Sesame Street; how Sesame Street is taped in chunks; creating Count von Count; Jim Henson not being around; the TV special Out to Lunch; working with Christopher Cerf; writing on the Muppet Show pilot; leaving to create When Things Were Rotten and why the series was cancelled; writing the Space Force pilot for Fred Willard; writing for The Captain and Tenille Show, Fernwood Tonight, and America Tonight; pitching a show for Aaron Spelling called Invisible Reporter; going back to Sesame Street; writing the "Death of Mr. Hooper" episode; the Sesame Street curriculum; guest stars including Phil Donahue; Between the Lions; and living in Hoboken.