David Smyrl
| David Smyrl | |
|---|---|
| Born |
David Langston Smyrl September 13, 1935 North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 2016 (aged 80) Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, writer, voice artist. |
| Years active | 1972-2002 |
David Langston Smyrl (September 13, 1935 – March 22, 2016), sometimes credited professionally as David L. Smyrl, was an American actor, television writer and voice-over artist. He was best known for his role of Mr. Handford, the fictional retired firefighter who ran Hooper's Store on Sesame Street from 1990 to 1998. Smyrl won eight Emmy Awards for his work on Sesame Street during his time on the show.
Smyrl was born on September 13, 1935, in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was raised in the neighborhood. He began his career as a coffeehouse poet in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, during the 1960s. Smyrl was hired for his television acting job on a short-lived show, Express Yourself, during the 1970s. He appeared in the 1978 Broadway musical, Working.
Smyrl next moved to California, where he was hired as a writer for the ABC television sitcom, Benson, for which he won a People's Choice Award. Smyrl then joined The Cosby Show, both as a gag writer and actor, playing a general contractor named Sam Lucas for a five-episode recurring role.
However, Smyrl was best known for his role on the long running PBS children's show, Sesame Street. In 1982, actor Will Lee, who played Mr. Hooper, the original owner of Sesame Street's fictional Hooper's Store, died during production. Mr. Hooper's death was included on the show in 1982 episode.
...
Wikipedia