12 Facts About Jeff Moss

Jeffrey Arnold "Jeff" Moss was an American composer, lyricist, playwright and television writer, best known for his award-winning work on the children's television series Sesame Street.

Jeff Moss attended Princeton University, and was a member of the Princeton Triangle Club theater company.

Jeff Moss is credited with, among other things, creating the character of Cookie Monster, based on a puppet Jim Henson had created called "Boogle Eyes".

Jeff Moss wrote the song "Nasty Dan", which Johnny Cash sang when he appeared on Sesame Street; it later appeared on the 1975 The Johnny Cash Children's Album.

In 1984, Jeff Moss wrote the music and lyrics for The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Jeff Moss worked with Mike Nichols and Tommy Tune, but when Jeff Moss became adamant about not implementing changes Nichols wanted, Nichols and Tune walked out.

Jeff Moss wrote many children's books, including The Butterfly Jar, The Other Side of the Door, Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak, Hieronymus White: A Bird Who Believed That He Always Was Right, The Dad of the Dad of the Dad of Your Dad, and Bone Poems.

Jeff Moss wrote some under the Sesame Street brand name, such as The Sesame Street Book of Poetry and The Sesame Street Songbook.

Jeff Moss was credited with winning fourteen Emmy Awards, and in 1984, was nominated for an Academy Award for the music and lyrics he wrote for The Muppets Take Manhattan.

In 1994, Jeff Moss was diagnosed with colon cancer, from which he died at his home in Manhattan, New York, on September 24,1998, at the age of 56.

Jeff Moss was survived by his wife, Anne Boylan; his son, Alexander Moss; and his stepson, Jonathan Boylan Smith.

Jeff Moss died on Jim Henson's 62nd and Steve Whitmire's 39th birthday.