14 Facts About Jon Stone

Jon Arthur Stone was an American writer, director and producer who was best known as an original crewmember on the children's television sow Sesame Street and is credited with helping to develop characters such as Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird.

Jon Stone received a master's degree from the Yale University School of Drama in 1955 and joined a CBS training program.

Jon Stone began his work in children's television as a writer for Captain Kangaroo.

Jon Stone worked on Kukla, Fran and Ollie before moving to Sesame Street as a writer and producer.

Jon Stone worked on several other Muppets projects before and during his time on Sesame Street.

Jon Stone wrote several children's books, including The Monster at the End of This Book, published by Random House as a Little Golden Book.

Jon Stone's became associated with Jim Henson in the early 1960s, working on fairy-tale projects with writer Tom Whedon, such as a proposed Snow White series.

Jon Stone appeared in Henson's 1967 short film Ripples as an introspective architect.

In 1968, Jon Stone brought Henson and Joe Raposo to the attention of Children's Television Workshop president Joan Ganz Cooney as she was planning the show that would become Sesame Street.

Jon Stone wrote the pilot script at the request of Cooney, despite his initial reluctance as he had intended to leave television.

Jon Stone was one of the three original producers of the program and later served as an executive producer for many years.

Jon Stone wrote specials, including Big Bird in China and Big Bird in Japan.

Jon Stone directed the 1995 Christmas special Mr Willowby's Christmas Tree and Don't Eat the Pictures, a special that brought Sesame Street to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and won the Prix Jeunesse International.

Jon Stone died in New York on March 30,1997 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, two weeks before his 66th birthday.