Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center and Sesame Workshop mourn the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93.

Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with Sesame Street only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact.

An experimental psychologist by training, Lloyd was a Vice President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York when he posed the question that would revolutionize children’s media: Could television be used to educate? In 1968, with fellow visionary Joan Ganz Cooney, he created Sesame Workshop, where the answer was proven to be a resounding “yes.”

As a wise, thoughtful, and above all kind leader, Lloyd was a profound and invaluable guide for 30 years as Chairman of Sesame Workshop’s Board of Trustees, then Trustee and Chairman Emeritus, and a Lifetime Honorary Trustee. We are indebted to his leadership as a founding member of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center’s Board of Directors. He was fascinated by the power of technology and constantly thinking about new ways it could be used to educate.

We have been influenced by his passion, dedication, and firm belief in the transformative power of educational media. Lloyd’s presence will forever be felt in our halls, in our hearts, and in our work on behalf of children and families around the world.

Joan Ganz Cooney, his co-founder and close friend, put it best. “Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no Sesame Street. It was he who first came up with the notion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills, such as letters and numbers. He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over fifty years, and he will be sorely missed.”