Sesame Street (TV Series)

Farewell Mr. Hooper (1983)

Roscoe Orman: Gordon Robinson

Quotes 

• Big Bird : [has drawn caricatures of Luis, Susan, Gordon, Bob, Maria, David, Olivia, and Mr. Hooper. After handing out seven of them, he sees that Mr. Hooper is missing]  Say, where is he?

  Maria : Big Bird, don't you remember we told you? Mr. Hooper died. He's dead.

  Big Bird : Oh, yeah, I remember. Well, I'll give it to him when he comes back.

  Susan : Big Bird, Mr. Hooper's not coming back.

  Big Bird : Well, why not?

  Susan : Big Bird, when people die, they don't come back.

  Big Bird : Ever?

  Susan : [shakes her head]  No, never.

  Big Bird : Well, why not?

  Luis : Well, Big Bird, They're *dead*. They... They can't come back.

  Big Bird : Well, he's got to come back. Why, who's going to take care of the store? And who's going to make my birdseed milkshakes, and tell me stories?

  David : Big Bird, I'm going to take care of the store. Mr. Hooper - he left it to me. And I'll make you your milkshakes, and we'll all tell you stories, and we'll make sure you're okay.

  Susan : Yeah, we'll look after you.

  Big Bird : Oh, hmm.

  [walks around as he thinks] 

  Big Bird : Well, it won't be the same.

  Bob : You're right, Big Bird. It's... It'll never be the same around here without him. But you know something? We can all be very happy that we had the chance to be with him, and to know him, and to love him a lot when he was here.

  Olivia : And Big Bird, we still have our memories of him.

  Big Bird : Oh, yeah, Our memories. Right. Why, memories... that's how I drew this picture. From memory. And we can remember him, and remember him, and remember him... as much as we want to.

  [looks at Mr. Hooper's picture] 

  Big Bird : But, I don't like it.

  [chokes up] 

  Big Bird : It makes me sad.

  David : We all feel sad, Big Bird.

  Big Bird : He's never coming back?

  [David and Olivia shake their heads] 

  Big Bird : Well, I don't understand! You know everything was just fine. Why does it have to be this way? Give me one good reason!

  Gordon : Big Bird, It has to be this way... because.

  Big Bird : Just because?

  Gordon : Just... because.

  Big Bird : Oh.

  [looks at the picture] 

  Big Bird : You know, I'm going to miss you, Mr. Looper.

  Maria : That's *Hooper*, Big Bird. Hooper.

  [she and the others chuckle] 

  Big Bird : Right.

  [as he continues to look at the picture, the others gather around him. Our view pulls back to a wide shot of the set, and the screen slowly fades to black] 

• [Gordon notices Big Bird walking backwards with his back bent and his head between his legs] 

  Big Bird : Oh, hi, Gordon.

  Gordon : Hi, Big Bird. Uh...

  Big Bird : [as if acting normally]  Nice day, isn't it?

  Gordon : [somewhat confused]  Yeah, very nice. Big Bird?

  Big Bird : Mm?

  Gordon : Why are you doing that?

  Big Bird : What?

  Gordon : [indicating Big Bird's walking]  *That*, with your head between your legs?

  Big Bird : Oh, because.

  Gordon : [after a short pause]  Because *why*?

  Big Bird : Just, because.

  Gordon : You're walking with your head between your legs, just *because*?

  [Big Bird nods] 

  Gordon : Can't you give me a better reason than just because?

  Big Bird : Well, I guess I could try, but I don't think I could come up with a better reason?

  Gordon : [still a bit confused]  Yeah, I understand.

  Big Bird : You know what I'm going to do now?

  Gordon : What?

  Big Bird : This...

  [Big Bird walks sideways] 

  Big Bird : [walking off]  De-doo, de-doo, de-doo, de-doo...

  [Gordon looks on and laughs briefly] 

  Gordon : [imitating Big Bird's sideways walk]  De-doo, de-doo...