Alphabet Bates is a skywriter on Sesame Street who, although rarely appearing in person, made his mark with the giant letters he made in the sky over Sesame Street.

Mr. Bates' work appeared on Sesame Street beginning in the first season. His name was mentioned in episode 0261 when Oscar and the kids watched him write an E, and in episode 0300, when Susan spotted him making a Q. He was also mentioned by David in Episode 0536, during a game of "follow the leader".

The actual skywriting in the original segments was done by Cecil Coffrin of Sky Advertising Corporation. Alphabet Bates made a rare visual appearance in the book Everyone Makes Mistakes. On Sesame Street, he was played in a live action sequence by Brian Muehl in a cameo role.^[1]

Letters

• C (First: Episode 0029)
• D (First: Episode 0016)
• E (First: Episode 0061)
• G (First: Episode 0025)
• L (First: Episode 0031)
• N (First: Episode 0041)
• O (First: Episode 0012)
• P (First: Episode 0054)
• Q (First: Episode 0047)
• R (First: Episode 0014)
• S (First: Episode 0003)
• U (First: Episode 0036)
• X (EKA: Episode 0716)
• Y (EKA: Episode 0897)

Book appearances

• The Sesame Street 1974 Activity Calendar
• Everyone Makes Mistakes

Sources

1. ↑ Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street, page 92