Jeff Moss

Jeff Moss (June 19, 1942 - September 24, 1998) was a head writer and composer-lyricist on Sesame Street. Some of his best-known songs from the show include "Rubber Duckie," "I Love Trash," "The People in Your Neighborhood," "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon," and "Nasty Dan." In addition to songwriting, Moss helped create Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and Guy Smiley.

Moss won 15 Emmys for his work and wrote the songs for four Grammy Award-winning records. When released as a single in 1970, "Rubber Duckie" sold more than a million copies. Moss' songs were known internationally as well; Claude François' recording of "Nasty Dan" went to #1 on the pop chart in France.

He also composed the songs and score for The Muppets Take Manhattan, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Original Song Score. The Oscar went to Prince for "Purple Rain."

Moss wrote over a dozen best-selling books under the Sesame Street label, including The Sesame Street Book of Poetry. Several of his songs have been illustrated and published as well. He also wrote three collections of children's poetry and several short stories.

Moss died of cancer on September 24, 1998. One of his last writing credits was the script for the Elmo's World segment "Music."

Composer creditsEdit

Sesame StreetEdit

The Muppets Take ManhattanEdit

Other ProductionsEdit

TriviaEdit

Moss gave voice to several Anything Muppet singers on Sesame Street, including namesakes Big Jeffy (of Little Jerry and the Monotones), and Jeffy (who sang "I'm Going to Get My Hair Cut," with Cookie Monster). He also voiced a Lavender back-up singer for Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats.
Episode 3786 was dedicated in memory of Moss.

Author CreditsEdit

Sesame Street Books

People in My Family (1971)
People in Your Neighborhood (1971)
The Sesame Street Storybook (1971)
Cookie Monster's Circle Book (1972)
The Sesame Street 1, 2, 3 Storybook (1973)
The Sesame Street ABC Storybook (1974)
Oscar's Book (1975)
The Sesame Street Book of Fairy Tales (1975)
The Sesame Street Bedtime Storybook (1978)
The Sesame Street Library (1978-1979)
People in My Family (1983)
The Sesame Street Treasury (1983)
The Songs of Sesame Street in Poems and Pictures (1983)
The Sesame Street Book of Poetry (1992)

Other Poetry Collections

The Butterfly Jar
The Other Side of the Door
Bone Poems

Other Short Stories

Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak
Hieronymus White
Dad of the Dad of the Dad of Your Dad

External linksEdit

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