Maurice Sendak

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Maurice Sendak (b. 1928) is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are. He was interviewed in the documentary The World of Jim Henson, and had previously been quoted in the Jim Henson produced TV film Youth '68.

Sendak was an early member of the National Board of Advisors for the Children's Television Workshop during the development stages for Sesame Street. Attending most of the early seminars, Sendak created a series of sketches based on elements of the discussion, from such issues as sex roles and sibling rivalry. Though he played no known active role in the final creative outcome of the series, Sendak's drawings from these seminars were used by Gerald S. Lesser in his book Children and Television: Lessons from Sesame Street.

Sendak later wrote and designed an animated sequence for the series, "Bumble Ardy", based on his own book, and with Jim Henson as the voice of Bumble Ardy. This segment appears as an easter egg on disc 1 of Old School: Volume 2.

Images from Where the Wild Things Are were used in the 1970s version of the sketch "The Organized Mind". Sendak's book also appears in Sarah's room in Labyrinth, and certain general themes, as well as Toby's pajamas, were inspired by the book. Sendak received acknowledgement in the film's end credits. Bob also read the book in the first Sesame Street test show.

Plans have been announced for a feature film of Where the Wild Things Are, with a current tentative release date of 2008, using effects and puppets from Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

from "The Organized Mind"

from Labyrinth