Changes: Norman Stiles

Revision as of 03:00, 16 December 2014

Writers — Norman Stiles (left) and Chris Cerf at the 2001 TCA Awards.

PutDowntheDuckie — Stiles wrote the lyrics for "Put Down the Duckie"

Norman Stiles (b. December 4, 1942) is a writer who worked on Sesame Street and its related products for over twenty years; his concepts include the Muppet characters Count von Count and Forgetful Jones.

Stiles initially studied zoology and chemistry at Hunter College, and became a social worker for the New York City Welfare Department. During that period, he began writing comedy material for such performers as Ron Carey (later a regular on Barney Miller) and Marty Brill, and wrote for Merv Griffin. ^[1]

Stiles joined the Children's Television Workshop in 1971, and became the head writer on Sesame Street beginning with Season 4. In later years, his work would often touch upon sensitive topics, such as the death of Mr. Hooper in Episode 1839, or the effects of divorce on children in the unaired "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce." In 1990, as part of the Season 22 curriculum mandate to examine race relations, Stiles wrote a skit in which a blue monster named Britta refuses to let Elmo play wubbaball because of his different fur color, only to find herself excluded.^[2]

Stiles has also written for appearances by the Muppets, such as an Ad Council nutrition spot with Cookie Monster, and authored a variety of Sesame Street books (including The Perils of Penelope), wrote lyrics for such songs as "Put Down the Duckie," and helped script Jim Henson's pilot special The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.

Stiles discussed his philosophy of writing in 1988:

“Never talk down to children. Always try to entertain children and parents at the same time. Try to have adult characters speak the way adults speak and not in singsong kiddy-show style. And teach something while all this is going on... This is basically a sketch comedy show. ^[3]”

Outside of the Muppets and Sesame Street, Stiles has written for America 2-Night (starring Martin Mull and Fred Willard) and Mel Brooks' 1975 sitcom spoof of Robin Hood When Things Were Rotten.

In 1996, Stiles co-founded Sirius Thinking Ltd, an independent children's television production company, with fellow Sesame alumni Michael K. Frith and Christopher Cerf. At Sirius Thinking, Stiles wrote and produced the PBS children's show Between the Lions which premiered in 2000. The show has won six Daytime Emmy Awards, including a 2004 Emmy for best writing.

In April 2014, Stiles launched a crowdfunding campaign for an online video series Baby & Toddler Parenthood News Network with his wife Ellen Dillon and child development expert Amy Hatkoff.

Television writing credits

Book credits

The Sesame Street Library volumes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12
The Sesame Street Treasury volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
The Sesame Street Storybook
The Sesame Street 1, 2, 3 Storybook
The Sesame Street ABC Storybook
The Perils of Penelope
I'll Miss You, Mr. Hooper
The Amazing Mumford and His Amazing Subtracting Trick
The Ernie & Bert Book
Grover's Little Red Riding Hood
Grover and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum
Around the Corner on Sesame Street
The Count's Number Parade

Songwriting credits

Miscellaneous writing credits

Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra, album
Silly Dancing, Sesame Street Live stage show
Sleeping Birdie, stage show

External links

Sirius Thinking page on Stiles (archived)
Old Jews Telling Jokes
ToughPigs.com interview: "We're All Norman's Kids"
The Muppet Mindset interview: Muppets Gone Missing: Norman Stiles

Sources

↑ Season 4 Press Kit. 1971
↑ Johnson, Peter. "Taking Race Relations to the Street." USA Today. November 12, 1990
↑ Blau, Eleanor. "Mum's the Word, But Sesame Street is Turning 20." The New York Times. November 14, 1988

[1] Season 4 Press Kit. 1971

[2] Johnson, Peter. "Taking Race Relations to the Street." USA Today. November 12, 1990

[3] Blau, Eleanor. "Mum's the Word, But Sesame Street is Turning 20." The New York Times. November 14, 1988

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+[[Image:NormanStiles.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 [[Image:Writers.stiles-cerf.jpg|frame|Norman Stiles (left) and [[Chris Cerf]] at the 2001 TCA Awards.]]
-[[Image:PutDowntheDuckie.jpg|thumb|300px|"Put Down the Duckie"]]
+[[Image:PutDowntheDuckie.jpg|thumb|300px|Stiles wrote the lyrics for "[[Put Down the Duckie (song)|Put Down the Duckie]]"]]
+[[Image:Normanstilestelly.JPG|thumb|300px]]
-'''Norman Stiles''' is a writer who worked on ''[[Sesame Street]]'' and its related products for over twenty years; his concepts include the [[The Muppets|Muppet]] characters [[Count von Count]] and [[Forgetful Jones]].
+'''Norman Stiles''' (b. December 4, 1942) is a writer who worked on ''[[Sesame Street]]'' and its related products for over twenty years; his concepts include the [[The Muppets|Muppet]] characters [[Count von Count]] and [[Forgetful Jones]].
-Stiles initially studied zoology and chemistry at Hunter College, and became a social worker for the [[New York City]] Welfare Department. During that period, he began writing comedy material for such performers as Ron Carey (later a regular on ''[[Hal Linden|Barney Miller]]'') and Marty Brill, and wrote for [[Merv Griffin]]. <ref>Season 4 Press Kit. 1971</ref>
+Stiles initially studied zoology and chemistry at Hunter College, and became a social worker for the [[New York City]] Welfare Department. During that period, he began writing comedy material for such performers as Ron Carey (later a regular on ''[[Hal Linden|Barney Miller]]'') and Marty Brill, and wrote for [[Merv Griffin]]. <ref>Season 4 Press Kit. 1971</ref>
-Stiles joined the [[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]] in [[1971]], and became the head writer on ''Sesame Street'' beginning with [[Season 4 (1972-1973)|Season 4]]. In later years, his work would often touch upon sensitive topics, such as the death of [[Mr. Hooper]] in [[Episode 1839]], or the effects of divorce on children in the unaired "[[Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce]]." In [[1990]], as part of the [[Season 22 (1990-1991)|Season 22]] curriculum mandate to examine race relations, Stiles wrote a skit in which a monster named [[Lila]] refuses to let [[Elmo]] play wubbaball because of his different fur color, only to find herself excluded. <ref>Johnson, Peter. "Taking Race Relations to the Street." ''USA Today''. November 12, [[1990]]</ref>
+Stiles joined the [[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]] in [[1971]], and became the head writer on ''Sesame Street'' beginning with [[Season 4 (1972-1973)|Season 4]]. In later years, his work would often touch upon sensitive topics, such as the death of [[Mr. Hooper]] in [[Episode 1839]], or the effects of divorce on children in the unaired "[[Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce]]." In [[1990]], as part of the [[Season 22 (1990-1991)|Season 22]] curriculum mandate to examine race relations, Stiles wrote a skit in which a blue monster named [[Britta]] refuses to let [[Elmo]] play wubbaball because of his different fur color, only to find herself excluded.<ref>Johnson, Peter. "Taking Race Relations to the Street." ''USA Today''. November 12, [[1990]]</ref>
-Stiles has also written for appearances by the Muppets, such as an [[The Ad Council|Ad Council]] nutrition spot with [[Cookie Monster]], and authored a variety of ''Sesame Street'' books (including ''[[The Perils of Penelope]]''), wrote lyrics for such songs as "[[Put Down the Duckie]]," and helped script [[Jim Henson|Jim Henson's]] pilot special ''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''.
+Stiles has also written for appearances by the Muppets, such as an [[The Ad Council|Ad Council]] nutrition spot with [[Cookie Monster]], and authored a variety of ''Sesame Street'' books (including ''[[The Perils of Penelope]]''), wrote lyrics for such songs as "[[Put Down the Duckie (song)|Put Down the Duckie]]," and helped script [[Jim Henson|Jim Henson's]] pilot special ''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''.
-Stiles discussed his philosophy of writing in [[1988]]: {{quote|Never talk down to children. Always try to entertain children and parents at the same time. Try to have adult characters speak the way adults speak and not in singsong kiddy-show style. And teach something while all this is going on... This is basically a sketch comedy show. <ref>Blau, Eleanor. "Mum's the Word, But ''Sesame Street'' is Turning 20." ''The New York Times''. November 14, [[1988]]</ref>}}
+Stiles discussed his philosophy of writing in 1988: {{quote|Never talk down to children. Always try to entertain children and parents at the same time. Try to have adult characters speak the way adults speak and not in singsong kiddy-show style. And teach something while all this is going on... This is basically a sketch comedy show. <ref>Blau, Eleanor. "Mum's the Word, But ''Sesame Street'' is Turning 20." ''The New York Times''. November 14, [[1988]]</ref>}}
-Outside of the Muppets and ''Sesame Street'', Stiles has written for ''America 2-Night'' (starring Martin Mull and [[Fred Willard]]) and [[Mel Brooks]]' [[1975]] sitcom spoof of [[Robin Hood]] ''When Things Were Rotten''.
+Outside of the Muppets and ''Sesame Street'', Stiles has written for ''America 2-Night'' (starring Martin Mull and [[Fred Willard]]) and [[Mel Brooks]]' [[1975]] sitcom spoof of [[Robin Hood]] ''When Things Were Rotten''.
 In 1996, Stiles co-founded Sirius Thinking Ltd, an independent children's television production company, with fellow ''Sesame'' alumni [[Michael K. Frith]] and [[Christopher Cerf]]. At Sirius Thinking, Stiles wrote and produced the PBS children's show ''[[Between the Lions]]'' which premiered in 2000. The show has won six [[Daytime Emmy Awards]], including a 2004 Emmy for best writing.
+In April 2014, Stiles launched a crowdfunding campaign for an online video series ''Baby & Toddler Parenthood News Network'' with his wife Ellen Dillon and child development expert Amy Hatkoff.
 ==Television writing credits==
-*''[[Sesame Street]]'' (1971-ca. [[1995]])
+*''[[Sesame Street]]'' (1971 - 1995)
 *''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''
 *''[[Out to Lunch]]''
 *''[[The Jean Marsh Cartoon Special]]''
 *''[[The Sesame Street Special]]''
-*''[[Free to Be... a Family]]''
+*''[[Free to Be... a Family (special)|Free to Be... a Family]]''
 ==Book credits==
 *The Sesame Street Library volumes [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 1|1]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 2|2]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 4|4]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 5|5]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 6|6]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 7|7]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 8|8]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 9|9]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 10|10]], [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 11|11]] & [[The Sesame Street Library Volume 12|12]]
 *The Sesame Street Treasury volumes [[The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 1|1]], [[The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 2|2]], [[The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 3|3]], [[The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 4|4]] & [[The Sesame Street Treasury Volume 5|5]]
 *[[The Sesame Street Storybook]]
 *[[The Sesame Street 1, 2, 3 Storybook]]
 *[[The Sesame Street ABC Storybook]]
 *[[The Perils of Penelope]]
 *[[I'll Miss You, Mr. Hooper]]
 *[[The Amazing Mumford and His Amazing Subtracting Trick]]
 *[[The Ernie & Bert Book]]
 *[[Grover's Little Red Riding Hood]]
 *[[Grover and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum]]
 *[[Around the Corner on Sesame Street]]
 *[[The Count's Number Parade]]
 ==Songwriting credits==
 *[[Above it All]]
 *[[Counting Robins]]
+*[[Dance Myself to Sleep]]
 *[[Do De Rubber Duck]]
-*[[Five Jive with Elmo Hammer]]
+*[[Don't Sing This Song]]
+*[[Do-Op Hop]]
+*[[Elmo's Jive Five]]
 *[[Google Bugle]]
 *[[Handful of Crumbs]]
 *[[Hey Food]]
+*[[I Am Chicken]]
 *[[Me Gotta Be Blue]]
 *[[Monster in the Mirror]]
@@ Line 59: / Line 68: @@
 ==External links==
-* [http://www.siriusthinking.com/sirius/item.htm?item=2&category=15 Sirius Thinking page on Stiles]
+* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070306050713/http://www.siriusthinking.com/sirius/item.htm?item=2&category=15 Sirius Thinking page on Stiles (archived)]
+* [http://oldjewstellingjokes.com/post/193954443/norman-stiles-paratrooper-training-during Old Jews Telling Jokes]
+* ToughPigs.com interview: [http://www.toughpigs.com/norman-stiles/ "We're All Norman's Kids"]
+* The Muppet Mindset interview: [http://muppetmindset.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/12507/ Muppets Gone Missing: Norman Stiles]
 ==Sources==
-<References/>
+<references />
-[[Category:Writers|Stiles, Norman]]
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Stiles, Norman}}
-[[Category:Authors|Stiles]]
+[[Category:Writers]]
-[[Category:Composers|Stiles]]
+[[Category:Authors]]
+[[Category:Composers]]

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