Professor Hastings

PERFORMER	Frank Oz
DEBUT	1969
PATTERN	Fat Blue

Professor Hastings is a character from Sesame Street. Hastings is an old professor who always falls asleep during his boring lectures. He often appeared with Kermit as his assistant, who would have to wake him up constantly.

In 1974, CTW advisor Gerald S. Lesser offered this cogent summary of the character: "verging on senility; gives comically confused lectures; interrupting each at unpredictable occasions for short naps; sporadically capable of remarkably clear insights that stand in stark contrast to his general muddlement." In a 1990 episode of Learning Matters, Lesser said that he, a Harvard professor, was used as the model for the character according to Jon Stone.

Professor Hastings mostly appeared in Season 1; according to Sesame Street Unpaved, "He was performed by Frank Oz, but he didn't make the cut because he was, well, too dull." As summarized by Phyllis Feinstein in the 1971 book All About Sesame Street, "The professor, more boring than broadening, is no real loss...." According to Gerald S. Lesser in Learning Matters: Sesame Street, research showed that the characters sleeping put the kids to sleep. Although he has never been a big hit in the US, he is still considered a very popular character in several European countries. In a few pieces of European merchandise, he is mixed up with Mr. Johnson from the Waiter Grover sketches.

Sketches

Picture	Title / EKA	Description
	"Spinning Wheel" Episode 0012	A "quiet" trio of Professor Goldfinch, Hastings and an Anything Muppet drummer perform the song. Hastings plays the horn section.
	Letter Y Episode 0096	Kermit the Frog and Professor Hastings talk about the letter Y.
	Emotions Episode 0106	Professor Hastings gives a lecture on emotions.
	Exercise Episode 0124	Kermit and Professor Hastings on the importance of exercise.
	Big and Little Episode 0124	Professor Hastings talks about big and little using piles of blocks.
	Body Parts Episode 0130	Kermit helps the professor discuss parts of the body.
	Number 2 Episode 0141	Professor Hastings talks about the number 2.
	Dump Truck Episode 0175	Professor Hastings talks and shows how two dump trucks can be alike and also different.
	Pogo Stick Episode 0239	The professor uses a pogo stick to demonstrate "up" and "down", and ends up jumping into a pond.
	What's My Part? Episode 0256	Guy Smiley hosts "What's My Part?" The contestants are Bennett Snerf, Arlene Frantic and Professor Hastings, and the mystery part is a foot.
	Letter U Episode 0297	Kermit and Professor Hastings discuss the letter U.