Walter Cronkite (1916-2009) was a veteran television journalist, who spent 19 years as anchorman of the CBS Evening News. He was interviewed in the special Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music, in which he indicated that he was the first man Joe Raposo ever kissed on the cheek.

On December 21, 1978, Cronkite and Big Bird attended a Christmas reception for children of diplomats at the White House, hosted by President Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

Cronkite is an Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame inductee.

References

• Grouch newscaster Walter Cranky is a loose parody of Cronkite.

• When Oscar, who has been reporting for GNN (the Grouch News Network) signs off, he paraphrases Cronkite's signature sign off with, "And that's the grouchy way it is" on episode 4160 of Sesame Street.

• In a Sesame Street News Flash sketch on the Three Little Pigs' story, the three little pigs mistake Kermit the Frog for Walter Cronkite. Also during the game of "Three of These Things" between Kermit and the three little pigs, one pig points at Kermit and says it is "Walter" who doesn't belong.