FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

Quiz about Sesame Street40 Years and Counting

"Sesame Street"--40 Years and Counting Quiz

I can't remember a time before "Sesame Street", nor can many North Americans. Now, after 40 years, children are still learning letters and numbers from the Muppets and their friends. This quiz is intended for first-decade fans of "Sesame Street".

A multiple-choice quiz by Eruditio. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Eruditio

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
320,053

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
759

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 159 (13/15), Guest 24 (7/15), Guest 73 (14/15).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. Almost all the Muppets are very sweet, and most can be described as "cute". However, there is only one way to complete a certain classic phrase: "lovable, furry, old ________". Hint

Grover

Elmo

Cookie Monster

Herry

NEXT>

2. When they are not actually in them, how can you tell which bed belongs to Ernie, and which to his roommate Bert? Hint

Ernie's has horizontal stripes and Bert's has vertical stripes (like their shirts).

Ernie's is marked with 'E' and Bert's with 'B'.

Ernie's is red and Bert's is blue.

Ernie's has a baseball cap hanging from it, and Bert's has toy pigeons.

NEXT>

3. Every neighborhood has a certain amount of noise and bustle--and someone who complains when he or she finds the noise level too high. Who was the resident grouch on Sesame Street? Hint

Bob

Grover

Oscar

Alaistair Cookie

NEXT>

4. Which of these "Sesame Street" characters was a science teacher? Hint

Fred

Bob

Gordon

Linda

NEXT>

5. (This was a running joke for a number of years.) Who was the harried storekeeper, whose name Big Bird could never seem to remember?
Hint

Mr. Hooper

Mr. Hoosier

Mr. Hopper

Mr. Harold

6. Speaking of running jokes, a famous one was on Big Bird himself. He had a strange friend, like no one else on Sesame Street, whom he called Mr. Snuffleupagus. (Oddly enough, THAT name gave Big Bird no trouble at all!) What problem did this character cause him for a number of years? Hint

He was very clumsy, and always broke things, getting himself and his friend into trouble.

He could not resist peeping through people's windows, and everyone assumed that Big Bird, the tallest resident, was spying on them.

No one else in all of Sesame Street had ever seen him, so they assumed Big Bird's "friend" was imaginary.

He kept sneaking down to Sesame Street without permission, and Big Bird didn't want to tell on him.

NEXT>

7. The last time I watched "Sesame Street" (with a young relative), Maria and Luis had started a new, up-to-date business, the Mail-It Shop. What small business had they previously run together? Hint

The Children's Television Workshop

The Find-It Shop

The Fix-It Shop

The Do-It-Yourself Shop

NEXT>

8. Where does Big Bird make his home? Hint

Under David's front steps.

In a giant gilded cage (but he is not locked in).

In a nest. A BIG nest!

Above Hooper's Store.

NEXT>

9. Aside from his fascination with pigeons, Bert's main hobbies were his bottle cap collection and... what? Hint

His rubber duckie

His rainbow prisms

His baseball card collection

His paperclip collection

NEXT>

10. What was Susan Robinson's (human character) profession on the show? Hint

Firefighter

Nurse

Teacher

Saleswoman

NEXT>

11. What was the name of the Muppet character who looks very much like a famous London detective, sporting a deerstalker (hat) and a cloak, and carrying a magnifying glass? Hint

Sherlock Homestead

Sherlock Homes

Sherlock Hemlock

Sherlock Hamhock

NEXT>

12. Who was the first new human character to join the original "Sesame Street" cast, and also the first to be written out? Hint

Luis

Mr. Hooper

David

Miguel

NEXT>

13. You may not remember this, but before being the dorm mother Mrs. Garrett on "The Facts of Life", Charlotte Rae appeared for a season on "Sesame Street". What was her role? Hint

Molly, the Meter Maid

Molly, the Mail Lady

Molly, the Waitress

Molly, the Monster-Sitter

NEXT>

14. What was the profession of Guy Smiley (Muppet character)? Hint

Health teacher

Dentist

Game show host

Photographer

NEXT>

15. Do you remember the Yip Yips? They were a couple of alien Muppets that spoke broken English, punctuated by loud agreement with each other: "uh-huh! yip yip yip yip yip yip yip!" On their second appearance (episode #736), they found what they thought was an "Earth person". What did they really find, which has the same characteristics as an Earthling, according to their guidebook? Hint

Table: slow-moving, and has four limbs

Grandfather clock: tall, and has a face and hands

Guitar: has a waist, and "feet" (stand), likes to "sing"

TV: likes to talk, doesn't make much sense

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Almost all the Muppets are very sweet, and most can be described as "cute". However, there is only one way to complete a certain classic phrase: "lovable, furry, old ________".

Answer: Grover

All the others may be lovable (or not--up to you), but this was one of Grover's tag-lines. Elmo did not even join the show until much later. I have not seen Herry in a long time, except in old clips. According to Wikipedia, he appeared as late as 2003.

2. When they are not actually in them, how can you tell which bed belongs to Ernie, and which to his roommate Bert?

Answer: Ernie's is marked with 'E' and Bert's with 'B'.

Ernie and Bert were like the "Odd Couple" of Sesame Street. Ernie liked active games, childlike fun, telling jokes and teasing Bert. Bert preferred board games, pigeon taming and collecting things.

3. Every neighborhood has a certain amount of noise and bustle--and someone who complains when he or she finds the noise level too high. Who was the resident grouch on Sesame Street?

Answer: Oscar

Oscar lived in what looked like an ordinary-sized trash can, but must have been a passage to an enormous underground lair. Besides his enormous collection of trash, Oscar had a pet worm, and even a pet elephant!

4. Which of these "Sesame Street" characters was a science teacher?

Answer: Gordon

These characters were all played by live actors, as were Mr. Hooper, Maria and Luis. Bob was a music teacher, though I think he was a private instructor, not a schoolteacher. Linda was the deaf cast member who appeared somewhat frequently, and introduced us to American Sign Language. The "Fred" I am thinking of is Mr. Rogers from "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood"; right era, wrong show.

5. (This was a running joke for a number of years.) Who was the harried storekeeper, whose name Big Bird could never seem to remember?

Answer: Mr. Hooper

Poor Mr. Hooper. Big Bird honestly tried to be polite, but could never get his name right. More often than not, he called the bald, glasses-wearing gentleman "Mr. Looper", but there was some variation.

In 1976, the Mr. Hooper character received his GED (episode #871), and when the lady reading the names got to him, she said, "Mr. Harold Cooper".

Answer: No one else in all of Sesame Street had ever seen him, so they assumed Big Bird's "friend" was imaginary.

It used to provide an interesting tension to the framework story to see if Big Bird would be able to introduce his friend to someone *this* time. Eventually, the rest of the neighbors on Sesame Street got to meet Snuffy. The other, mostly adult, characters had thought that Big Bird was unreliable, i.e. telling fibs, or unable to distinguish reality from fantasy, as is sometimes the case with young children who come to believe their pretend games.

After Snuffy was revealed to them, they had to apologize to Big Bird, and promise to believe him in the future.

7. The last time I watched "Sesame Street" (with a young relative), Maria and Luis had started a new, up-to-date business, the Mail-It Shop. What small business had they previously run together?

Answer: The Fix-It Shop

Whenever any small appliances broke on Sesame Street, the owners brought them to Luis and Maria for a tune-up. Occasionally they would have to set aside work on an item that Bob or Gordon might need, in order to solve one of Big Bird's many problems.

The Children's Television Workshop (CTW) was the non-profit group founded to produce Sesame Street; more recently, its name has changed to Sesame Workshop.

8. Where does Big Bird make his home?

Answer: In a nest. A BIG nest!

There is a little room or maybe an alleyway, where Big Bird has what I would call a very big nest. However, since he is about 9 feet tall, it holds him pretty snugly. He has a swinging wooden street door for privacy, but apparently keeps it unlocked.

9. Aside from his fascination with pigeons, Bert's main hobbies were his bottle cap collection and... what?

Answer: His paperclip collection

Let's face it--Bert may not be that fascinating a character, but he seems happy in his own skin, which is more than many flamboyant people can say.

Rubber duckie, of course, belongs to Ernie, and Ernie would more likely fancy baseball cards as well. Rainbow prisms are pretty.

10. What was Susan Robinson's (human character) profession on the show?

Answer: Nurse

Susan is married to Gordon; they adopted their son Miles as a baby in 1985.

Roscoe Orman, the third actor to play Gordon, is the real-life father of the first actor to play Miles.

11. What was the name of the Muppet character who looks very much like a famous London detective, sporting a deerstalker (hat) and a cloak, and carrying a magnifying glass?

Answer: Sherlock Hemlock

I always thought he was pretty cool, though he was not the deductive genius the original Sherlock was. Hemlock was one of the very original characters of the show (from 1970), but alas, no longer appears.

12. Who was the first new human character to join the original "Sesame Street" cast, and also the first to be written out?

Answer: Miguel

He only appeared in the very first season of the show. I can't even remember him. However, he paved the way for many interesting neighbors to interact with the Muppets.

13. You may not remember this, but before being the dorm mother Mrs. Garrett on "The Facts of Life", Charlotte Rae appeared for a season on "Sesame Street". What was her role?

Answer: Molly, the Mail Lady

Charlotte/Molly appeared in the 1971-1972 season.

14. What was the profession of Guy Smiley (Muppet character)?

Answer: Game show host

Evidently Guy's birth name was Bernie Liederkrantz, until he changed it for show business. Imagine that. Jim Henson created and voiced him.

Answer: Grandfather clock: tall, and has a face and hands

On their first appearance (#697), the Yip Yips discovered a telephone. Assuming it was an Earth creature, they first addressed it in English, then tried, "moo", "meow" and "cluck". Aliens making Earth animal noises are just too funny.

Source: Author Eruditio

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Most Recent Scores

May 20 2023 : Guest 159: 13/15
May 18 2023 : Guest 24: 7/15
May 17 2023 : Guest 73: 14/15
May 16 2023 : Guest 35: 12/15
Apr 11 2023 : Guest 50: 11/15
Apr 08 2023 : Guest 72: 15/15
Apr 06 2023 : Guest 68: 12/15

Score Distribution