Lloyd Morrisett Dead At 93: 'Sesame Street' Co-Creator Praised By Fans For His Creative Genius

Lloyd Morrisett, the co-creator of "Sesame Street," has died. He was 93.

Sesame Workshop announced the passing of Morrisett via Twitter.

"Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of our esteemed and beloved co-founder Lloyd N. Morrisett, PhD, who died at the age of 93," the organization wrote alongside a photo of Morrisett posing with a puppet.

It continued, "A Lifetime Honorary Trustee, Lloyd leaves an outsized and indelible legacy among generations of children the world over, with Sesame Street only the most visible tribute to a lifetime of good work and lasting impact."

The organization also quoted Joan Ganz Cooney, "Sesame Street" co-founder and Morrisett's close friend, who credited him with the materialization of the program.

"Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no 'Sesame Street.' It was he who first came up with the notion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills, such as letters and numbers. He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over fifty years, and he will be sorely missed," Cooney reportedly said.

Morrisett's family and estate did not release a cause of death.

"Sesame Street" fans mourned Morrisett and took to Twitter to share how the program influenced their childhood and taught them to read and write.

"Without this man 'Sesame Street' wouldn't be here for children to watch on television. ... He helped so many children throughout the years from the 1960s to today, and we'll miss him for his creative genius," one person tweeted.

"Rest in peace, Lloyd N. Morrisett. May your legacy be embraced by so many more generations out in the world, of your wonderful history along with 'Sesame Street' for 50 years. We all love you so much. You'll truly be missed," another added.

"At 3 or 4, I stunned Ma by asking for an item at a restaurant I didn't normally order. She asked me how I knew the restaurant had the item. I pointed to it on their menu board. That's when she realized 'Sesame Street' had taught me to read. Dr. [Morrisett's] legacy looms large. RIP," a third fan wrote.

"I am 56 years old and I can't even begin to quantify the impact that 'Sesame Street' had on my love of reading and learning. Still sing and quote many of the jingles to myself. Thank you for a well-learned life," another commenter shared.

Morrisett and Cooney began working on the Children's Television Workshop, which would later spawn "Sesame Street," in 1968, according to TMZ.

Morrisett served as the chairman of Sesame Workshop until 2000 and remained on the board until his death, according to Variety.

Morrisett was born in Oklahoma City in 1929. He received his bachelor of arts degree at Oberlin College and became a trustee of the college. He was named the board chairman from 1975 to 1981.

Morrisett did graduate work in psychology at University of California, Los Angeles, and earned his Ph.D. in experimental psychology at Yale University, Variety reported.