Roscoe Orman

When Roscoe Orman, "Gordon" of Sesame Street joined the cast in 1974, he became part of one of the first African American families on television. Over three decades later, as a beloved actor, he remains an enduring inspiration to generations of children and adults of all races, ages, and social classes.

Orman’s real life isn’t all that different from Gordon’s life on the show. Not only is he an influential father figure to millions of children, but to his own family and has penned a beautifully crafted memoir, Sesame Street Dad: Evolution of an Actor. In it he highlights his many talents as a devoted father, a seminal presence on the classic children’s television program, and his ongoing contributions to theater throughout his forty-year career as one of the defining members of African American theater.

A talented and generous individual, Orman has been a vocal advocate for children’s issues, including child abuse prevention, while actively involved with the Children’s Defense Fund and many other organizations. However, this multi-faceted actor will always first and foremost be a father, serving as an enlightened role model for others in re-establishing the concepts of trust, honor, integrity, and responsibility in raising children.