Matt Robinson Matt Robinson ( January 1 , 1937 - August 5 , 2002 ) was a writer , producer , and actor who originated the role of Gordon on " Sesame Street " , playing the part from 1969 to 1972 . Robinson also created the character of Roosevelt Franklin , and performed Roosevelt ' s voice . Born in Philadelphia , Robinson graduated from Pennsylvania University in 1958 and penned the 1962 CBS slave revolt drama " Rained All Night " . Robinson began writing and producing black - oriented public affairs shows for Philadelphia TV station WCAU - TV , such as " Opportunity in Philadelphia . " Joining the creative staff at Children ' s Television Workshop , Robinson was initially hired to supervise the filmed segments focusing on people in different lands . When the production team had difficulty finding the right actor for Gordon , who had been created as a strong male figure , Robinson took the part , and had the first spoken lines in the premiere episode of " Sesame Street " . He took his role seriously , as a role model for African - American children who lacked a positive father figure . " Somewhere around four or five , " Robinson stated in the book " All About Sesame Street " , " a black kid is going to learn he ’ s black . He ’ s going to learn that ’ s positive or negative . What I want to project is a positive image . " Robinson portrayed Gordon with an amiability and paternal attitude while occasionally alternating between standard grammar and " black " English , as the scene demanded and to better allow inner - city viewers to relate to the character . His dedication to Gordon ' s role model status occasionally led to conflicts with the show ' s other goals , as when complaints from feminists led to a 1970 storyline in which Susan takes a job as a nurse . " All About Sesame Street " described the situation : " " Many people felt that Susan ' s role as dutiful wife to dynamic Gordon was a put - down to women . So they pushed to have Susan get a job outside the home . . . In that day ' s script , Susan wants her husband to approve her intention to go down to the Public Health Department and renew her license . And Gordon does - - grudgingly . Susan tells Gordon that she wants to discuss whether or not she should go back to work , but no discussion actually transpires . ' After all , ' she begins , ' I ' m a trained nurse and I just think they could use my services , and I was wondering what - - how you felt about it , what you thought about it ? ' To this awkwardly phrased question , Gordon grumpily states , ' If it bugs you that much , I ' ll tell you what . Try it and see how it works out . ' " " Off screen , Robinson stated how he actually felt toward the situation . He realized that feminists wanted to use the show to upgrade the female . Still , he maintained , many Black men consider the most important role for a Black woman at this time is to be an ego support for her husband . The problem with the scene as played is that it gave the impression that Gordon is capitulating to Susan ' s desire to go back to work but doesn ' t really approve - - hardly a contribution to building a strong male image . " " In contrast to later " Sesame Street " cast members , Matt Robinson was also reluctant to have his children perform before the camera , though eventually son Matt Jr . and daughter Holly Robinson ( later to star on " 21 Jump Street " ) filmed a scene with him . Robinson played Gordon in stage appearances and records , and also penned the 1972 volume " Matt Robinson ' s Gordon of Sesame Street Storybook " , an illustrated anthology of Robinson ' s original stories . He also scripted the Roosevelt Franklin segments and recorded the voices of Roosevelt and many other characters ( including Baby Ray Franklin and Mobity Mosely ) for the record album " The Year of Roosevelt Franklin " . Robinson resigned from his dual roles as Gordon and as producer of " Sesame Street " in 1972 . However , as late as 1974 , Robinson was still scripting Roosevelt Franklin segments for the series . After leaving the series , Robinson returned to screenwriting , scripting the Shirley MacLaine thriller " The Possession of Joel Delaney " , contributing episodes of " Sanford and Son " , and writing and producing the musical documentary " Save the Children " and the comedy film " Amazing Grace " . The latter starred Rosalind Cash and aging African - American film pioneer . Matt Robinson befriended the controversial actor in his last years , and following Fetchit ' s death , penned a one - man play , " The Confessions of Stepin Fetchit " . The play premiered in Off - Broadway at the American Place Theatre in 1993 , starring Roscoe Orman , Robinson ' s long - term successor as Gordon . Orman subsequently toured with the play . In 1982 , Robinson was diagnosed with Parkinson ' s disease . He continued to work , however , contributing scripts to " Captain Kangaroo " and becoming producer and head writer for " The Cosby Show " . He made a rare return to the camera in the 1990 episode " Cliff ' s Nightmare " , which featured Muppet guest stars . In 2002 , Robinson died at the age of 65 . Quotes . " On " Sesame Street " I ' m in a lot of trouble because I try to retain as much of the vernacular as possible . When kids are comfortable , they speak whatever way is natural , and I respond on that level . For instance I think that grammar ' s often a big hangup . I majored in English ( at Penn State ) , so I respect the language , but I don ' t think I ' d correct a child on the air , or anywhere else . If you say , ' Your grammar is incorrect , ' what you are saying is that his parents , his environment , all the people he associates with , are wrong . That can cause all kinds of psychological problems . What you can tell a child is , ' There ' s a different way to say that . ' What concerns me is making value judgements . . . The safe but dull norm isn ' t natural . A standard is imposed , a definite kind of propaganda for certain values . ' Black English ' involves all sorts of things . Tone , inflection , pacing . I think we should communicate with children in whatever way they understand . " External links . _ _ NOWYSIWYG _ _