David Smyrl, an actor best known for his role as Mr. Handford, the retired firefighter who ran Hooper’s Store, on the long-running PBS children’s show “Sesame Street,” died on Tuesday in Wynnewood, Pa., outside Philadelphia. He was 80.
His wife, Cheryl, said the cause was lung cancer.
Mr. Smyrl played the smiling, singing store owner on “Sesame Street” from 1990 to 1998. He succeeded Leonard Jackson, who had played a grumpier version of the same character. Will Lee, who played Harold Hooper, the original owner of the store, died in 1982, and his character’s death was written into the show.
Mr. Smyrl — who was often billed as David Langston Smyrl, his full name — started his television career in New York in the 1970s and appeared on Broadway in the musical “Working” in 1978. He was employed as a writer on the sitcom “Benson” and as both a writer and an actor on “The Cosby Show,” in which he played Sam Lucas, a contractor.
Mr. Smyrl was born in North Philadelphia on Sept. 13, 1935. Besides his wife, he is survived by a stepson, Pancho Scott.
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David Langston Smyrl (b. September 13, 1935, North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - d. March 22, 2016, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania) was an actor and writer who played Mr. Handford, the owner of Hooper's Store, on Sesame Street from 1990 to 1998 (replacing Leonard Jackson). Smyrl also co-wrote the songs in episode 3717 with Ian James.
Smyrl began his career as a coffeehouse poet in the 1960s, and appeared in the Broadway musical Working (1978). In 1980, relocating to California, Smyrl became a staff writer on the sitcom Benson. He subsequently worked on The Cosby Show as a gag writer, audience warm-up man, and recurring guest performer, appearing in five episodes, notably as contractor Sam Lucas. Film credits include a small role in The Preacher's Wife, and on television, Smyrl appeared twice on Law & Order. An active voice-over performer, Smyrl was heard in many national commercials, in addition to narrating Ralph Bakshi's two Malcolm and Melvin shorts for Cartoon Network and voicing Henry Radiman in the online animated series Anarchy.
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David Langston Smyrl (September 13, 1935 - March 22, 2016) was an actor and writer who played Mr. Handford, the owner of Hooper's Store, onSesame Street from 1990 to 1998 (replacing Leonard Jackson). Smyrl also co-wrote the songs in episode 3717 with Ian James.
Smyrl began his career as a coffeehouse poet in the 1960s, and appeared in the Broadway musical Working (1978). In 1980, relocating to California, Smyrl became a staff writer on the sitcom Benson. He subsequently worked on The Cosby Show as a gag writer, audience warm-up man, and recurring guest performer, appearing in five episodes, notably as contractor Sam Lucas. Film credits include a small role in The Preacher's Wife, and on television, Smyrl appeared twice in Law & Order. An active voice-over performer, Smyrl was heard in many national commercials, in addition to narrating Ralph Bakshi's two Malcolm and Melvin shorts for Cartoon Network and voicing Henry Radiman in the online animated series Anarchy.
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