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((short description|American actor (1908–1982)))
((other people|William Lee))
((distinguish|Willy (disambiguation)))
((more citations needed|date=September 2012))
((Infobox person
| name               = Will Lee
| image              = TV_hoopers_candy_store.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| caption            = Lee as [[Mr. Hooper]] on ''[[Sesame Street]]''
| birth_name         = William Lubovsky
| birth_date         = August 6, 1908
| birth_place        = [[Brooklyn]], New York, U.S.
| death_date         = ((death date and age|1982|12|7|1908|8|6))
| death_place        = [[Manhattan]], New York, U.S.
| othername          = 
| occupation         = Actor
| years_active       = 1930&ndash;1982
))
'''William Lee''' (born '''William Lubovsky'''; August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982)<ref name="Spotlighting Communism">((cite web|url=https://ahcwyo.org/2018/04/18/spotlighting-communism-hollywood-in-the-papers-of-sesame-streets-mr-hooper/|title=Spotlighting Communism & Hollywood in the papers of Sesame Street's Mr. Hooper|work=[[American Heritage Center]]|date=April 18, 2018|access-date=March 6, 2023))</ref> was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing [[Mr. Hooper]], the original store proprietor of the eponymous [[Hooper's Store]]. He was one of the four original [[List of human Sesame Street characters|human characters]] on ''[[Sesame Street]]'', from the show's debut in November 1969 until his death on December 7, 1982, at the age of 74.

==Early career==
Lee was born to a [[Jews|Jewish]] family in [[Brooklyn]], New York. His father, a bookbinder, lost his job due to economic changes. Will Lee came to adulthood during the Great Depression. He worked odd jobs in New York City and absorbed the intellectual atmosphere of Greenwich Village, an enclave of avant-garde culture where small presses, art galleries, and experimental theater thrived. He began his career as a character actor on stage. He was a member of the Group Theater in the 1930s and appeared in ''[[Johnny Johnson (musical)|Johnny Johnson]]'', ''Night Music'', ''Boy Meets Girl'', ''[[The Time of Your Life]]'' (as Willie the [[pinball machine]] addict) and other [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] plays. He succeeded [[John Garfield]] as the lead in ''[[Golden Boy (play)|Golden Boy]]''. He also was involved in the'' Workers Lab Theatre'', by presenting plays that supported the labor movement and social justice.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://rmoa.unm.edu/docviewer.php?docId=wyu-ah08581.xml|title = Will Lee papers 1930-1980))</ref>

Lee was co-founder of the Theater of Action and a member of the [[Federal Theatre Project]]. During [[World War II]], he served in Army Special Services in [[Australia]] and [[Manila]] and was cited twice for directing and staging shows for troops overseas, as well as teaching acting classes.<ref>((Cite book|last=Gray|first=Oriel|title=Exit Left|publisher=Honour Bright Books|year=2020|isbn=9780648881704|location=Australia|pages=88–90))</ref> After the war, he appeared [[Off Broadway]] in [[Norman Mailer]]'s ''[[The Deer Park]]'' (as movie mogul Teppis) and on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in ''[[The Shrike (play)|The Shrike]],'' ''[[Once Upon a Mattress]]'', ''[[Carnival!]]'', ''[[Incident At Vichy]],'' and ''[[Maurice Samuel|The World of Sholom Aleichem]]''.

===Blacklist and teaching===
Lee also began appearing in movies, including bit parts in ''[[Casbah (film)|Casbah]]'', ''[[A Song Is Born]]'', ''[[Little Fugitive (1953 film)|Little Fugitive]]'', and ''[[Saboteur (film)|Saboteur]]''. He was [[Blacklist#Hollywood blacklist|blacklisted]] as an alleged [[Communism|communist]] and barred from movies and TV for five years during the era of [[McCarthyism]], according to members of his family.((Citation needed|date=January 2024)) He had been active in the [[Actor's Workshop]] and had been an unfriendly witness before the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]] hearings in 1950 investigating Communist elements in show business.<ref name="Spotlighting Communism" /> At the end of that period, in 1956, he landed the role of Grandpa Hughes in ''[[As the World Turns]]''; however, the role was later recast with [[Santos Ortega]].

He taught at the [[American Theatre Wing]] for nine years (including among his students [[James Earl Jones]]), as well as at the [[The New School|New School for Social Research]], [[Boston University]], and the Uta Hagen-Herbert Berghof Studio. In addition, he conducted his own acting classes. Outside of ''[[Sesame Street]]'', later roles included TV movies and a supporting role as the judge in the 1983 movie ''[[Daniel (1983 film)|Daniel]]''. Lee also worked in [[Television advertisement|commercial]]s, including a spot for [[Atari]], as a grandfather learning to play [[Pac-Man]] from his granddaughter and spots for [[Ocean Spray (cooperative)|Ocean Spray]] juice.

===Impact of Mr. Hooper===
In 1969, he pursued the role of [[Mr. Hooper]] on the popular children's show ''[[Sesame Street]]''. "He gave millions of children the message that the old and the young have a lot to say to each other," said [[Joan Ganz Cooney]], president of the Children's Television Workshop (later known as Sesame Workshop). The New York Times reported that on ''Sesame Street'', Lee's Mr. Hooper ranked ahead of all live cast members in recognition by young audiences, according to a survey. His bowtie and [[Horn-rimmed glasses|horn-rimmed]] reading glasses became his trademark.

In a November 1970 ''[[TIME]]'' article, following the show's first season, Lee recalled his feelings about the show: ((quote|I was delighted to take the role of Mr. Hooper, the gruff grocer with the warm heart. It's a big part, and it allows a lot of latitude. But the show has something extra, that sense you sometimes get from great theater, the feeling that its influence never stops.))

In addition to being a staple of ''Sesame Street'' for more than 10 years, Lee played Mr. Hooper in TV specials (''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]'' and ''[[A Special Sesame Street Christmas]]''), guest appearances ([[Evening at Pops: 1971]]), stage appearances, countless record albums, and parades, including the 1982 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]] on November 25, 1982. It was revealed in ''Christmas Eve on Sesame Street'' that Mr. Hooper is Jewish, as was Lee himself.<ref>[http://www.juf.org/tweens/celebrity.aspx?id=10964 Jewish United Fund] (accessed October 14, 2008). The Christmas special can be seen on [[YouTube]], and in Part 4, Bob wishes Mr. Hooper a Happy Hanukkah.</ref> Lee taped his final segments as Mr. Hooper on Wednesday November 24, 1982, two weeks prior to his death. This would become the focal point of Episode 1839, which aired a year later to the date, in which Mr. Hooper's death is explained by the adults to [[Big Bird]], who had a particularly close relationship with Mr. Hooper.

According to his obituary in ''[[The New York Times]]'', as he became known on ''Sesame Street'', children would approach him on the street and ask, "How did you get out of the television set?" or whisper, "I love you." "Apart from the joy of knowing that you are helping so many kids, the recognition is heartwarming," Lee was quoted as saying in 1981.

===Death of Mr. Hooper===
Following Lee's death, the producers of ''[[Sesame Street]]'' faced the challenge of how to address the absence of one of the series' most prominent characters. After deliberating various approaches, such as recasting Mr. Hooper or having him move interstate or [[retirement|retire]], they decided to have the character of Mr. Hooper die as well and dedicate an episode to addressing the difficult topic of death.

Episode 1839, colloquially known as "Farewell, Mr. Hooper," aired on November 24, 1983 ([[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving Day]]) and was quickly selected by the [[Daytime Emmy]]s as being one of the 10 most influential moments in daytime television.((Citation needed|date=November 2009)) Before the broadcast ended, a picture of Lee was shown, along with the dates of his birth and death and the writing "In Loving Memory of Will Lee" before fading out.

The cast of Sesame Street were saddened by Lee's death, as over the time Lee had played his signature character on TV, he had befriended most of the cast. The cast said that their characters' sad faces were real but they went through with their performance, remembering they were doing it for a good outcome. [[Caroll Spinney]] ([[Big Bird]] and [[Oscar the Grouch]]) said that the last time he saw Lee alive was during the taping of the last episode involving Mr. Hooper in November 1982. Lee felt ill that day and barely spoke to the cast. Spinney (who was wearing Big Bird's feet at the time) placed his arm around Lee's shoulder and said "I love you, Mr. Hooper." Lee replied, "And I love you, Caroll." Lee died a few days later.<ref>((Cite book | last = Borgenicht | first = David | title = Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets and Songs | publisher = Children's Television Workshop (CTW) | year = 1998 | location = New York | page = [https://archive.org/details/sesamestreetunpa0000borg/page/43 43] | isbn = 0-7868-6460-5 | url = https://archive.org/details/sesamestreetunpa0000borg/page/43 ))</ref>

In an interview a few years later, [[Loretta Long]], who played [[Susan Robinson|Susan]], said of the episode's legacy: "People come up to us and say 'Thank you. Now we can explain what happened to Grandma, what happened to Grandpa.'"

==Death==
Lee died on December 7, 1982, at the age of 74, from a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] at [[Lenox Hill Hospital]] in [[New York City]]. Lee was never married and had no children. According to his obituary, he was survived by his sister Sophie Lee Lubov, who lived in Florida. The ''Sesame Street'' episode "Farewell, Mr. Hooper", episode 1839, was released 11 months later and is dedicated to Lee.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/09/obituaries/will-lee-74-was-mr-hooper-on-television-sesame-street.html |title=WILL LEE, 74, WAS MR. HOOPER ON TELEVISION 'SESAME STREET' |newspaper=New York Times |date=December 9, 1982))</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class = "wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year 
! Title
! Role
! class = "unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Whistling in the Dark (1941 film)|Whistling in the Dark]]'' || Herman ||
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Melody Lane (1941 film)|Melody Lane]]'' || Mr. Russo ||
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Babes on Broadway]]'' || Shorty || Uncredited
|-
| 1941 || ''[[Ball of Fire]]'' || Benny "the Creep" ||
|-
| 1942 || ''[[Saboteur (film)|Saboteur]]'' || Rogers || Uncredited
|-
| 1947 || ''[[Brute Force (1947 film)|Brute Force]]'' || Convict in Chow Line || Uncredited
|-
| 1948 || ''[[Casbah (film)|Casbah]]'' || Beggar ||
|-
| 1948 || ''[[They Live by Night]]'' || Jeweler ||
|-
| 1948 || ''[[A Song Is Born]]'' || Waiter at the Dixieland Club || Uncredited
|-
| 1948 || ''[[Force of Evil]]'' || Waiter || Uncredited
|-
| 1949 || ''[[The Life of Riley]]'' || Waiter || Uncredited
|-
| 1949 || ''[[The Lone Wolf and His Lady]]'' || The Waiter || Uncredited
|-
| 1950 || ''[[Backfire (1950 film)|Backfire]]'' || Cab driver || Uncredited
|-
| 1950 || ''[[Shakedown (1950 film)|Shakedown]]'' || Cabbie || Uncredited
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Little Fugitive (1953 film)|Little Fugitive]]'' || Photographer ||
|-
| 1963 || ''[[An Affair of the Skin]]'' || Waiter ||
|-
| 1983 || ''Hit and Run'' || Joseph Kahn || Posthumous
|-
| 1983 || ''[[Daniel (1983 film)|Daniel]]'' || The Judge || (final film role; posthumous)
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class = "wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year 
! Title
! Role(s)
! class = "unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1950 || ''[[Dick Tracy]]'' || Reg Prof || Episode: "The Mole: Part 1"
|-
| 1950 || ''[[The Philco Television Playhouse]]'' || || Episode: "Decoy"
|-
| 1956, 1982 || ''[[As the World Turns]]'' || Grandpa Hughes #1 (1956)<br />Will "Pa" (1982)|| rowspan="2" | 2 episodes
|-
| 1964 || ''[[East Side/West Side]]'' || Nat (Grocer)<br />Schultz 
|-
| 1965 || ''[[For the People (1965 TV series)|For the People]]'' || Kurawicz || Episode: "The Influence of Fear"
|-
| 1969–1982 || ''[[Sesame Street]]'' || [[Mr. Hooper]] || Series Regular
|-
| 1974 || ''[[Great Performances]]'' || Kon || Episode: "Enemies"
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]'' || rowspan="3" | [[Mr. Hooper]] || rowspan="2" | [[Christmas special]]
|-
| 1978 || ''[[A Special Sesame Street Christmas]]'' 
|-
| 1979 || ''A Walking Tour of Sesame Street'' ||[[Television special]]
|-
| 1980 || ''[[Playing for Time (film)|Playing for Time]]'' || Shmuel || Television movie
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[History of Sesame Street]]

==References==
((reflist))
* ((citation |title=Will Lee, 74, Was Mr. Hooper on Television 'Sesame Street' | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 9, 1982 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/09/obituaries/will-lee-74-was-mr-hooper-on-television-sesame-street.html))
* ((citation |title=Death and Sesame Street | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 27, 1983 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/27/arts/death-and-sesame-street.html))

==External links==
* ((IMDb name|0498447))
* ((tcmdb name|111185%7C154904))
* ((IBDB name|49362))
* [https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv949267 Will Lee papers] at the [http://www.uwyo.edu/ahc/ American Heritage Center]

((Authority control))

((DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Will))
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:American male soap opera actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Hollywood blacklist]]
[[Category:American acting coaches]]
[[Category:Jewish American male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:Federal Theatre Project people]]

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