Gordon

This guy has been the rock of the show since Day 1.

Click to view... Creepy faceless puppets.

Problem was, in the early years of the show, they couldn't keep an actor in place.  Three different actors played Gordon, but it was always Gordon.  It was never Susan explaining "my old husband Gordon died, but here is my new husband.  His name is Joe."  It was NECESSARY to have the presence of a strong African-American parental figure and role model on the show.  and his name had to be Gordon.

The first Gordon, seen above (on the right), was good.  He believed in speaking to children on their own level.  He was intelligent (Gordon, in every incarnation, is a school teacher), a happily married man, and a respected member of the community.  I can see why they refused to completely scrap the character when the original actor stepped down.

Gordon #2 was pretty weak though, in my opinion.

Aside from being black, he just didn't look the part.  I've never been able to accept him as Gordon.  He's like the "Un-Gordon."

I believe that Gordon is the only Sesame Street character of note to be played by more than one actor (not including puppets).  The original was outright REPLACED, that doesn't usually happen.  There was no "Mr. Hooper 2." Not even "Oh this is Mr. Hooper's brother from Indiana.  His name is ALSO Mr. Hooper.  He's going to take over the store for him now."  I don't really think of the characters as actors.  Bob is just "Bob."  Maria is Maria, Luis is Luis.  and Gordon was Gordon.  Except for awhile he wasn't.  and then to FURTHER complicate things, along came Gordon #3.

Gordon #3, who still reigns as Gordon to this day, was even more Gordon-like than original Gordon.  So I guess Gordon #2 ultimately was just "bad rebound Gordon."

The bald head was a good idea.  It made it easy to forget those other guys.  Oscar liked to call him "Curly."  I don't think he had menacing nicknames for the other Gordons.  Good thing, they weren't quite as friendly.

Click to view... Happy and healthy.