Emily Kingsley Explained

Emily Perl Kingsley is an American writer who joined the Sesame Street team in 1970 and continued to write until her retirement in 2015.

Her son Jason Kingsley was born with Down syndrome in 1974.[1] Her experiences with Jason inspired her to include people with disabilities into the Sesame Street cast, including Tarah Schaeffer, an actress who uses a wheelchair, and even Jason himself. Jason's story was the topic of an hour-long NBC television special in 1977, titled "This Is My Son", and with co-author Mitchell Levitz, Jason wrote the book "".

In 1987, Kingsley wrote "Welcome to Holland", a widely published and translated piece which compares the experience of someone finding out their child has a disability to having a trip to Italy rerouted to Holland. The same year a made-for-television movie she wrote Kids Like These, premiered on CBS. The film, about a middle-aged couple who have a son with Down syndrome, won numerous awards.

Kingsley has written over 20 children's books and two Sesame Street home video releases (Kids' Guide to Life: Learning to Share and Elmo Says Boo!). She has had written for other companies as well, including two video games for Disney Interactive.

She has won 23 Daytime Emmys through her work with Sesame Street, three EDIs and a Grand EDI from Easter Seals, and an award from the National Theatre of the Deaf.

Credits

Filmography

YearTitleNotes
1970–2015Sesame StreetWriter
1989Richard Scarry's Best Counting Video EverWriter
1989Richard Scarry's Best ABC Video EverWriter
1996Sesame Street - Kids' Guide to Life: Learning to ShareWriter
1997Elmo Says Boo!Writer

Bibliography

YearTitlePublisherISBNPagesNotes
1977Sesame Street: The Great Cookie ThiefWestern Publishing0-307-58012-124
1978Sesame Street: The Exciting Adventures of Super-GroverWestern Publishing0-307-12077-548
1980Sesame Street: Big Bird Follows the SignsWestern Publishing0-307-07021-224
1980Sesame Street: Farley Goes to the DoctorWestern Publishing0-307-23113-524
1980Sesame Street: I Can Do It MyselfWestern Publishing0-307-23104-624
1980Sesame Street: The Sesame Street Pet ShowWestern Publishing0-307-23102-X24
1981Sesame Street: The Sesame Street Circus of OppositesWestern Publishing0-307-23141-026
1981Sesame Street: The Sesame Street Players Present — The Little Red HenWestern Publishing0-307-23135-625
1983Sesame Street: Everybody Makes MistakesWestern Publishing0-307-23151-826
1984Sesame Street: A Baby Sister for HerryWestern Publishing0-307-12011-224
1985Sesame Street: Welcome Home, Big BirdWestern Publishing0-307-13781-325
1986An American Tail: The StorybookGrosset & Dunlap0-448-48612-164Novelization of the Universal/Amblin film.
1987Sesame Street: A Sitter for Baby MonsterWestern Publishing0-307-12022-825

Emily has won 22 Emmy Awards for her work as a writer of Sesame Street.

In October 2008, Emily received a special award from the U.S. Government Department of Health and Human Services in recognition of her groundbreaking work including individuals with disabilities on Sesame Street for 38 years.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Farrell. Mary H.J.. Sugden. Jane. Growing Up Down. People. May 2, 1994. 41. 16. May 3, 2016.