Count Puppeteer Jerry Nelson dead

NPR reports Jerry Nelson, who voiced many characters on Sesame Street for more than 40 years, has died .

Nelson is perhaps best known because he brought Count von Count, the purple, friendly vampire, to life.

Madalit del Barco filed this obituary for our Newscast unit:

“For years on TV, he helped teach children about numbers.

“Nelson was born in Tulsa and grew up in D.C., where he first worked with the creator of the Muppets, Jim Henson. Nelson became the Count on TV’s Sesame Street in the 1970’s, a role he voiced to the end.

“He also originated such Muppet characters as Mr. Snuffleupagus, and Gobo Fraggle, the lead creature of Fraggle Rock .” More here.

I have my two oldest sons on video with “blankie” capes on the shoulders singing and dancing to “The Batty Bat”.  Do you have a favorite Muppet?