If you grew up watching Sesame Street in the late eighties or early nineties, you probably remember the fix-it shop, the library, and, most importantly, Hooper’s Store. But there is a specific era of the show that feels a bit like a fever dream for casual viewers. It’s the period after the heartbreaking passing of Will Lee (the original Mr. Hooper) and before the store became a more permanent fixture under later owners. It’s the era of Mr Handford.
Honestly, it’s wild how many people forget he existed. David, played by Northern Calloway, ran the store for a while after Mr. Hooper died, but when Calloway left the show in 1989 due to health issues and his subsequent passing, the writers needed a new anchor for the neighborhood's social hub. They didn't just want another "nice guy." They wanted someone with layers. Enter Leonard Handford.
The Man Behind the Counter: Who Was Mr Handford?
Mr Handford wasn't just a shopkeeper. He was a retired fire chief. That detail is actually pretty important because it dictated how he interacted with the puppets and the kids. He wasn't soft. He was gruff. He was efficient. He had that "I’ve seen it all" energy that you only get from someone who spent decades running into burning buildings.
What’s interesting is that the character was actually played by two different actors. Most people remember David L. Smyrl, who took over the role in 1990 and played him until 1998. But for the first year, from 1989 to 1990, the character was actually portrayed by Leonard Jackson.
Jackson’s version of Mr Handford was notably "crankier." He was a bit more of a tough-love figure. When Smyrl took over in Season 22, he brought a warmth to the role that eventually defined the character. He kept the "retired fire chief" backstory—and the mustache—but he smiled a lot more. He became the neighborhood's uncle.
Why his arrival changed the show
Think about the dynamic of Sesame Street in 1989. The show was transitioning. The original "human" cast was aging, and the Muppets were becoming more central to the educational curriculum. Bringing in a character like Mr Handford provided a necessary bridge. He was a veteran. He was an authority figure who wasn't a teacher or a parent.
He bought Hooper’s Store from David (the character), who moved away to live with his grandmother. This was a big deal. For years, Hooper’s was the place where you went for a birdseed milkshake or a heart-to-heart. Handford kept that tradition alive, but he added a level of discipline. He would occasionally talk about his days in the fire department, teaching kids about safety without it feeling like a preachy PSA.
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The Evolution of Hooper’s Store Under His Watch
Under Mr Handford, the store felt a bit more like a community center. He was the one who helped Big Bird navigate the complexities of growing up. He was there when Elmo started becoming the "face" of the show.
You’ve got to remember that David L. Smyrl was a heavy hitter. Before he landed on the Street, he was a writer and actor on The Cosby Show (he played Mr. Lucas). He knew how to play "kind but firm" perfectly. He didn't talk down to the Muppets. If Telly Monster was panicking about a triangle, Mr Handford would listen, nod, and then offer a practical solution. It was grounded.
- 1989: Leonard Jackson debuts as the "grumpy" version.
- 1990: David L. Smyrl takes over, softening the character significantly.
- 1998: Mr Handford "retires" and sells the store to Alan.
The transition from Handford to Alan (played by Alan Muraoka) was the last major ownership change the store saw for decades. Alan is still there today. But the Handford years—roughly 1989 to 1998—represent a specific "vibe" of the show that was slightly more mature and community-focused.
The "Grumpy" Misconception
There’s this weird Mandela Effect where people think Mr Handford was mean. He wasn't. He was just a realist. If you watch old clips from Season 21, Leonard Jackson’s Handford is definitely more "New York tough." He didn't have time for nonsense. But by the time Smyrl had been in the role for a couple of years, that edge had rounded off.
He became the guy who would give out cookies and advice in equal measure. He was also a singer. Smyrl had a great voice, and some of the best musical numbers of that era involved him harmonizing with Savion Glover or Ruthie (Ruth Buzzi).
Why We Don't Talk About Him Enough
In the grand timeline of Sesame Street, Mr Handford gets sandwiched between two icons. You have Mr. Hooper, who is the gold standard for the show's human cast. Then you have Alan, who has been there for over twenty-five years and has become the definitive "store owner" for the modern generation.
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Mr Handford was the "bridge." And being the bridge is often a thankless job.
But he was vital. He proved that Hooper's Store could survive without Mr. Hooper. He proved that the neighborhood could welcome new faces and that those faces could become family. When Smyrl passed away in 2016, a lot of the old-school fans came out of the woodwork to share memories of him. He was a staple of their childhood mornings.
Honestly, the chemistry he had with the Muppets was underrated. There’s this one bit where he’s trying to teach Elmo about patience, and the way Smyrl plays it—just slightly exhausted but deeply loving—is acting masterclass material. It wasn't "kiddie" acting. It was just... being a person.
Technical Facts for the Super-Fans
If you're looking for the deep-cut trivia, here it is. Mr Handford's first name was Leonard, named after the actor who first played him, Leonard Jackson. When David L. Smyrl took over, they kept the name Leonard.
Also, his retirement from the fire department wasn't just a throwaway line. It was integrated into several episodes. He once famously helped the neighborhood deal with a "fire drill" scenario. He treated the street like his precinct. He cared about the literal safety of the sidewalk.
He was also one of the few characters who could effectively "straight man" Oscar the Grouch. Usually, people just got annoyed with Oscar. Mr Handford would just look at him like, "I've dealt with five-alarm fires, you're just a guy in a can." He didn't give Oscar the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him.
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The Legacy of David L. Smyrl
It’s impossible to talk about Mr Handford without acknowledging Smyrl’s contribution to the culture. He was a Black man in a position of business ownership and community leadership during a pivotal time in television. He wasn't a "character" in the sense of a caricature; he was a pillar.
He won an Emmy for his work. Well, he was part of the writing team that won several, actually. His career started way back in the 60s in coffee houses, and he brought that soulful, steady energy to a show that can sometimes be chaotic with puppets flying everywhere.
When he left in 1998, the show shifted again. The "Around the Corner" set was being phased out, and the show was refocusing on younger viewers (the "Elmo’s World" era). Mr Handford’s departure marked the end of the "classic" urban grit era of the show.
What to do with this nostalgia
If you want to revisit the Mr Handford era, don't just look for clips of him. Look for the episodes where the human cast actually gets to drive the plot.
- Watch the Season 22 premiere: This is Smyrl's first episode. You can see how he immediately tries to win over the neighborhood.
- Look for the musical numbers: Specifically, his songs with Savion Glover. The tap-dancing and singing combo is some of the best "human" content the show ever produced.
- Check out the "Fire Safety" episodes: They give the most depth to his backstory as Chief Handford.
Next time someone mentions Mr. Hooper, bring up Mr Handford. He wasn't a replacement; he was a successor. He kept the lights on at Hooper's Store when the neighborhood needed it most. He was the fire chief who became a friend, and that's a legacy worth remembering.
For those looking to dive deeper into the history of the human cast, the best resource is the official Sesame Street 50th Anniversary archives or the Muppet Wiki, which tracks every single appearance of the character across his decade-long run. Seeing the evolution of the store from the 80s to the 90s is a fascinating look at how TV set design and character writing evolved to meet the needs of a changing audience.