Roosevelt Franklin was screwed from the start.
As the token black muppet on the early days of Sesame Street, he was made to carry to weight of the entire race on his spindly, turtlenecked shoulders. Wee Roosevelt, who said his first name first and his second name second, was always getting into trouble. He hung out with his brother, sister, main man Mobity Mosley, and some Mexican kid.
"Roosevelt Franklin Counts"
This album, a 1974 reissue of 1971's "The Year of Roosevelt Franklin", is voiced by Matt "Gordon" Robinson. Someone saw fit to make a front cover that looked like a mugshot from clown jail. Roosevelt lasted only a few years on the Street. Apparently, complaints were made that Roosevelt was a bad negro stereotype and a poor example for children. I'll let you be the judge.
"The Skin I'm In"
Matt Robinson as Gordon, with an orange Oscar.
Roosevelt music is funky, jiving step up from the usual Sesame Street fare. We can only guess what he might have done with a disco album.
Mobity Mosley meets Surfin' Bird on "Mobity Mosley's Months"
Roosevelt & Abeceto sing about sharing on "Halfies"
Safety is the theme with "Safety Boy Blues". "A city street is like a beehive... where the bees have gone out of their minds"
Back to learnin' with "Roosevelt Frankin's Alphabet"
Wikipedia on Roosevelt Franklin.
Matt Robinson died of Parkinsons disease in 2002.
