Jon Stone; Co-Creator of ‘Sesame Street’

Jon Stone, 65, writer, producer and director who helped create the legendary children’s educational program “Sesame Street” and its much-loved character Big Bird. Stone also helped create Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch, two other familiar characters on the show. During his 40-year television career, Stone won 18 Emmys and the Writers Guild of America’s award for outstanding achievement in children’s television. He wrote the pilot script for “Sesame Street” and was the head writer and one of the three original producers of the program, which first aired Nov. 10, 1969, on PBS. He remained principal director of the show until last year. Stone also wrote children’s books, including “The Monster at the End of This Book.” A native of New Haven, Conn., he originally planned to become an actor and earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and a master’s from the Yale University School of Drama. On Sunday in New York City of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.