F is for fired: Actors who play Bob, Luis and Gordon laid off from ‘Sesame Street’

MIAMI, July 28 (UPI) — The actors known for playing Bob, Luis and Gordon on Sesame Street will not appear in HBO’s new, shortened version of the iconic pre-school series.

The Miami Herald said Bob McGrath — who has played Bob on the show since 1969 — recently announced the shocking news at Florida Supercon.

McGrath said not only had he been laid off, but so had Emilio Delgado, who played Luis, and Roscoe Orman, who played Gordon for decades on the series, which mixes live-action, animation and puppetry.

The Today show website quoted McGrath as saying: “The show has gone under a major turn around, going from an hour to a half-hour. HBO has gotten involved also. And they let all of the original cast members go, with the exception of Alan Muraoka — who is probably 20 years younger than the rest of us — and Chris Knowings, who is also young.”

The pair play Alan and Chris. Today reported that Loretta Long, who plays Gordon’s wife Susan, is also remaining on the show.

The premium cable network announced last year that fresh episodes of the educational series would air on HBO first, then be broadcast later on its original home of PBS.