Hoots the Owl was a character on the children's television program, Sesame Street, performed by Kevin Clash. He was an owl that plays a saxophone. Perhaps his most famous song was "Put Down the Duckie" in 1988, a song inspired to help Ernie to play the saxophone properly (without holding his rubber duck).
Hoots debuted on Sesame Street for the 16th season (1985), but was retired from the show in the 32nd season (2001). Hoots has a saxophone solo in a well known segment with "Little Richard" in that aired in 1993. His last skit was appearing in the Birdland, with the Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Hoots returned in the 36th season (2005) to show Cookie Monster that a cookie is a sometimes food, and fruits and vegetables are anytime foods. This information was presented in the song "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food", a parody of the song "A Woman is a Sometime Thing", from the opera Porgy and Bess.
He made a brief appearance in the film Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird as a member of the Feathered Friends group. He was the only one skeptical of Big Bird's supposed sadness.
Famous quotes containing the word owl:
“I weathered some merry snow-storms, and spent some cheerful winter evenings by my fireside, while the snow whirled wildly without, and even the hooting of the owl was hushed. For many weeks I met no one in my walks but those who came occasionally to cut wood and sled it to the village.... For human society I was obliged to conjure up the former occupants of these woods.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)