David Smyrl

David Smyrl was an actor best known for his role as Mr. Handford on the classic children’s series Sesame Street. From 1990 to 1998, he played the genial, singing, retired firefighter who ran Hooper’s Store. He was also an eight-time Daytime Emmy Award winner for his work in children’s programming.

Additionally, Smyrl appeared on the series Law & Order, ER, and Heavy Sedation. He also leant his voice to the show Anarchy Online: The Animated Series, as well as commercials for Texaco, McDonald's, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, 501 Jeans, Canada Dry, Delta Airlines and GMC cars and trucks.

Smyrl also appeared in the 1987 television movie Long Gone, with William Petersen, Virginia Madsen and Dermot Mulroney, and the feature film The Preacher’s Wife, with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston.

He got his start in New York in the 1970s, when he worked on the show Express Yourself and, in 1978, appeared on Broadway in the musical Working. He later moved to California, where he worked as a writer on the sitcom Benson, followed by work as a writer and actor on The Cosby Show, in which he played Sam Lucas, a contractor.

Smyrl died March 22, 2016, in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. He was 80.