Sesame Street officially welcomed Count von Count into its neighborhood in Season 4, debuting on November 27, 1972. This era in America was marked by significant events, including the Watergate scandal and ongoing racial tensions following the Civil Rights Movement. Amidst this backdrop, Sesame Street, produced by the nonprofit educational organization Sesame Workshop, was expanding its reach, both domestically and internationally. Initially conceived as an “American experiment” with its first broadcast on November 10, 1969, the show rapidly evolved into a globally recognized and impactful “international institution” on public television (Gettas).
Sesame Street was designed to bridge educational gaps for children from low-income backgrounds, focusing on foundational numeracy and literacy skills often missed by the public education system. Today, it draws an average of 8 million weekly viewers in the US and has spawned 20 international co-productions. Over the past five decades, Sesame Street has educated and entertained countless children across approximately 150 countries, consistently delivering valuable academic and pro-social content.
Count von Count, voiced by Jerry Nelson from his introduction until 2012, and subsequently by Matt Vogel, is famously described as “a Dracula type who had no interest whatever in things vampirish, but who was fixated on counting things, and if he had counted it before that was O.K., he would count it again” (Lahey). His iconic introduction, “They call me The Count because I love to count things,” is instantly recognizable to generations of viewers. Among the diverse cast of creatures on Sesame Street, Count von Count stands out as the only mythical monster rooted in established pop culture and folklore. This deliberate inclusion of a vampire character in a beloved children’s program suggests a significant purpose that resonates across generations.
Delving into Vampire Mythology and Traditions
Count von Count is widely regarded as one of the most classically portrayed vampires in television. His character embodies traditional vampire tropes: prominent fangs, a sweeping cape, a distinguished monocle, and a Transylvanian accent reminiscent of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula from the 1931 film. His residence is a stereotypical gothic castle, complete with cobwebs, bats, and mirrors that fail to reflect his image.
Echoing the aristocratic lineage of vampires in literature and film, The Count is often romantically linked with various Countesses—Countess von Backwards, Countess Dahling von Dahling, and Lady Two—to whom he serenades charming, Central European-inspired songs like “Baby, You Can Count On Me,” “The Transylvania Love Call,” and “Count Up To Nina.” His romantic pursuits and musical inclinations highlight a lighter, more approachable side of the vampire archetype. Interestingly, Count von Count is unique on Sesame Street for engaging in romantic relationships, perhaps suggesting a playful nod to the passionate nature often attributed to vampires in folklore.
Becca Wilcot, in her book “Truly, Madly, Deadly: The Unofficial True Blood Companion,” points out a crucial traditional vampire characteristic embodied by Count von Count: his compulsive counting. This trait aligns with arithromania, a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by an obsessive need to count objects and actions (Nuzum). This disorder mirrors historical depictions of Eastern European vampires, who were often portrayed as creatures with obsessive tendencies. Folklore suggests that vampires are “compelled to count the seeds or the holes in the net, delaying them until the sun comes up” (Wilcot), a method that allowed potential victims to escape.
Throughout Sesame Street episodes, Count von Count’s counting obsession frequently distracts him from his supposed “vampiric” pursuits, often when interacting with characters like Cookie Monster and Oscar. He becomes engrossed in counting anything that captures his attention, seemingly against his own will. Scholars and media critics believe this characteristic was deliberately designed to introduce children to vampire mythology in a non-threatening way, while simultaneously teaching basic mathematical concepts.
Cheryl Atwater, in her essay “Living in Death: The Evolution of Modern Vampires,” argues that the vampire myth has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from a figure of fear to one of romantic fascination and entertainment. Post-19th century, vampires have been “adapted for the purpose of entertainment” (Atwater). Count von Count embodies this shift. He possesses a distinct personality and agency, using his vast mathematical knowledge to educate and engage with the Sesame Street community. Louis H. Palmer III observes, “Vampires were now teachers as well as product salesman. Although they still featured scary settings— crumbling castles and dark, stormy nights— the vampire was out of any context that might link him to death or bloodletting” (Palmer). Sesame Street, while operating within a commercial television framework, prioritizes children’s education. To effectively engage its young audience, the show strategically incorporates “talent, music, and use of commercial entertainment features such as cartoons, puppets, [and] slapstick humor” (Tierney).
Vampires in Media and Children’s Culture
In their study, “An Adolescent Vampire Cult in Rural America: Clinical Issues and Case Study,” Thomas W. Miller and colleagues highlight Sesame Street as an example of media’s engagement with vampire themes. They suggest that “For the young and vulnerable child or adolescent in search of bonding with peers, the mystery of vampirism permits a bonding opportunity with peers in search of their identity as adolescents” (Miller). Sesame Street’s incorporation of contemporary slang and urban settings in the 1970s was also a deliberate strategy to connect with its young viewers during a period of rapid urbanization (Tierney). Parallel to this, vampire narratives shifted from rural, isolated settings to urban environments, offering vampires more freedom to operate and interact within society (Atwater). In an era increasingly focused on psychoanalysis and self-discovery, a character like Count von Count provided an accessible and engaging model for children’s education and identity formation.
The 1970s and the Vampire Renaissance
The 1970s marked a turning point in vampire narratives. Instead of portraying vampires solely as menacing foreign invaders, a trend emerged to humanize them, exploring their inner lives and motivations, moving beyond simplistic external judgments. Liisa Ladouceur notes, “Over time, the traditional cultures and imaginations of various writers have brought new (and sometimes contradictory) dimensions to the legend” of the vampire (Ladouceur). This era saw a deliberate effort to soften the horror aspects of vampires, reintroducing them into popular culture by emphasizing human-like characteristics and exploring their origins.
Count von Count, consistent with this 1970s trend, displays a range of emotions, thoughts, fears, hopes, and dreams. He expresses frustration when he can’t find anything to count and joy when he successfully completes a counting task or involves others in his counting activities. This presentation of The Count mitigates the negative and often adult connotations associated with vampires, such as eroticism, violence, and predation. Instead, Count von Count challenges children’s binary understanding of good and evil, suggesting that characters perceived as monstrous can be misunderstood and deserving of compassion and understanding. This fosters empathy and teaches children about human compassion at an early age.
Louis H. Palmer III argues that the introduction of figures like Count von Count and Count Chocula in the 1970s as camp icons fundamentally changed the perception of vampires in children’s media. Jay Cridlin, in an article for the St. Petersburg Times, humorously proclaimed the mid-1970s as the golden age for vampires, citing “From 1971 to 1976, America bore witness to the unholy rise of Count Chocula; Sesame Street’s Count von Count; Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot; and, of course, Blacula. For some reason, swarthy Euro dudes in capes really had the run of the place during the swinging ’70s” (Cridlin).
Nina Auerbach, author of “In Our Vampires, Ourselves,” suggested that the 1970s also ushered in a more progressive and sensitive approach to masculinity, and vampires, as nocturnal figures of power and mystery, fit this evolving ideal (Cridlin). Heidi Louis Cooper posits that in the aftermath of the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy, and amidst the Watergate scandal, Sesame Street offered a much-needed sense of stability and positive leadership. Auerbach further suggests that “In the 1970s, humans and vampires seem to cry together for a leader, a master-vampire who will guide them beyond the corrupt morass of muttering voices that supposedly constitutes authority,” (Cridlin). For children, Count von Count could embody this reassuring figure, helping them conquer the often-intimidating world of numbers.
A 2011 BBC article highlighted a survey indicating that many mothers considered the 1970s and 1980s the optimal decades for raising children. With potentially less workplace pressures and more family time, these mothers also valued community support in child-rearing, noting that “some 68% using technology” (BBC). Sesame Street, in this context, likely served as a valuable resource, easing the responsibilities of parenthood in American households.
Modern Perceptions of the Vampire: Comedy and Education
Presenting vampires as comedic figures, like Count von Count, effectively diminishes their traditionally menacing image, making them less frightening to children. By associating vampires with education and humor, they become harmless and even trustworthy. Ralph Blumenthal, in his New York Times article “A Fear of Vampires Can Mask a Fear of Something Much Worse,” suggests that vampires can serve a beneficial purpose in helping children confront their fears. He notes that “Children like Sesame Street’s humor, tempo, characters, stories and songs” (Gettas). Despite his occasional eccentricities, Count von Count is consistently embraced by the friendly community of Sesame Street.
However, Count von Count’s character has undergone modifications over time. Initially, his appearances were more dramatic and overtly spooky, marked by thunder, lightning, and ominous organ music, emphasizing his obsessive counting. In his debut episode, his singular focus on counting was starkly illustrated when he disrupted Ernie and Bert’s block pyramid without consideration for their feelings. Bert reprimands him, “Ernie wanted to say that you should leave those blocks alone. Leave things where you find them.” The Count, unrepentant, simply continues counting. In another early episode, he declares “I will never give up!” to a pleading Susan Sarandon as he relentlessly knocks on the door of his castle.
This initially more aggressive and less considerate portrayal of Count von Count led to parental complaints about his frightening and disruptive behavior. In response, his character was gradually softened. Instead of imposing his counting on others, he adopted polite manners, incorporating “please” and “thank you.” His sinister traits were further reduced by allowing him to appear in daylight and removing his hypnotic abilities and transformative powers. This domestication of Count von Count, while making him more palatable to viewers, arguably maintained his core purpose as an educational tool rather than reducing him to a mere puppet.
Vampires and Social Dynamics
Interactions with Count von Count on Sesame Street often require other characters to adapt and compromise to accommodate his counting compulsion. This dynamic illustrates the concept of social determination, where “social interactions and constructs alone determine individual behavior (as opposed to biological or objective factors” (Flanagan). By engaging with a “monster” figure, children learn valuable coping mechanisms for navigating social interactions in the real world, a lesson Count von Count inadvertently imparts (Nuzum). His “vampirism” is channeled into a harmless, even beneficial, pursuit of mathematical completion, rather than a need to feed on others.
Vampires, Otherness, and Race Relations
Vampires, across various narratives, often represent “otherness” within society. In this context, Count von Count and the diverse array of monsters on Sesame Street can be interpreted as metaphors for societal otherness and difference. Through these characters, children are exposed to themes of racial politics and ethics. Palmer argues, “The vampire serves as a disruptive detail that destabilizes the sanitized, conventional and standardized world” (Palmer). Historically, in vampire narratives, marginalized groups have sometimes been symbolically represented as monsters. Heidi Louise Cooper suggests that “Sesame Street seeks to re-craft the meaning of monstrosity,” using characters like Count von Count to promote tolerance and challenge prejudice.
Sesame Street intentionally portrays a multicultural community, showcasing characters from various racial and ethnic backgrounds interacting harmoniously. This deliberate diversity, Cooper argues, teaches children to embrace differences and promotes the importance of equality. Children learn to empathize with the “monstrous outsider” and accept him as a friend, demonstrating early lessons in inclusivity and affection.
Despite the legal dismantling of segregation, racial tensions remained significant in the United States during the 1970s. Sesame Street emerged as a groundbreaking program, becoming one of the first on US television to feature African-American actors in positive, prominent roles (Cooper), helping to normalize and celebrate diversity on screen. While the show generally avoids explicit racial representation to prevent perpetuating stereotypes, its diverse cast implicitly promotes interracial harmony and “the social responsibility to provide equitable, high-quality education for all children” (Cooper). Sesame Street’s inclusive approach was unprecedented in American public television.
Exposure to Sesame Street enhanced children’s self-awareness and self-esteem, encouraging them to take pride in their identities regardless of race or background. As Gettas notes, “Sesame Street helps [children] learn their alphabets and numbers, practice good health habits, and appreciate the richness and diversity of their local cultures and traditions” (Gettas). Count von Count, despite his monstrous persona, is fully integrated into the Sesame Street community, treated with the same respect and affection as any other resident, reinforcing the show’s message of acceptance and friendship.
The debut of Count von Count also coincided with the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. in March 1972, granting legal equality regardless of sex. Whether intentional or coincidental, this timing aligns with Sesame Street’s broader mission of promoting equality and inclusivity. While affirmative action programs often focused on specific underrepresented groups, Sesame Street aimed to serve all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program continues to offer positive role models and valuable lessons to children across the nation and globally.
Conclusion: The Count’s Enduring Legacy
Television significantly shapes children’s perceptions and behaviors, and programs like Sesame Street play a crucial role in their social and cognitive development. Sesame Street offers positive role models and valuable life lessons that children can readily apply. Count von Count, in particular, underscores the value of knowledge and the importance of mastering fundamental mathematical and life skills.
As society evolves, Count von Count’s character continues to adapt and remain relevant. He has transformed from a potentially frightening figure into a welcoming neighbor, embracing the Sesame Street community with open arms (and a two-fanged smile). Despite living in a spooky castle, he is portrayed as family-friendly, surrounded by his bat “children” and engaging in lighthearted romantic pursuits. Ultimately, Count von Count’s primary drive is a thirst for knowledge, a pursuit that is presented as positive and engaging, rather than something to be feared.
From a figure representing societal otherness, Count von Count has become an advocate for inclusivity and understanding. His character, complex and multifaceted, embodies the evolution of vampire mythology, explores themes of romance and emotion, represents a non-threatening form of otherness, and serves as a dedicated educator in mathematics. For children seeking positive role models, Count von Count offers dependability and a consistent presence. While he may have his quirks and castle-bound eccentricities, he remains a character that viewers can always count on, embodying the show’s core values of education, acceptance, and community. Count von Count is far more than just a number-obsessed vampire; he is a cultural icon who has profoundly impacted children’s television and continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
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