narrative_location bert and ernie's great adventures
Bert and Ernie ' s Great Adventures ( originally promoted as The Adventures of Bert and Ernie ) is an animated series developed by Sesame Workshop in which clay - animated versions of Bert and Ernie use their imaginations to travel to strange places and into entertaining situations . The shorts are shown in the United States as inserts on Sesame Street ( first appearing in season 39 ) . Internationally , the shorts are shown as a stand - alone series in various overseas markets ( the first season debuting in September 2008 ) . The animation for the series was produced by Italy ' s Misseri Studio . Two seasons of 26 five - minute episodes each are being produced . The `` Secret Agents '' episode has received the Gold Award for the Children ' s Animation category at the 2009 World Media Festival , as well as being a selection at the 2009 Annecy Animation Festival . Sesame Street is a long - running American children ' s television series , produced by Sesame Workshop ( formerly known as the Children ' s Television Workshop ) and created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett . The program is known for its educational content , and images communicated through the use of Jim Henson ' s Muppets , animation , short films , humor , and cultural references . The series premiered on November 10 , 1969 , to positive reviews , some controversy , and high viewership ; it has aired on the U . S .' s national public television provider ( PBS ) since its debut , with its first run moving to premium channel HBO on January 16 , 2016 . Joan Ganz Cooney ( born Joan Ganz ; November 30 , 1929 ) is an American television producer . She is one of the founders of the Sesame Workshop ( originally " Children ' s Television Workshop " or CTW ), the organization famous for the creation of the children ' s television show " Sesame Street ", which was also co - created by her . Cooney grew up in ___MASK32___ , ___MASK3___ and earned a B . A . degree in education from the University of ___MASK3___ in 1951 . After working for the State Department in ___MASK100___ , D . C . and as a journalist in ___MASK32___ , she worked as a publicist for television and production companies in ___MASK58___ . In 1961 , she became interested in working for educational television , and became a documentary producer for New York ' s first educational TV station WNET ( Channel 13 ). Many of the programs she produced won local Emmys . Sesame Workshop ( SW , or " the Workshop "), formerly known as the Children ' s Television Workshop ( CTW ), is an American non - profit organization behind the production of several educational children ' s programs  including its first and best - known , " Sesame Street " that have run on public broadcasting around the world . Television producer Joan Ganz Cooney and foundation executive Lloyd Morrisett came up with the idea to form an organization to oversee the production of " Sesame Street ", a television show which would help children , especially those from low - income families , prepare for school . They spent two years , from 1966 to 1968 , researching , developing , and raising money for the new show . Cooney was named as the Workshop ' s first executive director , which was called " one of the most important television developments of the decade ". James Maury " Jim " Henson ( September 24 , 1936  May 16 , 1990 ) was an American puppeteer , artist , cartoonist , inventor , screenwriter , film director and producer who achieved international fame as the creator of the Muppets . Born in Greenville , Mississippi , and raised in Leland , Mississippi , and Hyattsville , ___MASK8___ , Henson began developing puppets while attending high school . While he was a freshman at the University of ___MASK8___ , College Park , he created " Sam and Friends ", a five - minute sketch - comedy puppet show that appeared on television . After graduating from the University of ___MASK8___ with a degree in home economics , he produced coffee advertisements and developed some experimental films . Feeling the need for more creative output , Henson founded Muppets Inc . in 1958 ( which would later become the Jim Henson Company ).