Skip Hinnant, The Electric Company Star, dies at 86

Skip Hinnant, the original cast member of PBS’ The Electric Company best remembered for playing Fargo North, Decoder, has died at 86.

According to an obituary on Legacy.com, Hinnant died in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday, November 8, with his family by his side. A cause of death was not disclosed in the reports.

He appeared throughout the original six-season, 780-episode run of The Electric Company, which aired from 1971 to 1977. Featuring cast members like Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman, the Emmy-winning educational program employed animation, music, and sketch comedy to help young audiences learn reading skills.

Skip Hinnant Memorial Reel — Chad Wiggin

Fargo North, Decoder—an Inspector Clouseau-esque investigator who solved scrambled phrases and words for clients—was among Hinnant’s numerous roles. Additionally, he portrayed Frankenstein’s monster in recurring segments alongside Morgan Freeman’s Dracula and Jim Boyd’s Werewolf.

His television work extended well beyond that landmark PBS series. Prior to The Electric Company, Hinnant had a recurring role as Ted on The Patty Duke Show.

The electric company from left skip hinnant rita moreno

His other television credits included Sesame Street, 3-2-1 Contact, Kate & Allie, and As the World Turns. Voice acting credits included the title character in the 1972 adult animated film Fritz the Cat and its 1974 sequel, The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat.

He later voiced the Easter Bunny in the 1977 Rankin/Bass television special The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ to Town, as well as Pogo Possum in the 1980 animated film I Go Pogo. His stage credits included originating the role of Schroeder in the 1967 Off-Broadway production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.