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Ted May

Director · Died March 10, 2020, aged 70

Ted May (September 12, 1947 - October 1, 2008) was an American television director for Sesame Street and several specials.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 12, 1949
Died
March 10, 2020 (aged 70)
Works as
Director
Titles
11 on Motif · 37 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 31% in 30 days

What are Ted May's films like?

Across their 9 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
38%
Society
36%
Ideas
12%
Self
7%
Survival
7%
Friendship7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 0 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 0 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 8 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Warm
8
Hopeful
3

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ted May's films?

As of October 24, 2026, none of Ted May's 11 Motif titles is streaming on a subscription or free service.

Subscription and free streaming for Ted May's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted.

Filmography

37 credits, 11 with a Motif page.

  • Sesame Street: Trick or Treat on Sesame Street (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • Spoiler Alert (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Writer

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Numbers(2012)

    Director

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars(2012)

    Director

    Motif score: 6th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's Shape Adventure (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Let's Play Music (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo and the Bookaneers: Pirates Who Love to Read! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Summer Vacation (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Opposites (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Ready for School! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: What Makes You Happy? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Food, Water & Exercise! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?(2004)

    Director

    Motif score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Head to Toe with Elmo! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!(2002)

    Director

    Motif score: 53rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Elmo Visits the Firehouse(2002)

    Director

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Babies, Dogs & More! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Wake Up with Elmo! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word Play(2002)

    Director

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Wild Wild West! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Cookbook(2001)

    Director

    Motif score: 86th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • TV Funhouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Flowers, Bananas & More! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Singing, Drawing & More! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Quiet Time (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: A New Baby In My House (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Allegra's Window(1994)

    Show Director

    Motif score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration(1993)

    Director

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Sing, Hoot & Howl with the Sesame Street Animals (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Director

  • Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Firehouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Hospital (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Rock & Roll! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie(1988)

    Director

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Muppet Studios Presents: You're the Director (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art(1983)

    Assistant Director

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles from 1983 to 2017.

Most popular right now

Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration (1993)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing31 of 33: 31 only directing, 0 with another role · typical Motif score57thWriting1 of 33: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleOther crew1 of 33: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s3 · crew1990s6 · crew2000s18 · crew2010s6 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Ted May's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 10; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

12thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Motif score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 11 titles are Divisive.

  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · director

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? (2004)

97th percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie (1988)

Motif 78th · 70% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Ted May work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ted May's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Rudman shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

  • David Rudman7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with David Rudman
  • Caroll Spinney6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Caroll Spinney
  • Fran Brill6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Fran Brill
  • Martin P. Robinson5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Martin P. Robinson

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles