Bert & Ernie

Q: Which 1946 film is said to have inspired the names for everyone's favourite "pals" Bert and Ernie?

A: It's a Wonderful Life

Bert and Ernie, beloved characters from the iconic children's show Sesame Street, are said to owe their names to a classic film. Created by Jim Henson and his team, these inseparable “pals” are believed to have been named after characters from Frank Capra's 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life." In the film, Bert is a cop and Ernie is a taxi driver.

Sesame Street writers claim that the names are a coincidence, and aren’t actually based off those characters, but that sounds like something someone who doesn’t want to get sued would say… That didn’t stop the writers on EastEnders, who named twins Bert and Ernie Moon after the Furry Odd Couple.

Originally introduced in 1969, Bert and Ernie quickly became fan favourites.  Ernie is cheerful, has a striped jumper, and famous for his fondness of rubber duckies. Bert, often portrayed as the more serious and practical one, also has a striped sweater and paperclip collection.