4 Sesame Street
Sesame Street has been a beloved children’s show for decades and is still being aired today. Its first episode aired in 1969 when the show was directed by Jon Stone. The merchandising potential of characters such as Elmo or Big Bird is undoubtedly huge.
The cost of each season can be as high as $25 million due to the many elements involved in making it. However, merchandising makes up for this. In 2004, nearly 70% of Sesame Street’s profits came from licenses and products.
Sesame Street today looks totally different from when it first aired. It might even seem unrecognizable to adults who grew up watching the show. Karli, Abby Cadabby, and Gonger are all new characters.
3 Scooby-Doo: Where Are You?
Scooby-Doo is one of the most well-known children’s programs. For decades, the lovable dog and his “meddling children” have solved mysteries on TV, in movies, as well as in comic books. Scooby-Doo’s flagship series, Where Are You! From 1969 to 1975, it aired as a TV series of mysteries.
The show stars Shaggy, the title great dane, and Velma, his owner, as well as Fred, Velma, and Daphne. Each episode featured a mystery and its resolution, often resulting in a large monster revealed as a small villain wearing a costume.
Hanna-Barbera has been a giant in the cartoon industry, earning millions in merchandise revenues and more. A live-action feature-length movie grossed $275 million in 2002. Scooby and the rest of the gang have almost unlimited earning potential.