Died January 16, 2012.

Creator of the hit television show Polka Dot Door.

In the 1970s, Sesame Street — the standard in children’s TV — was loud and boisterous. Producer Ted Coneybeare wanted to do something different. So Coneybeare created Polka Dot Door, a quiet alternative. “He wanted to get the message across that kids did not want to be educated that way. They wanted to be educated quietly and calmly,” nephew Randy Renaud said Saturday night.

Friends and family remember Leo Howard Coneybeare, who went by “Ted,” as a brilliant man: a consummate storyteller who did crossword puzzles in record time, cooked gourmet meals and was always quick with a joke.

Polka Dot Door starred the hybrid animule Polkaroo who only said his own name. Although it was produced on a shoestring budget, it became hugely popular and has been telecast throughout North America and overseas. The show broke new ground by avoiding gender and ethnic stereotypes.

Coneybeare retired in 1982, producing 30 episodes as a consultant before leaving the show for good. He donned the Polkaroo costume on one occasion during a photo shoot, when the model that was supposed to wear the costume wasn’t tall enough.

In 2010 Coneybeare received a Gemini Award honouring his lifetime work.