Background
McCarthy grew up in Toronto, Ontario.
McCarthy grew up in Toronto, Ontario.
He graduated from the Saint Michael"s College at the University of Toronto after studying drama, music, and theology.
He worked at the Canadian Broadcasting Company for thirty-three years, including a twelve-year tenure as the head of the Canadian Broadcasting Company"s children"s programming department. McCarthy created, developed and produced such well known Canadian children"s television shows as The Friendly Giant, Mr. Dressup, and Sesame Park.
McCarthy worked as a radio and television producer at the Canadian Broadcasting Company for thirty-three years.
He began his career as a radio producer. He created the half-hour-long children"s radio show, The Rod and Charles Show, starring Rod Coneybeare and Charles Winter.
McCarthy also produced How Do You Say Hello?, a show which asked children about their lives" he visited thirteen nations throughout Southeast Asia to interview overseas children for the show. He transitioned from radio to television during the 1950s.
McCarthy produced the children"s puppet show, The Friendly Giant, which aired on Canadian Broadcasting Company Television from 1958 until 1985.
McCarthy also created and developed Mr. Dressup, starring Ernie Coombs and Judith Lawrence. Mr. Dressup debuted on the Canadian Broadcasting Company in 1967 and aired until 1996.
McCarthy also partnered with the Children"s Television Workshop (now called Sesame Workshop) to produce a Canadian version of Sesame Street.
McCarthy, the Director of the Canadian Broadcasting Company Sesame Street Project, oversaw the creation of Sesame Street Canada, which debuted on the Canadian Broadcasting Company in 1972, combining American and Canadian produced segments. He developed new segments specifically for Sesame Street Canada, which were produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Company with distinctly Canadian themes and set designs.
McCarthy also introduced basic French language lessons to the show. He brought in Canadian entertainers and personalities for the show.
Sesame Street Canada, which changed its name to Sesame Park in 1996, aired until 2002.
McCarthy died on January 10, 2013, at the Grove Nursing Home in Arnprior, Ontario, at the age of 86.
