Teletubbies' Tinky Winky actor Simon Shelton dies aged 52
Source: BBC
Tributes have been paid to actor Simon Shelton, best known for playing purple Teletubby Tinky Winky, following his death at the age of 52.
Actress Emily Atack said her "wonderful uncle" had been "taken so suddenly" and was "the kindest and most talented man you could ever wish to meet".
Shelton took over the role of handbag-carrying Tinky Winky after original actor Dave Thompson was sacked in 1997.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42788001
By LAWRIE MIFFLINFEB. 15, 1999
The Rev. Jerry Falwell provoked laughter last week when he chastised ''Teletubbies,'' a popular public television program for children under the age of 3, accusing one of the cuddly, cooing, antenna-topped characters, the purple one named Tinky Winky, of ''modeling the gay life style.''
But Kenn Viselman, the man responsible for promoting the British-made show in the United States, can laugh all the way to the bank. An estimated $800 million worth of Teletubby products -- toys, videos, pajamas and the like -- were sold in 1998, with PBS getting a cut, said Jim Silver, the publisher of The Toy Book, a toy industry trade publication.
Even though the show did not make its PBS debut until April, and products did not go on sale until June, the best-selling item in the preschool plush-toy category for 1998 was the Talking Teletubby (when squeezed it says, ''Eh-oh,'' for hello, and ''Bye-bye'').
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/15/business/media-talk-falwell-takes-on-the-teletubbies.html
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and the respected falwell got it wrong again. Shelton, a father of three.My older son used to call his Aunt Lala...great show and sad to hear of Simon “Tinky Winky” Shelton’s passing. Great actor on a genius show.
adult use of Quaaludes and Lysergic acid-diethylamide. 
Which was the effect it had on MY children, leaving them in a blissful stupor - along with 'Barney' and a couple others - for a number of peaceful, relaxing, tranquil hours every afternoon.
Which, in turn, kept me off of those drugs! 
Thank you, Mr. Shelton. 
