Grover's Daddy

Grover's Mommy uses a "funny old helmet" that his daddy brought home.

My Name is Grover finds a place of prominence for a male figure in Grover's life.

Portrait on the dresser in "Little Grover's" bedroom from Look at Me!

While the exploits of Grover's mother have been well documented, his father has been a figure of some mystery.

For the majority of Sesame Street’s run, coverage of Grover's parentage is largely limited to the illustrated page; his mother in on-screen appearances only occasionally, and visuals of his father ranging from null to the unsubstantiated. Given the lack of evidence, it can be surmised that the patriarchal figure in Grover's life is largely absent. Sparse details suggest a wide range of potential circumstances for Grover's relationship with his father, including the possibility in which the three monsters had lived together at some time, a situation in which visitation rights were in play, or the idea that Grover may never have even met his father at all.

One of the earliest mentions of Grover's dad occurs in the 1975 poem "I Used to Be Afraid" first published in Big Bird's Busy Book (and reprinted in various other titles). Grover describes a time when he was little and used to be scared of being alone at night. He expresses his mother's assurance that there was nothing to fear, and that "she and my daddy were near." This at least suggests that Grover's dad lived with his family at one point in Grover's earlier years.

A slightly more significant account of Grover's dad can be found in the pages of 1978's The Exciting Adventures of Super Grover. In a story about the secret origin of Super Grover, it is revealed that Grover's mommy made Grover's superhero outfit as a Halloween costume, using "an old towel, a funny old helmet that Grover's daddy had brought home, and a few other odds and ends."

In 1985, When Grover Moved to Sesame Street tells the story, in flashback, of how Grover and his mom left their suburban home to live in an apartment on Sesame Street. This is an important time in Grover's backstory, but nowhere in the detailed account of this venture is any mention made of his dad. In fact, it is made quite clear that by this point in Grover's upbringing, his father is nowhere to be found, with a strong case being made for Grover's mom raising her son as a single mother.

The 1992 storybook My Name Is Grover grants Grover the opportunity to tell his own story. Throughout the book, Grover describes the things in his life that mean the most to him and the principles that make him who he is: how he likes to help people, what his favorite things are, and the people he's closest to. After an establishing shot of Sesame Street, Grover begins his brief autobiography in the living room of his home. The scene is much like several other books that illustrate his home life, prominently presenting his mother sitting in an arm chair with a tabby cat. The only item decorating the walls in the home's central room is a portrait of a male figure who looks like Grover with a mustache and wearing a tie. Of note in this context, the book also establishes a rare appearance by Grover's Grandma, suggesting an extended relation; however the man is depicted at an age more relative to Grover's mother (with no indication as to the age of the photo). Author Tish Rabe makes no designation either way, allowing artist Maggie Swanson to set the prominence of the individual on visual terms, leaving his identity open to interpretation.

A framed photo of an unidentified male who resembles Grover appears in the 1994 Sesame Street Babies book Look at Me! This individual sports gray, bushy hair over his ears; a look typically associated with an older, balding man (despite the character's full-bodied, blue fur). In the photo — on display in Grover's bedroom — he wears a bow tie and a green jacket; juxtaposed with "Little Grover" (a younger version of the character) also wearing an adult-sized green jacket, posing in the mirror as if playing dress-up.

When Super Grover appeared on The Sunny Side Up Show on January 1, 2009, Kelly and Chica bestow upon him the Super Good Egg Award. In his humble acceptance speech, Super Grover thanks his mommy, his daddy, his cousin Georgie, his uncle Frank, his uncle Frank's tailor, his aunt Susie and his brother Norman.

In a 2011 interview for PBS NewsHour, Grover credits his mommy and daddy for teaching him good judgment in saving money.