
Cerf on What's My Line? in 1967
Jonathan Cerf co-wrote Big Bird's Red Book with his wife Rosanne. The brother of Christopher Cerf, he also voiced one of The Beetles on Sesame Street.
Cerf was President of the Harvard Lampoon Magazine, whilst majoring in English at Harvard University. During the same period, he was in the Lampoon's house band, the Central Park Zoo. He was the first non-Japanese player to win the World Championship for Othello in 1980.
His father, Bennett Cerf, was the co-founder of Random House books and panelist of What's My Line?; Jonathan Cerf was a mystery guest on the show on March 12, 1967. His mother, Phyllis Cerf, was co-founder of Random House's Beginner Books with Dr. Seuss. Cerf is the second cousin of Ginger Rogers.