Big Bird Actor Caroll Spinney Leaving ‘Sesame Street’ After Nearly 50 Years
Caroll Spinney is an absolute legend!
“Bad days happen to everyone, but when one happens to you, just keep doing your best and never let a bad day make you feel bad about yourself.” — Big Bird
Veteran “Sesame Street” performer Caroll Spinney, who played iconic characters like Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, is bidding farewell to the most famous block around.
After a nearly 50-year career on the beloved children’s program, the puppeteer announced on Wednesday that he’ll be handing the reins ― or strings rather ― over to his longtime apprentice, Matt Vogel.
“Before I came to ‘Sesame Street,’ I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important. Big Bird helped me find my purpose,” Spinney said in a statement “Even as I step down from my roles, I feel I will always be Big Bird. And even Oscar, once in a while! They have given me great joy, led me to my true calling – and my wonderful wife! – and created a lifetime of memories that I will cherish forever.”
Spinney, 84, began his career on the program’s inaugural season in 1969 after he was recruited by Muppets mastermind Jim Henson at a puppeteers festival. He’s since appeared in “thousands of the more than 4,400 episodes,” according to a spokesperson from Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind the television show.
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