“Sesame Street” veteran Caroll Spinney – known for playing both Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird – has sadly passed away aged 85.
The veteran puppeteer – who was best known for playing both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the children’s TV show – passed away after living with dystonia for some time, following his retirement last year at the age of 84.
In a statement, “Sesame Street Workshop” said: “Caroll was an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from its earliest days in 1969 through five decades, and his legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.”
Spinney played the two characters – including their voices – since the show first aired in 1969, and he previously spoke of the significance the programme had in his life.
He said: “Before I came to ‘Sesame Street’, I didn’t feel like what I was doing was important. Big Bird helped me find my purpose.”
