CAROLL SPINNEY, 'SESAME STREET'S BIG BIRD, OSCAR', RETIRING
Oct 17, 2018
By Bob Komsic
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A long-time friend you knew, but didn’t really know, is retiring.
After nearly 50 years of bringing live to Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on ”Sesame Street”, Caroll Spinney is calling it a career.
Spinney, who turns 85 on Boxing Day, says the physical requirements of performing had become difficult and he developed problems with his balance.
He stopped puppeteering for Big Bird in 2015 and now only provides the voices for him and Oscar the Grouch.
Matt Vogel will take over Big Bird while continuing to play Kermit the Frog and Count von Count.
Eric Jacobson, who’s Grover, Bert and Guy Smiley will now take on Oscar.
Spinney, who’s final day is Thursday, leaves with six Emmy Awards, an Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award and two Grammys.
”I always thought, how fortunate for me that I got to play the two best Muppets?,” said Spinney, who also met his wife on the ‘Sesame Street’ set 45 years ago.