Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who has brought Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life since Sesame Street’s premiere in 1969, is stepping down from the roles after nearly 50 years.
Announced through a press release on Sesame Workshop, Spinney said that even though he is relinquishing these roles to other seasoned performers, he plans on remaining an ambassador for Sesame Workshop into the future. Sesame Street also put together a tribute reel for Spinney.
“Big Bird brought me so many places, opened my mind and nurtured my soul,” said Spinney. “And I plan to be an ambassador for Sesame Workshop for many years to come. After all, we’re a family! But now it’s time for two performers that I have worked with and respected – and actually hand-picked for the guardianship of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch – to take my alter-egos into their hands and continue to give them life.”
Source: IGN.com Sesame Street's Original Big Bird Actor Retiring After 50 Years