Culture October 17, 2018

Original Big Bird actor retiring from 'Sesame Street' after 50 years

WATCH: Original Big Bird actor retiring after 50 years
By Michael Rothman

After 50 years of starring as the iconic and lovable Big Bird, Caroll Spinney is hanging up his yellow suit and retiring from "Sesame Street."

Spinney, 84, will finish his work on the show this week, after which new actors will assume the roles of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, another of his characters, The New York Times reported. Matt Vogel, Spinney's apprentice, will take over Big Bird.

(MORE: Big Bird Puppeteer Caroll Spinney Recalls Heartbreaking Story About Dying Fan)

"I always thought, 'How fortunate for me that I got to play the two best Muppets?' Playing Big Bird is one of the most joyous things of my life," he told the Times.

Mark Lennihan/AP, FILE
Puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who played Big Bird, is interviewed during a break from taping an episode of "Sesame Street" in New York, April 10, 2008. After nearly 50 years on the show Spinney is retiring.

After more than 4,000 episodes voicing characters and embodying Big Bird, the balance and physical stamina required to play the characters became a bit too much. He stopped puppeteering Big Bird three years ago and relegated himself to just the voice of the "Sesame Street" legend.

(MORE: Big Bird Caroll Spinney Reveals 7 Things You Never Knew About 'Sesame Street')
Mark Lennihan/AP, FILE
Big Bird reads to Connor Scott and Tiffany Jiao during a taping of Sesame Street in New York, April 10, 2008. Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who has played Big Bird on "Sesame Street" is retiring after nearly 50 years on the show.

Jeffrey Dunn, president of Sesame Workshop, said Spinney's work over the past half century has been a gift to the world.

"I think it's fair to say," Dunn said, "that Caroll's view of the world and how we should treat each other has shaped and defined our organization."

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