

Caroll Spinney has spent the last 49 years playing around—as a puppeteer. You’ve probably seen his work. Until last fall, Spinney was the body and voice of Big Bird on Sesame Street.
Caroll Edwin Spinney (so named because he was born the day after Christmas) played with puppets from an early age. Monkey puppets, snake puppets—Spinney puppeteered through childhood, adolescence, and right into adulthood. His early puppet characters included Kookie Kangaroo, Mr. Lion, and two puppet cats, Picklepuss and Pop.
As a 29-year-old, Spinney met Jim Henson at a puppeteering festival. Henson and a combination marionette/puppet named Kermit the Frog were gaining attention on talk shows and in commercials. Henson wanted to “talk about the Muppets” with Spinney. But it would be seven more years before Spinney would join Henson’s nationally successful group of Muppeteers.
From Sesame Street’s beginning in 1969, Spinney operated and did the voice for the grumbling, green, trash-loving Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird, the kind yet goofy yellow giant.
Big Bird often fumbled with communicating ideas on Sesame Street. Part of his charm was that he was sometimes misunderstood. But the character usually offered this advice: “If everyone in the whole wide world makes mistakes, then why can’t you?”
Making mistakes is part of being human. It’s good counsel both to “work heartily, as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23) and “[cast] all your anxieties on Him.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Operating an eight-foot two-inch tall bright yellow canary isn’t easy. Spinney extended his right arm over his head to move Big Bird’s head and neck. His left hand operated the left wing. The right wing dangled from a fishing line running through a loop in Big Bird’s neck. Using a line attached to his left wrist, Spinney moved both wings. Most of the time, Spinney “saw” via a camera mounted on his chest.
Spinney once described his Big Bird experience as “a lot like growing up to be Mickey Mouse . . . only taller!”
Eventually, the physical requirements of performing became too difficult for the 84-year-old Spinney. He developed problems with his balance. He stopped doing the puppeteering for Big Bird in 2015. When he retired in October, he was doing only voices.
An understudy now performs as Big Bird. So the work Spinney began will continue. In describing his time as one of everyone’s favorite puppets, Spinney once said, “I would really be doing something right, perhaps even important, if I was bringing even a little more compassion into the world through Big Bird.”
I loved Sesame Street!!
I loved Sesame Street when I was little! It was so fun, with The Count, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and of course Elmo. Did you guys know that before Cookie Monster discovered cookies his name was Sid or Sydney? XD I learned that from Alexa. I said, "Alexa, tell me something I don't know." She has told me some very strange facts... XD
by by big bird:)
by by big bird:)
That's so sad!!
I used to watch Sesame Street all the time when I was little! My favorites were Big Bird, Elmo, Bert, and that little purple/pink fairy: Abby Cadabby.
I Used To Love Sesame Street!
Well,That's Interesting
My one and a half year old
My one and a half year old cousin loves Sesame Street (more like obsessed, actually) so it's kind of cool to read about some of the behind the scenes stuff that has to do with the show.
THAT'S SO NEAT!
That is so cool! We watch old school Sesame Street (since we have 6 kids in the house), and we have just figured out that the Bonus Features on each disc are clips from the old seasons, and they leave us laughing for, like, 2 minutes after each one! Next time we watch it, I'll try to find the similarities between Oscar and Big Bird's voices.
Sesame street
cool. When I was little I used to watch it.
understudy
I hope the understudy does well ; )
I honestly like Sesame Street
I honestly like Sesame Street more than other shows closer to my age. For example, lots of the other ones have people doing totally lame and stupid things. There was one show where someone really thought his mom would be mad that he accidentally broke the present he was giving her.
But Sesame Street remains true!
soooo cool Af
awsome! i need an Alexa
Rebekah, Rachel's sister
My sister and I LOOOOOVED Sesame Street when we were little. We used to watch it with our cousins.
Sarah H
Awww! I love Big Bird! I truly believe Spinney brought so much compassion into the world with this great character!
(THIS IS ANDREW H.)
So sad to see him leave...
wow thats rely touching
wow thats rely touching
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I use to be scared of sesame
I use to be scared of sesame street because they were puppets
cool
i don't know when elmo became a thing but all the episodes i had had no elmo. i watched the really old ones though. carol spinney was a good puppeteer.
Awww...
Thats a bummer
mixed feelings.
Obviously l don't watch Sesame street any more but when l did big bird and Abby Cadaby (i don't know if l spelled that right). Anyway it is kind of sad that hes not doing it any more but that's life for you. I read the news bite they had about this from a few months ago and it basically said the same thing but I still think it's interesting how they work the puppet. Every time I went on to WORLDteen I saw this article and I didn't read it but today I decided to and it was definitely worth it!
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21 comment
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