The man behind iconic Sesame Street characters including Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch has passed away, Sesame Workshop confirmed on Sunday. Caroll Spinney suffered from dystopia, a neurological condition that causes uncontrolled muscle movement. He died at his Connecticut home.New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff, who met Spinney after the puppeteer's retirement from Sesame Street, tweeted that Spinney's "secret" included portraying Big Bird the way a child would have. "He can be all the things that children are. He can learn with the kids," Spinney told Itzkoff of Big Bird in 2018.
I had the privilege to spend time with Spinney last year when he announced his retirement from Sesame Street. He said the secret to portraying Big Bird was to play him like a child. “He can be all the things that children are. He can learn with the kids.” https://t.co/TnvA4vt8dK
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) December 8, 2019Other fans and members of the entertainment industry also chimed in with their own tributes to the late puppeteer.From the Henson Family https://t.co/0lBrP8AUappic.twitter.com/dAMd6rgrd2
— The Jim Henson Company (@hensoncompany) December 8, 2019Well, we lost a legend today. RIP Caroll Spinney, best known as Big Bird. https://t.co/F09rYqHTqy
— Josh Spiegel (@mousterpiece) December 8, 2019Caroll Spinney, the big-hearted and always-kind Muppeteer who played Sesame Street character Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch for almost a half-century, has died. He was 85.
He entertained millions of kids and adults daily and will be deeply missed.
Thank you for everything. pic.twitter.com/F9jGVTCFdB