Live Paint

Creating a Festival of Light project!

Caroll Spinney on playing both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch: "I can't believe that Jim [Henson] gave me two such characters that have become iconic, and are a part of so many people in America growing up."

Spinney joined Sesame Street for the inaugural season in 1969. However, he nearly left after the first season because he was not getting acceptable pay, but Kermit Love persuaded him to stay.

Though Big Bird and Oscar were his main characters, Spinney also performed as other characters. At one point, he created and performed Bruno the Trashman, a full-bodied puppet representing a garbage man, who also carried Oscar's trash can. Bruno was used until the foam plastic of the character broke down. Spinney also performed as Granny Bird, Big Bird's grandmother. The puppet used for Granny Bird was actually a spare Big Bird puppet, and Spinney provided her voice.

Spinney died at his home in Woodstock, Connecticut, on December 8, 2019, at the age of 85. He was surrounded by his wife Debra and three children.