American retired puppeteer, cartoonist, author and speaker Caroll Edwin Spinney has died. He was well known for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street from its inception in 1969 until 2018.
Caroll Spinney passed away on Sunday December 8, 2019 at the age of 85
Caroll Spinney Cause Of Death
In a statement posted to Facebook, Sesame Workshop said Spinney had been living with dystonia, a neurological condition that can cause uncontrollable muscle spasms, “for some time.”
Caroll Spinney operated and voiced Oscar, Big Bird’s grumpy trash can-dwelling neighbor, before retiring from the iconic kids program in October 2018, died at his home in Connecticut after living with dystonia for some time.
Spinney collected five Daytime Emmy Awards for his contributions to Sesame Street and received a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2006, entrancing hundreds of millions of kids along the way.
Tributes To Caroll Spinney
He was part of millions’ childhoods and now he is in a better place. Thank you Caroll Spinney for defining part of our childhood. #RIPCarollSpinney pic.twitter.com/SXCSYw2Rus
— Fandom Cultures (@fandom_cultures) December 8, 2019
RIP the brilliant Caroll Spinney, whose puppeteering I loved so much as a child — and whose daughter was in my class at school growing up, a fact that made it feel as if any of our families might harbor a bit of magic. https://t.co/T2FeRuByW2
— Allison Lynn (@allisondlynn) December 8, 2019
Terribly saddned to hear the news that the man behind the worlds b3st known bird and favorite grouch has passed away today. Caroll Spinney was 85. Thank you for being a pert of our childhood. You will be missed greatly. #bigbird #oscarthegrouch #CarollSpinney pic.twitter.com/aJHUFnmf6H
— Roger Victor (@CaptRogerVictor) December 8, 2019
RIP, Caroll Spinney. Thank you for the gift of your heart. Thank you for the gift of kindness. Thank you for creating a character that was a soft place to land for so many of us. Thank you for you.
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RIP, Caroll Spinney. Thank you for the gift of your heart. Thank you for the gift of kindness. Thank you for creating a character that was a soft place to land for so many of us. Thank you for you. ? https://t.co/DwxytcoDeR
— Ishta Mercurio (@IshtaWrites) December 8, 2019
