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IMDbPro

Caroll Spinney(1933-2019)

  • Actor
  • Puppetry
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Caroll Spinney at an event for The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2006)
Trailer for I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
Play trailer1:41
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014)
54 Videos
72 Photos
Caroll Spinney was born on 26 December 1933 in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Sesame Street (1969), The Muppet Movie (1979) and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009). He was married to Debra Spinney and Janice Spinney. He died on 8 December 2019 in Woodstock, Connecticut, USA.
BornDecember 26, 1933
DiedDecember 8, 2019(85)
BornDecember 26, 1933
DiedDecember 8, 2019(85)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 11 wins & 8 nominations total

Photos72

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+ 66
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Known for

Sesame Street (1969)
Sesame Street
8.1
TV Series
  • Actor
Orson Welles, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, James Coburn, Frank Oz, Milton Berle, Dom DeLuise, Elliott Gould, Jim Henson, Bob Hope, Madeline Kahn, Carol Kane, Cloris Leachman, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas, Edgar Bergen, and Paul Williams in The Muppet Movie (1979)
The Muppet Movie
7.6
  • Big Bird(voice, as Carroll Spinney)
  • 1979
Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Christopher Guest, Ben Stiller, Brad Garrett, Owen Wilson, Amy Adams, Alain Chabat, Steve Coogan, Patrick Gallagher, Bill Hader, Mizuo Peck, Jon Bernthal, and Crystal the Monkey in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
6.0
  • Oscar the Grouch(voice)
  • 2009
Chevy Chase, Frank Oz, Sandra Bernhard, John Candy, Jim Henson, Joe Flaherty, Richard Hunt, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Caroll Spinney, and Dave Thomas in Follow That Bird (1985)
Follow That Bird
6.8
  • Big Bird
  • Oscar
  • Bruno the Trashman(voice)
  • 1985

Credits

IMDbPro

Actor

  • Sesame Street (1969)
    Sesame Street
    8.1
    TV Series
    • Big Bird
    • Oscar the Grouch
    • Oscar ...
    • 1969–2023
  • Frank Oz, Jim Henson, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Kevin Clash, Caroll Spinney, Matt Vogel, Eric Jacobson, Big Bird, Billy Barkhurst, and Ryan Dillon in Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting (2019)
    Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting
    8.4
    Video
    • Big Bird
    • 2019
  • Stephen Colbert in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
    7.2
    TV Series
    • Oscar the Grouch (as Oscar the Grouch)
    • 2019
  • Trick or Treat on Sesame Street (2017)
    Trick or Treat on Sesame Street
    Video
    • Big Bird
    • Oscar the Grouch (voice)
    • 2017
  • Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, David Rudman, Eric Jacobson, and Ryan Dillon in Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas (2016)
    Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas
    6.6
    TV Movie
    • Big Bird
    • Oscar the Grouch (voice)
    • 2016
  • Super Bowl 50: Dream on Remix (2016)
    Super Bowl 50: Dream on Remix
    TV Short
    • Big Bird (voice)
    • 2016
  • Elmo's World: Elmo Wonders (2016)
    Elmo's World: Elmo Wonders
    3.0
    • Oscar the Grouch
    • Big Bird
    • 2016
  • Matt Vogel and Ryan Dillon in Sesame Street: Count on Elmo (2015)
    Sesame Street: Count on Elmo
    Video
    • Big Bird (voice)
    • 2015
  • Saturday Night Live (1975)
    Saturday Night Live
    8.0
    TV Series
    • Big Bird (voice, uncredited)
    • 2012–2015
  • Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki in Supernatural (2005)
    Supernatural
    8.4
    TV Series
    • Big Bird (uncredited)
    • 2015
  • Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein in Portlandia (2011)
    Portlandia
    7.8
    TV Series
    • Oscar the Grouch (voice)
    • 2015
  • The Furchester Hotel (2014)
    The Furchester Hotel
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Cookie Monster (voice)
    • 2014
  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014)
    The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
    7.0
    TV Series
    • Oscar the Grouch
    • Big Bird (uncredited)
    • 2014
  • Kevin Clash, David Rudman, Caroll Spinney, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and Elmo in Sesame Street: Alphabet Songs (2014)
    Sesame Street: Alphabet Songs
    8.4
    Video
    • Big Bird
    • Oscar the Grouch (voice)
    • 2014
  • Kevin Clash and Elmo in Sesame Street: Elmo's World - All About Animals (2014)
    Sesame Street: Elmo's World - All About Animals
    • Big Bird
    • Oscar
    • 2014

Puppetry

  • Sesame Street (1969)
    Sesame Street
    8.1
    TV Series
    • puppeteer
    • 1973–1991
  • Jim Henson in A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
    A Muppet Family Christmas
    8.1
    TV Movie
    • puppeteer
    • 1987

Writer

  • Caroll Spinney and Big Bird in Big Bird in China (1983)
    Big Bird in China
    7.0
    TV Movie
    • story (uncredited)
    • 1983

Videos54

Sesame Street: Vol. One
Clip 1:00
Sesame Street: Vol. One
Official Trailer - Vol. 2
Trailer 0:59
Official Trailer - Vol. 2
Official Trailer - Vol. 2
Trailer 0:59
Official Trailer - Vol. 2
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:26
Official Trailer
Tonight at 7 p.m.
Trailer 1:09
Tonight at 7 p.m.
Friday at 7 p.m.
Trailer 1:09
Friday at 7 p.m.
New Season Airs Jan. 16
Trailer 1:01
New Season Airs Jan. 16

Personal details

  • Official site
    • Official Site
  • Alternative names
    • Big Bird
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • December 26, 1933
    • Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
  • Died
    • December 8, 2019
    • Woodstock, Connecticut, USA(long illness)
  • Spouses
      Debra SpinneyJune 4, 1973 - December 8, 2019 (his death)
  • Children
    • Child
  • Other works
    He voiced Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for the audio version of Liza Alexander's book "Big Bird Meets the Orchestra" in the "Sesame Street: Learn About Music" series.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Biographical Movie
    • 7 Articles

Did you know

  • Trivia
    He made an appearance as Big Bird on an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968). Before the show was taped, Fred Rogers wanted to have him remove the Big Bird outfit on the show and discuss the inner workings of it. Spinney objected to this idea, saying that it was important to preserve the sense of wonder and magic that children have about Big Bird. Rogers agreed that Spinney was right, and, instead, Big Bird appeared on the show in a Neighborhood of Make-Believe segment.
  • Quotes
    [on his lifelong love of performing puppetry] Somehow I was shy enough to not care about being seen. And I figured if could ever get on a TV show with a character that I enjoyed doing, it might even get famous. And voila!
  • Trademark
    Performer of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
  • Nickname
    • Spin

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