Bob McGrath, Original Cast Member Of ‘Sesame Street,’ Dead At 90

Bob McGrath, an original cast member from “Sesame Street,” has died, according to his family. He was 90.

The actor’s family announced his passing in a post on McGrath’s official Facebook page on Sunday evening. 

“Hello Facebook friends, the McGrath family has some sad news to share,” the post read. “Our father, Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.”

McGrath first appeared on the beloved children’s show in the pilot episode of “Sesame Street” back in 1969. He continued acting on the show for 47 seasons before stepping away in 2017. 

He made a significant impact on the show musically, contributing to the show’s theme song and originals like “If You’re Happy And You Know It,” “People In Your Neighborhood,” and “Sing A Song.”

After leaving the show, McGrath continued working with the franchise through the Sesame Workshop, where he served as an advocate and appeared at public events. 

The Workshop paid tribute to the actor with a thread on Twitter Sunday night. 

“Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of Bob McGrath, a beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years,” Sesame Workshop wrote. “A founding cast member, Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world.”

A founding cast member, Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world…

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— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) December 5, 2022

McGrath is survived by his wife, Anne Logan Sperry, and his children and grandchildren.