Caroll Spinney, “Big Bird” Puppeteer Of 50 Years, Dies At 85

Caroll Spinney, the iconic “Sesame Street” puppeteer who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch during his nearly five decades on the children’s show, died today at 85.

According to the NY Daily News, his death was announced by the Sesame Workshop, which said Spinney had been living with Dystonia “for some time.”

Caroll was an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from its earliest days in 1969 through five decades, and his legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending,” reads a tribute to Spinney on the Sesame Workshop website.

Spinney officially retired from “Sesame Street” last year after initially joining the show for 1969’s inaugural season.