Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for 49 years at “Sesame Street,” died Sunday in Connecticut after living with dystonia. He was 85.
Sesame Workshop announced his death, calling him an “artistic genius” whose “legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.” Spinney’s death came on the same day “Sesame Street” is to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.
“His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world,” the announcement continued, “and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while,” Sesame Workshop said.
Spinney was with “Sesame Street” from the beginning in 1969, and continued working as Big Bird and Oscar through 2018, though he stopped performing inside the...
Sesame Workshop announced his death, calling him an “artistic genius” whose “legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.” Spinney’s death came on the same day “Sesame Street” is to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.
“His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world,” the announcement continued, “and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while,” Sesame Workshop said.
Spinney was with “Sesame Street” from the beginning in 1969, and continued working as Big Bird and Oscar through 2018, though he stopped performing inside the...
- 12/8/2019
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
If you were to compile a list of iconic children’s TV characters, who would occupy a slot near the very top, say in the top five (to quote a recent Chris Rock flick)? Oh, we’re not talking about those denizens of “Toon-town”, so no Scooby Doo or Spongebob Squarepants. Well, at the dawn of the tube there was the freckle-faced marionette Howdy Doody and his pal/handler “Buffalo Bob” Smith. Then, as Mr. Doody hung up his strings, Bob Keeshan (a vet of that former show) arrived as Captain Kangaroo along with his real-life buddies (Mr. Green Jeans) and more puppet and costumed cast mates (Bunny Rabbit, Mr. Moose, and Dancing Bear). He was a TV mainstay for decades along with that gentle, soothing-voiced Fred Rogers and his puppet-filled neighborhood. Just a few years after his debut on PBS, a most influential classic educational kids’ program premiered on...
- 5/14/2015
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The documentary I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story is exactly what you'd expect it to be, if you're a Muppet fan ... and also exactly what you'd hope it would be. Tonight's Violet Crown screening is sold out, but you can watch the film via online streaming outlets such as Amazon, iTunes and Vudu.
The film is a pleasant and sometimes touching profile of Caroll Spinney, who has spent decades portraying both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street and elsewhere. It's traditionally structured, primarily by time sequence -- beginning with his childhood and early puppet and acting gigs, and heading for the present. Interviews with Spinney help form the backbone of the film -- he tells us his own history, supported by other interview from his family to Sesame Street colleagues such as Frank Oz, Joan Ganz Cooney and Norman Stiles.
Naturally I Am Big Bird...
The film is a pleasant and sometimes touching profile of Caroll Spinney, who has spent decades portraying both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street and elsewhere. It's traditionally structured, primarily by time sequence -- beginning with his childhood and early puppet and acting gigs, and heading for the present. Interviews with Spinney help form the backbone of the film -- he tells us his own history, supported by other interview from his family to Sesame Street colleagues such as Frank Oz, Joan Ganz Cooney and Norman Stiles.
Naturally I Am Big Bird...
- 5/13/2015
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Big Bird is familiar to countless people of multiple generations all around the world who grew up watching “Sesame Street.” But who’s the man behind (or inside, actually) the 8-foot-tall, perpetually six-years-old, 4,000-feathers-covered bird? That would be Caroll Spinney, who has puppeteered Big Bird since the first “Sesame Street” episode aired in 1969. He also puppeteers Big Bird’s next-door neighbor, Oscar the Grouch. Now 81, Spinney still works on the PBS show as both characters and has no plans for retirement. Spinney is the subject of new documentary “I Am Big Bird” (now available to VOD and iTunes in a limited theatrical release), a sweet, reverent tribute to the man behind the yellow feathers. The film puts a spotlight on both his joyous and difficult times on “Sesame Street” and features archival footage and interviews with Spinney, his wife and several “Sesame Street” cast and crew members. Here are the...
- 5/9/2015
- by Emily Rome
- Hitfix
Maybe we contain multitudes, and maybe we contain a couple great splashes of primary color. With one arm stretched high above his head, puppeteer Caroll Spinney has spent the last decades embodying the warmest of yellows and grimiest of greens, playing — in every sense of the word — Sesame Street's biggest bird and most trash-talking grouch. Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker's I Am Big Bird offers just what the title promises, an involving and affectionate study of Spinney, whose fine-feathered friend we've all been following for almost half a century now.
To become the bird, Spinney dons orange pants ringed with ribbons of pink and ending in three-toed feet that, through the genius of Muppet design, can't help but cheer you just by existing. How can...
To become the bird, Spinney dons orange pants ringed with ribbons of pink and ending in three-toed feet that, through the genius of Muppet design, can't help but cheer you just by existing. How can...
- 5/6/2015
- Village Voice
8 Feet Tall and Light as a Feather: Walker and Lamattina Chronicle the Life and Love of a Puppeteering Legend
You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know Big Bird. Of the many beloved creatures that sprang from the genius of Jim Henson, Sesame Street’s Big Bird may well be the most universally recognizable. Bearing the spirit of a child within the body of an 8-foot canary yellow behemoth, Big Bird became a larger than life icon of children’s television. Yet, despite Caroll Spinney’s famed collaborators and lengthy list of accolades that include Emmys, Grammys, and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you may not recognize the lanky, mop-headed man who has brought the bird, as well as Oscar the Grouch, to life for the last 45 years. Following the success of Constance Marks’s Kevin Clash bio-doc Being Elmo, directors Chad Walker...
You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know Big Bird. Of the many beloved creatures that sprang from the genius of Jim Henson, Sesame Street’s Big Bird may well be the most universally recognizable. Bearing the spirit of a child within the body of an 8-foot canary yellow behemoth, Big Bird became a larger than life icon of children’s television. Yet, despite Caroll Spinney’s famed collaborators and lengthy list of accolades that include Emmys, Grammys, and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you may not recognize the lanky, mop-headed man who has brought the bird, as well as Oscar the Grouch, to life for the last 45 years. Following the success of Constance Marks’s Kevin Clash bio-doc Being Elmo, directors Chad Walker...
- 5/4/2015
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Right around the time of the Academy Awards, we got a "Sesame Street" parody of Birdman with Caroll Spinney, the man who brings Big Bird to life on the iconic children's television show. Now we have the traile for a documentary called I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story on the way looking at the man who few people know, despite his work as one of the most iconic Muppets of all-time. You may not know, but Spinney is also the voice of Oscar the Grouch, and this doc, which has been on the festival circuit for awhile, chronicles Spinney's life and career starting from life as a child to work with Jim Henson. Here's the first trailer for Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker's I Am Big Bird from Tribeca: For 45 years, Caroll Spinney has been beloved by generations of children as the man behind Sesame Street's...
- 3/12/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: UK sales outfit nabs doc I Am Big Bird [pictured].
UK sales outfit Kaleidoscope has picked up documentary I Am Big Bird, the story of Caroll Spinney, the man who has played Sesame Street’s Big Bird since 1969.
The deal covers worldwide distribution of all rights, excluding North America.
Chad N. Walker and Dave Lamattina of Copper Pot Pictures direct.
The film has played at a number of festivals including Hot Docs, AFI Docs and Docnyc.
The deal was signed by Caroline Stern, director of sales and acquisition at Kaleidoscope, and Abby Davis at Preferred Content.
Stern said: “We needed only to see the first few images from the film to fall in love with it. But as the story of the little known man behind the feathers, it takes a compelling look at how artist and entertainer Caroll Spinney brought Big Bird to life - and how that shaped him and us, globally over the...
UK sales outfit Kaleidoscope has picked up documentary I Am Big Bird, the story of Caroll Spinney, the man who has played Sesame Street’s Big Bird since 1969.
The deal covers worldwide distribution of all rights, excluding North America.
Chad N. Walker and Dave Lamattina of Copper Pot Pictures direct.
The film has played at a number of festivals including Hot Docs, AFI Docs and Docnyc.
The deal was signed by Caroline Stern, director of sales and acquisition at Kaleidoscope, and Abby Davis at Preferred Content.
Stern said: “We needed only to see the first few images from the film to fall in love with it. But as the story of the little known man behind the feathers, it takes a compelling look at how artist and entertainer Caroll Spinney brought Big Bird to life - and how that shaped him and us, globally over the...
- 11/5/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
The next Sesame Street character to receive his own documentary for the big screen is about as big as they come. Tribeca Film announced today that the distributor has acquired the rights to the documentary I Am Big Bird, a career-long look at the man behind the bird, Caroll Spinney, who has played the character for over 40 years. The film already premiered earlier this year at the Hot Docs film festival and will also be screened at the Doc NYC festival this November. Tribeca Film has set the film for a theatrical and video-on-demand release in the first quarter of...
- 10/27/2014
- by Jonathon Dornbush
- EW - Inside Movies
Kirby Dick will direct an untitled film about campus sex crime for RADiUS and CNN Films. Separately, Tribeca Film has picked up the documentary I Am Big Bird.
Dick and his producer Amy Ziering will follow several people struggling to deal with trauma.
The filmmakers collaborated on The Invisible War, which covered the issue of rape within the military, and will highlight similarities between the two environments.
“The statistics are staggering – our country has a moral obligation to address this issue,” said Dick. “We hope our film will provide a wake-up call to our nation to better protect our students.”
RADiUS will distribute the film theatrically and CNN/Us has acquired the broadcast rights.
The film is expected to be ready in 2015 and will appear as a CNN Films broadcast for the network later in the year.
RADiUS co-presidents Tom Quinn and Jason Janego negotiated the co-production deal with Vinnie Malhotra and Stacey Wolf for CNN and...
Dick and his producer Amy Ziering will follow several people struggling to deal with trauma.
The filmmakers collaborated on The Invisible War, which covered the issue of rape within the military, and will highlight similarities between the two environments.
“The statistics are staggering – our country has a moral obligation to address this issue,” said Dick. “We hope our film will provide a wake-up call to our nation to better protect our students.”
RADiUS will distribute the film theatrically and CNN/Us has acquired the broadcast rights.
The film is expected to be ready in 2015 and will appear as a CNN Films broadcast for the network later in the year.
RADiUS co-presidents Tom Quinn and Jason Janego negotiated the co-production deal with Vinnie Malhotra and Stacey Wolf for CNN and...
- 10/27/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Tribeca Films has acquired the U.S. rights to “I am Big Bird.” The documentary tells the story of Caroll Spinney, 80, the longtime voice behind the beloved “Sesame Street” characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. It will show footage of his earliest collaborations with Jim Henson, tracing Spinney's journey from bullied child to childhood icon. The “Sesame Street” voice actor has spoken for the characters for more than 40 years. Photo Gallery: 19 Must-See Movies at the Tribeca Film Festival This Year Directed and produced by Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker, the film premiered at the Hot Docs documentary festival earlier this year and.
- 10/27/2014
- by Jordan Chariton
- The Wrap
Tribeca Film has acquired U.S. rights to the documentary I Am Big Bird, about the man behind the iconic Sesame Street character, Caroll Spinney. The portrait of the now 80-year-old Spinney, who has spent more than 40 years as the man behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, features footage of Spinney's earliest collaborations with Jim Henson. Read more 10 Ways to Remember Jim Henson on His Birthday The film, directed and produced by Dave Lamattina and Chad N. Walker, will get a day-and-date theatrical and VOD release in the first quarter of 2015. "Caroll
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- 10/27/2014
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tribeca Film acquired U.S. rights to I Am Big Bird, a docu it will release theatrically and on VOD day-and-date in the first quarter of 2015. Directed and produced by Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker, pic focuses on Carroll Spinney, who has spent his life as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch and shows no sign of retiring at age 80.
“Big Bird is one of the iconic figures in American television and this portrait of the man inside, Caroll Spinney, is simultaneously joyful and fascinating,” said Tribeca Film Gm Todd Green. “Dave and Chad weave together years of archival footage to create a truly revealing look at the man inside the Big Bird suit.”
Preferred Content repped the film.
“Big Bird is one of the iconic figures in American television and this portrait of the man inside, Caroll Spinney, is simultaneously joyful and fascinating,” said Tribeca Film Gm Todd Green. “Dave and Chad weave together years of archival footage to create a truly revealing look at the man inside the Big Bird suit.”
Preferred Content repped the film.
- 10/27/2014
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline
Title: I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story Directors: Dave Lamattina, Chad Walker A warm-hearted documentary look at the man behind one of the most beloved and iconic “Sesame Street” characters of all time, “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story” is an interesting and enlightening biopic that delves down into the unique array of talents one might not immediately peg when they first look at the titular gangly, yellow-feathered, eight-foot-tall puppet. A recent premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, co-directors Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker’s movie trades on an abundance of goodwill — for the character of Big Bird, for “Sesame Street” and adolescent horizons more generally, for [ Read More ]
The post I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/30/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Documentary filmmakers Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker like to diversify their fields of expertise and investigation. After capturing the life of Mls star Kei Kamara as he returned to his home of Sierra Leon to play for his national team in "Kei," the duo have moved on to something completely different. Their new film "I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story" explores behind the scenes of "Sesame Street," delving into the mind of a 78-year-old man who just can't stop dressing up like giant yellow bird and a garbage-dwelling Grouch. Read More: The Man Inside the Bird: Caroll Spinney and Filmmakers Look Back on 45 Years of 'Sesame Street' [Editor's Note: Indiewire reached out to filmmakers with films playing at the 20th La Film Festival (June 11-19) to ask them about how they shot their indie, and what advice they had for other filmmakers. We'll be posting their responses throughout the run of the festival. Go Here for the master list.] What camera and lens did you use?...
- 6/18/2014
- by Oliver MacMahon
- Indiewire
Caroll Spinney has been playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on "Sesame Street" for 45 years when, after making a humble start as a traveling puppeteer, he was invited by Jim Henson to come to New York to work on "Sesame Street." The rest is history. After decades of stretching and extending his arm to work the giant bird's head (damaging tendons and nerves in the process), Spinney, now 80 years old, has no plan to give up playing Big Bird -- a character who he says is a part of his soul. Years ago, Spinney handpicked his own successor, an understudy who has since waited, quite literally, in the wings for almost 20 years. When his first marriage to a woman embarrassed by his career ended in divorce, Spinney found Debra, the love of his life, who meticulously documented practically every moment of their marriage and life together. These home videos...
- 6/16/2014
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
The Los Angeles Film Festival has announced several free community screenings to take place in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the festival.
Screenings include including Amy Heckerling’s Clueless (pictured), Luis Valdez’s La Bamba, Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker’s I Am Big Bird, Buster Keaton’s Cops and Sherlock Jr. and Thomas Miller‘s Limited Partnership.
The festival is set to run from June 11-19.
Screenings include including Amy Heckerling’s Clueless (pictured), Luis Valdez’s La Bamba, Dave Lamattina and Chad Walker’s I Am Big Bird, Buster Keaton’s Cops and Sherlock Jr. and Thomas Miller‘s Limited Partnership.
The festival is set to run from June 11-19.
- 4/22/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Documentary lovers, get ready! North America's biggest documentary film festival, Hot Docs, is set to gear up for 2014 in Toronto. The 21st Hot Docs runs from April 24 - May 4, and this year's slate presents 197 titles from 43 countries in 12 screening programs.
"We are so proud to be showing these incredible films and combining them with amazing live events and experiences." says Hot Docs director of programming Charlotte Cook. "We truly hope it will be a festival of ideas, discussion and amazement and we're looking forward to bringing the best filmmaking in the world to the world's greatest audience."
Article Continues Below Slideshow!
In addition to the opening night international premiere of Brian Knappenberger's "The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz," an inspiring and emotional portrait of a young Internet visionary, other notable films in the Special Presentations program include: Pavel Loparev and Askold Kurov's "Children 404," a...
"We are so proud to be showing these incredible films and combining them with amazing live events and experiences." says Hot Docs director of programming Charlotte Cook. "We truly hope it will be a festival of ideas, discussion and amazement and we're looking forward to bringing the best filmmaking in the world to the world's greatest audience."
Article Continues Below Slideshow!
In addition to the opening night international premiere of Brian Knappenberger's "The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz," an inspiring and emotional portrait of a young Internet visionary, other notable films in the Special Presentations program include: Pavel Loparev and Askold Kurov's "Children 404," a...
- 3/18/2014
- by Chris Jancelewicz
- Moviefone
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