RIP Caroll Spinney

I was a little old for Sesame Street but my brothers and sister were not so I could watch along with them guilt free and then see the Electric Company. I, of course, loved the puppets and the serial story lines that happened over a week’s span or so.

I have to admit I liked Oscar more than Big Bird. Big Bird the innocent who asked many questions we wanted to ask the grown-ups and Oscar the cynical smart-ass with a secret heart of Gold. Also I loved Oscar’s trash can and all the secrets held within. In the Sesame Street Magazine there was an illustration of the interior of Oscar’s trash can with so much to read and enjoy.

I first met Caroll in passing in NYC then I was at Yale when a mutual friend introduced us. He was polite but very much in a hurry. I was able to tell him how much his work meant to me.

A number of years later (22 I think) I came around a corner at the Javits’s Center during the 2010 New York Comic Con and there was Caroll Spinney selling the Wisdom of Big Bird with his wife Deb. I had a puppet on my arm which he commented on. We had a pleasant conversation and I bought a copy of the book. He did an illustration for me of Big Bird being a puppeteer with Ernie on his hand.


(For the VI: This is Caroll drawing in a book I bought from him. He has white hair and is wearing a tan jacket. Next to the book is a series of pens he was using to draw)

The next time we met was at the Florida SuperCon. I found him because I was getting something to George Perez for Peter. He recognized the style of the puppet and we fell into a discussion about puppet building and the tricks he had learned over the years and tricks I had learned over the years. He gave me some good advice which I use to this day. It was a very pleasant afternoon and we became nodding acquittances by that point.


( Caroll and Me. I am on the left with a Rumplestilskin puppet on my arm. Caroll is holding up a photo of Big Bird, Oscar and Him)

After that we met up at various conventions.

I had the privilege of being the moderator on two panels he was on at DragonCon. One was an hour with Caroll Spinney and the second, two years later, was the human faces of Sesame Street.



(From right to left Caroll, Deb and me)


Photo Copyright Bob Brown

Peter had the honor of presenting Caroll the Julie Award at DragonCon for his over all body of work. Caroll got up and joked about a bit and sang to us in Big Bird’s voice. It was magical.


(Caroll standing at a podium with his Julie Award)

I knew Caroll was not doing well and had been having some health issues. Having your hand over your head and caring an extra 40 to 50 pounds can take a toll.

He was still delighted to talk to people and engage with them. He was amazing to watch with children. He knew his audience and he would give them a show that was just for them.

But he was slowing down. He retired from Sesame Street. He was still going to conventions but you could see that it was becoming harder for him.

Even knowing all that, it still hurts that such a lovely person is no longer among us.

Thank you Caroll for everything. You will be missed.

My prayers and sympathy to Deb, his family, and friends.

I am grateful I met Caroll Spinney.