Person
Caroll Spinney
Acting · 1933–2019 · Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
Biography
Caroll Edwin Spinney (sometimes credited as Carroll Spinney or Ed Spinney; December 26, 1933 – December 9, 2019) was an American puppeteer most famous for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the children's television show Sesame Street.
Known for
Sesame Street
Big Bird
The West Wing
Big Bird
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
The Colbert Report
Big Bird (uncredited)
Scrubs
Oscar the Grouch (voice)
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
Portlandia
Oscar the Grouch (voice)
The Muppet Show
Big Bird
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Oscar the Grouch (voice)
Sesame Unpaved
1999
Filmography
- 2022Jerry Nelson: A Celebratory Birthday AnimaticBig Bird (voice) / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2021Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame StreetSelf
- 2019Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary CelebrationSelf / Big Bird
- 2019Sesame Street: 50 Years and CountingBig Bird
- 2018Mister Rogers: It's You I LikeSelf
- 2016Once Upon a Sesame Street ChristmasBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2015In Their Own Words: Jim HensonSelf - Muppet Performer
- 2015Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo!Big Bird/Oscar
- 2015I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney StoryBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch / Self
- 2013Drew: The Man Behind the PosterSelf
- 2012Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic NumbersBig Bird
- 2012Sesame Street: Singing with the StarsBig Bird (voice)
- 2011Michael Bublé: A Michael Bublé ChristmasOscar the Grouch
- 2011Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's JourneySelf
- 2011PortlandiaOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2011Sesame Street: Wild Words and Outdoor AdventuresBig Bird
- 2010Sesame Street: The Best Pet in the WorldBig Bird
- 2009Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story
- 2009Sesame Street: Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical TalesBig Bird
- 2009Sesame Street: Elmo's World: All About FacesOscar The Grouch (voice)
- 2009Sesame Street: Bedtime with ElmoOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2009Night at the Museum: Battle of the SmithsonianOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2009Sesame Street: Being GreenOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2008Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 1 (1969-1974)Big Bird
- 2008Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 2 (1974-1979)Big Bird
- 2008Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 3 (1979-1984)Big Bird
- 2008Sesame Street: Abby in WonderlandOscar the Grouch as the Grouch of Hearts (voice)
- 2008Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Summer VacationBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2008One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s AdventureBig Bird
- 2007Elmo's Christmas CountdownBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2007Sesame Street: Elmo's World: What Makes You Happy?Big Bird
- 2006A Sesame Street Christmas CarolOscar the Grouch / Big Bird (voice)
- 20061 vs. 100Oscar the Grouch
- 2005The Colbert ReportBig Bird (uncredited)
- 2005Sesame Street: Big Bird Sings!Big Bird (voice)
- 2004Sesame Street: A Celebration of Me, GroverBig Bird / Oscar (voice)
- 2004Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On!Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2004Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?Big Bird / Oscar
- 2004Sesame Street: Cookie Monster's Best BitesBig Bird (voice)
- 2003Sesame Street: Sesame Sings KaraokeBig Bird, Oscar the Grouch
- 2003Sesame Street: Kid's Guide to Life: Big Bird Gets LostBig Bird / Oscar (voice)
- 2002Sesame Street: Elmo Visits the FirehouseOscar The Grouch (voice)
- 2002Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word PlayOscar the Grouch (voice) (archive footage)
- 2001Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs 2Big Bird (voice)
- 2001ScrubsOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2001Sesame Street: Elmo's Musical Adventure: The Story of Peter and the WolfBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 2000Sesame Street: Let's Make MusicBig Bird / Oscar
- 2000Sesame Street: Elmo's WorldBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch ("Music" segment)
- 1999The Adventures of Elmo in GrouchlandBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1999The West WingBig Bird
- 1999The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Sing and PlayBig Bird/Oscar the Grouch (archive footage)
- 1999Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite SongsBig Bird (voice)
- 1999Sesame Unpaved
- 1999CinderElmoBig Bird (voice)
- 1998Sesame Street: Elmopalooza!Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1997Sesame Street: Fiesta!Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1997Sesame Street: Quiet TimeBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1997Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Sillier at the MoviesOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1997Sesame Street: Get Up and DanceBig Bird / Oscar (voice)
- 1996Sesame Street: Elmo Saves ChristmasBig Bird (voice)
- 1996Sesame Street: Do the AlphabetBig Bird (voice)
- 1996Sesame Street: Imagine That!Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1996Sesame Street: ElmocizeBig Bird (voice)
- 1996Sesame Street: Kid's Guide to Life: Learning to ShareBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch
- 1994The World of Jim HensonSelf / Big Bird (archive footage)
- 1994Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1993Sesame Street Stays Up Late!Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1993Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years: A Musical Celebration!Big Bird and Oscar
- 1993Sesame Street Jam: A Musical CelebrationBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1993Homeward Bound: The Incredible JourneyDog in Pound (uncredited)
- 1992Getting Ready to ReadBig Bird / Oscar (voice)
- 1991Sesame Street: Sing, Hoot & Howl with the Sesame Street AnimalsBig Bird (voice)
- 1990The Muppets Celebrate Jim HensonBig Bird (voice)
- 1990Jim Henson's Memorial Service
- 1990Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1990Sesame Street: Monster Hits!Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1988Wow, You're A Cartoonist!Picklepuss / Pop
- 1988Sesame Street: Put Down the DuckieBig Bird/Oscar the Grouch/Bruno the Trashman (voice)
- 1988Big Bird in JapanBig Bird (voice)
- 1987A Muppet Family ChristmasBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1987Sesame Street: Sing AlongBig Bird and Oscar
- 1987Sesame Street: Big Bird's Story TimeBig Bird
- 1986Sesame Street: Learning About LettersBig Bird/Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1986The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 YearsBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1986Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & StoriesBig Bird (voice)
- 1986Sesame Street: Learning About NumbersBig Bird (voice)
- 1985Follow That BirdBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch / Bruno the Trashman (voice)
- 1985Night of 100 Stars IIBig Bird
- 1984Henson's Place: The Man Behind the MuppetsCaroll Spinney (self)
- 1983Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1983Big Bird in ChinaBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1981The Great Muppet CaperOscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1979Bob Hope on the Road to ChinaSelf - Big Bird (voice)
- 1979The Muppet MovieBig Bird (voice)
- 1979Presenting Susan Anton
- 1979A Walking Tour of Sesame StreetBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1978A Special Sesame Street ChristmasBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1978Christmas Eve on Sesame StreetBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1978NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of DisneyBig Bird
- 1976Bob Hope's World of ComedySelf - as Big Bird
- 1976The Muppet ShowBig Bird
- 1975Sesame Street- Do you know where Ernie lives?Self
- 1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1974Out to LunchBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1973Julie on Sesame StreetBig Bird/ Oscar the Grouch (voice)
- 1969Sesame StreetBig Bird
- 1969This Way to Sesame StreetBig Bird
- 1969Peter Alexander präsentiert SpezialitätenSelf
- 1968The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - Guest
- —Sesame Street: Ernie's Little LieBig Bird
- —Sesame Street: Big Bird's Favorite Party GamesBig Bird
- —Sesame Street 1986 Wrap PartyBig Bird / Oscar the Grouch
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