"I would really be doing something right, perhaps even important, if I was bringing even a little more compassion into the world through Big Bird."
Caroll Edwin Spinney (December 26, 1933 - December 8, 2019) was an American puppeteer, cartoonist, author, artist, and speaker best known for being the longtime voice and puppeteer of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street (1969-2018).
He was married to Janice Spinney and Debra Jean Gilroy and had three children with the former.
Spinney retired from Sesame Street in 2018 (after having lost the ability to physically perform in 2015 due to dystonia) and died the following year at the age of 85 after a long illness.
Filmography
Film Roles
- 1974: Out To Lunch as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1978: Christmas Eve On Sesame Street as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1978: A Special Sesame Street Christmas as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1979: The Muppet Movie as Big Bird
- 1979: A Walking Tour Of Sesame Street as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1981: The Great Muppet Caper as Oscar the Grouch
- 1983: Big Bird In China as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch (also writer)
- 1983: Dont Eat The Pictures Sesame Street At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1985: Five Sesame Street Stories as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1985: Follow That Bird as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch/Bruno the Trashman
- 1986: The Muppets A Celebration Of 30 Years as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1986: Sesame Street Im Glad Im Me as Big Bird
- 1987: Kids Like These as Big Bird
- 1987: A Muppet Family Christmas as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1988: Big Bird in Japan as Bird
- 1991: Big Birds Birthday Or Let Me Eat Cake as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch/Bruno the Trashman
- 1993: Sesame Street Jam A Musical Celebration as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1993: Sesame Street Stays Up Late! as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1995: Sesame Street Cookie Monsters Best Bites as Big Bird
- 1996: Sesame Street Elmo Saves Christmas as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1997: Sesame Street Sing Yourself Sillier At The Movies as Oscar the Grouch
- 1998: Emlopalooza as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1999: The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1999: Sesame Street Cinder Elmo as Big Bird
- 2000: Elmos World Babies Dogs And More as Oscar the Grouch
- 2000: Sesame Street Lets Make Music as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2001: Elmos Musical Adventure Peter And The Wolf as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2001: Elmos World Birthdays Games And More as Oscar the Grouch
- 2001: Sesame Street Kids Favorite Songs 2 as Big Bird
- 2002: Elmos World Springtime Fun as Big Bird
- 2002: Elmos Visits The Firehouse as Oscar the Grouch
- 2002: Elmos World Happy Holidays as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2002: Sesame Street Bert And Ernies World Play as Oscar the Grouch
- 2003: Elmos World The Great Outdoors as Oscar
- 2003: Sesame Street Three Bears And A New Baby as Big Bird
- 2003: Sesame Street Sesame Sings Karaoke as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2003: Sesame Street Zoes Dance Moves as Big Bird
- 2004: Sesame Street Whats The Name Of That Song as Big Bird
- 2005: Sesame Street Friends To The Rescue as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch/Granny Bird
- 2005: Elmo Visits The Doctor as Big Bird
- 2006: A Sesame Street Christmas Carol as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 2007: Elmo's Christmas Countdown as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2008: Elmos World Summer Vacation as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2008: Abby In Wonderland as Oscar as the Grouch of Hearts
- 2009: Sesame Street Being Green as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2009: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian as Oscar the Grouch
- 2009: Elmo And Abbys Birthday Fun as Oscar the Grouch
- 2009: Elmo And Friends The Letter Quest And Other Magical Tales as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2011: Elmos World Penguins And Friends as Big Bird
- 2011: Sesame Street Learning Letters With Elmo as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2011: Sesame Street Bye Bye Pacifier Big Kid Stories With Elmo as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2011: Sesame Street Silly Storytime as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2012: Sesame Street Elmos Magic Numbers as Big Bird
- 2014: Sesame Street Elmos World All About Animals as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2014: Sesame Street Alphabet Songs as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2016: Elmos World Elmo Wonders as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 2016: Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1993: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey as Dog in Pound (Uncredited Role)
Television Roles
- 1966: Bozos Big Top as Mr. Lion
- 1969-2018: Sesame Street as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch/Granny Bird/Bruno the Trashman/Various (683 episodes)
- 1970: Flip as Big Bird
- 1972-1975: The Electric Company as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 1975: Pete Alexander Prasentiert Spezialitaten as Big Bird/Oscar
- 1979: The Muppet Show as Big Bird
- 1981: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as Big Bird
- 1981: Hee Haw as Big Bird
- 1987-1991: Shalom Sesame as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 1992: Nineteen Ninety Two American League Championship Series as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1996-2001: Learn Along With Sesame as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird (2 episodes)
- 1998: Soul Man as Big Bird
- 1998-2006: Elmo's World as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch (4 episodes)
- 2001: Between the Lions as Big Bird
- 2004: The West Wing as Big Bird
- 2009: Scrubs as Oscar the Grouch
- 2009-2012: Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird (3 episodes)
- 2012: Little Children Big Challenges as Big Bird
- 2012-2013: Good Morning America as Oscar/Big Bird (3 episodes)
- 2012-2015: Saturday Night Live as Big Bird (2 episodes)
- 2013: In The Night Castle as Big Bird
- 2013: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon as Big Bird
- 2014: Sunny Side Up as Oscar the Grouch
- 2014: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 2014: The Furchester Hotel as Cookie Monster
- 2015: Portlandia as Oscar the Grouch
- 2015: Supernatural as Big Bird
- 2019: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Oscar the Grouch
Shorts
- 1985: Three Sesame Street Stories as Big Bird/Zookeeper/Oscar the Grouch
- 1986: Sesame Street Learning About Numbers as Big Bird
- 1986: Sesame Street Getting Ready To Read as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1986: Sesame Street Learning About Letters as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1986: Sesame Street Sleepytime Songs And Stories as Big Bird
- 1986: Sesame Street Play Along Games And Songs as Big Bird
- 1987: Sesame Street Getting Ready For School as Big Bird
- 1987: Learning To Add And Subtract as Big Bird
- 1987: Big Birds Story Time as Big Bird/Oscar
- 1987: Sesame Street Start To Read Ernies Big Mess as Big Bird
- 1987: Sesame Street Start To Read I Want To Go Home as Big Bird
- 1987: Sesame Street Sing Along as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1987: Sesame Street Put Down The Duckie as Big Bird/Oscar The Grouch/Bruno the Trashman
- 1988: Magic On Sesame Street as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1988: Big Birds Favorite Party Games as Big Bird/Oscar
- 1988: Count It Higher Great Music Videos From Sesame Street as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1988: Sesame Street Sing Yourself Silly as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1990: Sesame Street Home Video Visits The Hospital as Big Bird/Oscar
- 1990: Sesame Street Rock And Roll as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 1990: Sesame Street Dance Along as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1990: Sesame Street Home Video Visits The Fire House as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1991: Sesame Street Elmos Sing Along Guessing Game as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1991: Sesame Street Sing Hoot And Howl With The Sesame Street Animals as Big Bird
- 1991: Sesame Street Start To Read Dont Cry Big Bird as Big Bird
- 1991: Sesame Street Start To Read Ernies Little Lie as Big Bird
- 1994: Sesame Street The Best Of Elmo as Big Bird
- 1995: Sesame Street Big Bird Sings as Big Bird
- 1996: Sesame Street Do The Alphabet as Big Bird
- 1996: Sesame Street Slimeys World Games as Oscar the Grouch
- 1996: Sesame Street Elmocize as Big Bird
- 1996: Kids Guide To Life Learning To Share as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1996: Sesame Street Imagine That as Oscar the Grouch
- 1997: Sesame Street Get Up And Dance as Big Bird/Oscar
- 1997: Sesame Street Quiet Time as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1997: Sesame Street 123 Count With Me as Big Bird
- 1997: Sesame Street Fiesta as Oscar
- 1998: Big Bird Gets Lost as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1998: Mathmatazz A Sense For Cents as Cookie Monster
- 1998: A Brief History Of Motion Pictures as Oscar the Grouch/Big Bird
- 1999: Sesame Street Kids Favorite Songs as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2003: Sesame Street 4 D as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2004: Sesame Street A Magical Halloween Adventure as Big Bird
- 2004: Sesame Street A Celebration Of Me Grover as Big Bird/Oscar
- 2006: Guess That Shape And Color as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 2008: One World One Sky Big Birds Adventure as Big Bird
- 2016: Super Bowl 50 Dream On Remix as Big Bird
- 1988: Wow Youre A Cartoonist as Pickelepuss/Pop
Video Game Roles
- 1988: Sesame Street Oscars Letter Party as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1988: Lets Learn Together as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1990: Sesame Street: Big Bird's Hide and Speak as Big Bird
- 1991: Sesame Street Numbers as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1995: Sesame Street Lets Make A Word as Oscar/Big Bird
- 1996: Search And Learn Adventures as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1996: Sesame Street Get Set To Learn as Big Bird/Oscar
- 1997: Sesame Street Letters as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch
- 1998: Sesame Street Elmo Through The Looking Glass as Oscar the Grouch
- 1998: Sesame Street Grovers Travels as Big Bird
- 1999: Sesame Street The Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland as Oscar the Grouch
- 1999: Elmos Number Journey as Big Bird
- 2001: Sesame Street Sports as Big Bird
- 2006: Mack as Cookie Monster
- 2011: Sesame Street Once Upon A Monster as Oscar the Grouch
