Amanda Ross – Secretary

amr8469@psu.edu

Caroll Spinney died Dec. 8, 2019, yet his legacy remains as one of the most illustrious and loved figures within the entertainment industry. As Season 55 of Sesame Street continues to hang in limbo, it is worth it to consider what was so special about not only the show, but the performance of Spinney. 

Caroll Spinney joined the Sesame workshop in 1969 during the inception of Sesame Street, having already gained the attention of Jim Henson for a series of performances earlier that year. He was assigned to be the puppeteer of Big Bird, a eight foot puppet that required five foot ten Spinney to maneuver in an unnatural way.

Big Bird’s puppet himself was and is an engineering marvel. The puppet sits on the performer as if a very large down coat. As mentioned before, one hand is then extended into the head to move the two pieces of Big Bird’s beak up and down. However, a ring is attached to the index finger which when pulled moves his eyelids, giving the puppet an added layer of expression. A fishing wire attached to the left arm travels up, attaches to the chin, and then is also attached on the right arm. This acts as a counterbalance, and lets the puppeteer move both arms at once. A monitor is strapped to the performer’s chest, which broadcasts a live feed of the recording so they are able to be aware of their surroundings. The complexity of the suit is part of the reason training new Big Bird’s is so time consuming. Spinney, being the first puppeteer to tackle the character, was allowed to customize Big Bird’s mannerism and voice. 

The high-pitched, soft spoken Big Bird gave life to the shy, often overlooked character in children’s programming. Rather than being forced to ignore fear for the nebulous concept of bravery, Big Bird was and still is given space to process without shame or guilt. Sesame Street allowed Big Bird to advance in courage and understanding with unconditional support, and the knowledge the adults around him were there for him if he failed. The innocent love for new things, and the capricious nature of the character gave children not just a role model, but a peer. A peer with which they could grow and learn without repercussion. This personality is attributed almost exclusively to Spinney’s performance, and the show owes him an enumerable debt. 

The life and passion Spinney imbued into Big Bird lives on in both the performance of his apprentices and the hearts of once-children across America. While it is not clear when Sesame Street will resume, it is almost guaranteed that when it does, the characters Spinney shaped will return with it.