The official "Sesame Street" Twitter page paid tribute to Spinney with a gallery of photos from his last day on the set. The pics show Spinney and his wife, Debra, being celebrated by emotional cast and crew members.
The heart and soul of "Sesame Street" since it launched in 1969, Spinney said in a statement released bySesame Workshopthat playing Big Bird helped him discover his life's purpose.
"Before I came to 'Sesame Street,' I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important,'' Spinney said. "Big Bird helped me find my purpose. Even as I step down from my roles, I feel I will always be Big Bird. And even Oscar, once in a while!
"They have given me great joy, led me to my true calling — and my wonderful wife! — and created a lifetime of memories that I will cherish forever."
Puppeteer Caroll Spinney retired Friday after nearly 50 years of playing the iconic characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on "Sesame Street."Getty Images
Spinney's puppeteering talents were recognized by legendary Muppets creator Jim Henson, who hand-picked him to be on the show.
In 1973, Spinney met Debra on "Sesame Street" when she was working for Children's Television Workshop. The pair wed in 1979.
Caroll Spinney and Oscar the Grouch were all smiles at the Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards in 2006.Getty Images
Though he stopped puppeteering in 2015 due to the physical requirements, he continued doing the voices for Big Bird and Oscar,The New York Timesreported.
"I was one of those kind of kids who wanted to do the right thing, so that's what Big Bird is always trying to be, is trying to be a good kid,''he told Jenna Bush Hager on TODAYin 2015. "It's so fun to play something that you know when children see him, they melt in just the right way."
The six-time Emmy winner and two-time Grammy winner also got the chance to adopt a different persona when playing irascible Oscar the Grouch.
"Oscar's kind of cool,'' he said on TODAY. "It's fun to play somebody very different than one side.
"On the other hand, Big Bird is my kid," he added. "In some ways, I love him best."
Jonathan Knight of New Kids on the Block lands his own HGTV pilot
We're hangin' tough in anticipation for this!
byMolly Thomson//Source:TODAY
Jonathan Knight (far right) poses with fellow New Kids on the Block members Danny Wood, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Donnie Wahlberg.Taylor Hill / Getty Images
A New Kid is coming to HGTV.
Jonathan Knight — member of the Boston-bred boy band New Kids on the Block, with brother Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre and Danny Wood — is bringing his passion for house restoration to the home design channel for a new pilot, "Farmhouse Fixer."
Knight took to Instagram Friday to make the announcement to fans.
"It’s been an amazing journey getting here," he wrote alongside a photo of a headline revealing the news. "Looking forward to sharing this pilot with everyone."
In "Farmhouse Fixer," Knight "will take fans step-by-step when he restores a centuries-old New England farmhouse,"according to a press release, and will preserve the house's "historic charm" while adding a "modern layout with high-end amenities."
Jonathan Knight's HGTV pilot, "Farmhouse Fixer," is slated to air in 2019.Steve Jennings / Getty Images
“Old farmhouses are American treasures,” Knight said in a release statement. “Most have been in the same family for 200 years and have never been renovated. And they’re disappearing fast. If we don’t save them, they’re going to be gone.”
Knight has renovated over 200 houses in 20 years, the release also noted. And he has highlighted some of those homes on his Instagram feed.
Looks like Knight's going to be a busy man between this exciting new gig and theMixtape Tourwith his bandmates! At least this way, for those of us who can't make the 53-city tour, we can still hang tough with Jonathan.
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