Caroll Spinney Biography

Fast Facts

• Created a show titled Rascal Rabbit in 1955
• Served in the Air Force after college
• Began his puppetry career in 1958 on The Judy and Goggle Show
• Met Jim Henson after he watched Spinney perform at a 1969 Salt Lake City puppet festival; Henson offered him a place on Sesame Street, playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
• Was declared a living legend by The Library of Congress in 2000
• Published his memoir, The Wisdom of Big Bird in 2003
• Was the commencement speaker at Villanova University in 2004
• Received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2006