Big Bird is a Muppet character designed by Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love for the children's television show Sesame Street. An anthropomorphic bright yellow flightless bird hence his name, he can roller skate, ice skate, dance, swim, sing, write poetry, draw, and ride a unicycle. Despite this wide array of talents, he is prone to frequent misunderstandings, on one occasion even singing the alphabet as a single word (pronouncing it as in the song "ABC-DEF-GHI"). He would refer to grocer Mr. Hooper as "Mr. Looper", among other mispronunciations. He lives in a large nest behind the 123 Sesame Street brownstone and right next to Oscar the Grouch's trash can. In Season 46, the nest sits within a small, furnished maple tree, and is no longer hidden by used construction doors. He has a teddy bear named Radar, and is friends with Mr. Snuffleupagus.
Caroll Spinney performed Big Bird from 1969 to 2018. Matt Vogel began as an understudy in 1996 before becoming the character's full-time performer in 2018.
In 2000, Big Bird was named a Living Legend by the United States Library of Congress.
Performing Big Bird Big Bird was performed by Caroll Spinney starting in 1969. In the later years of Spinney's career, the show gradually started training new performers to play Big Bird. The apprentices included both Rick Lyon in the opening theme song of the show's 33rd season, and later Matt Vogel in the show's "Journey to Ernie" segment. Vogel became Big Bird's primary performer after Spinney's retirement.
Spinney was sick during the taping of a few first-season episodes, so Daniel Seagren took over the role. He also performed Big Bird when he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969 and on Hollywood Squares in the 1970s. According to The Story of Jim Henson by Stephanie St. Pierre, the costume was built for Jim Henson to perform, but when Henson tried it on, Kermit Love, who had built the costume, did not think that Henson was walking like a bird is supposed to walk, and so Henson decided not to perform Big Bird. Frank Oz was offered the part, but since he disliked performing full-body characters, he turned down the job.Stephanie St. Pierre. The Story of Jim Henson, Creator of the Muppets. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991. .
Director Jon Stone, in the 1994 documentary The World of Jim Henson, revealed that the Big Bird costume actually did not have any openings that would allow the actor to see; a small television was strapped to the actor's chest to allow him to navigate.Jon Stone, Director/Writer. The World of Jim Henson (1994) The camera was set up for Spinney by technician Walt Rauffer, on the suggestion of director Bob Myhrum. Rauffer rigged the camera to a harness strapped to Spinney's chest; Spinney reported that they called the camera "the electronic bra". When Big Bird's performer is performing on location and cannot get a video feed, a small hole is made in the costume to allow him to see. In such cases, Big Bird wears a necktie to cover the hole. This can also be seen in the Sesame Street Live shows.
In scenes where Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch (both characters performed by Spinney) interact in a scene together, the situation has varied depending on the number of lines one or the other is given. When Spinney performed Big Bird, a second puppeteer operated Oscar to Spinney's vocals. Beginning in 1997, Vogel would operate Big Bird and Oscar was performed by Spinney as usual until 2015.
In 2015, due to being diagnosed with dystonia, Spinney no longer puppeteers the Big Bird suit full-time. Matt Vogel took over puppetry duties, manipulating the puppet to Spinney's vocals (either pre-recorded, dubbed in post-production, or provided live on set). Spinney continued to provide Big Bird's voice on the series for seasons 46 and 47, as well as select commercials, online videos, and the special Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas. Afterwards, Spinney entered semi-retirement, and Matt Vogel fully assumed the role. Despite this, Spinney continued to receive onscreen credit for playing the characters through Season 50.
On October 17, 2018, Spinney announced his official retirement from both his characters. The following day, he recorded his final performances as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch as part of Episode 5022 for the series' landmark 50th anniversary.
Costume and portrayal
Big Bird was designed by a drawing from Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love in 1969. The design was based on a previous Henson creation, a dragon that the puppeteer created for a La Choy advertising campaign. The Big Bird performer is completely enclosed within the costume, and extends their right hand over their head to operate the head and neck of the puppet. The Muppeteer's left hand serves as Big Bird's left wing, while the right wing is stuffed and hangs loosely from a fishing line that runs through a loop under the neck and attaches to the wrist of the left hand. The right hand thus does the opposite of the left hand: as the left hand goes down, the right hand is pulled up by the fishing line. A secondary Muppeteer would be used in scenes where Big Bird uses both his wings or holds something in the right wing. The Muppeteer also moves Big Bird’s eyelids using a trigger controlled by their pinky finger.
Big Bird's body suit weighs ten pounds, and his head weighs four pounds. According to writer Louise Gikow, the heat inside the suit is "unbearable, and it's extraordinarily difficult to hold Big Bird's head."
Different versions of Big Bird are portrayed in some international versions of Sesame Street. For example, the Dutch version has a blue bird named Pino. In the Latin American version (Plaza Sésamo), Big Bird's parrot cousin, Abelardo Montoya, is featured. He appears similar to Big Bird, but he is green.
Big Bird's appearance has changed over the years, as has his personality. He originally had very few feathers on the top of his head; his body feathers were also more shaggy and unkempt. As time went on he gradually gained more feathers on his head, giving it a more rounded appearance, and developed a blaze-like crest of lighter yellow feathers above his eyes. His body feathers got fluffier, rounder and more well groomed as well. His personality developed over time from a more dopey and "bird-brained" character into the gentle, childlike innocent he is known as today. Although all the Sesame Street Muppet characters are technically ageless, Big Bird is psychologically written to represent a six-year-old.
The costume is partially assembled by company American Plume & Fancy Feather, using the tail feathers from turkeys; as the feathers are rarely clean, company owner Anthony Trento calls the Big Bird costume his "toughest customer". Sesame Workshop is said to reject roughly 90 percent of all the feathers selected for use on the costume.
International versions (adaptations) Country / Region Big Bird's cousin Description PerformerGaribaldo Original version was bright blue, with a long pointed beak and blue-striped legs; 2007 introduced a yellow version identical to the American Big BirdLaerte Morrone (1972–1977)Fernando Gomes (2007–2014)Hugo Picchi (2009)Falcon Mantovani (2019)大鸟 (Da Niao) (Big Bird) Identical to American versionZhu MingToccata Grey-white with brown brows, resembling a seagull or albatrossLucien MorisseClaude Sonneville (singing voice)Abelardo Montoya Bright green with a pink throat, red face and parrot-like beakAlberto Estrella (1981–1992)Héctor Marquez (1992–1995)Eugenio Bartilotti (1995–2004)Héctor Loeza (2004–present)Pino Pale blue with yellow rings around eyes and multicolored feathered "sprigs" from top of head.Dirk Grijspeirt (1976)Theo Joling (1977)Bert Plagman (1979)Erik J. Meijer (1980–1984)Leo Dijkgraaf (1984–1991)Renée Menschaar (1991–present)Poupas Orange with white and brown on faceLuís VelezCaponata Primarily orange and yellow feathers on body; red-and-white striped legs, red shoes with bows. Wears a curly pink wig.Emma CohenMinik Kuş Orange with pink feathers on faceHakan Odabaşı
Select filmography
Sesame Street (1969–present) (TV) Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978) (TV) A Special Sesame Street Christmas (1978) (TV) The Muppet Show ... episode #318 (1979) (TV, Crossover with The Muppets) The Muppet Movie (1979) (Crossover with The Muppets) Big Bird in China (1983) (TV) Don't Eat the Pictures (1983) (TV) The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) (Cameo during the wedding finale) Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird (1985) Sesame Street: Play-Along Games and Songs (1986) The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1986) (TV, Crossover with The Muppets) A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) (TV, Crossover with The Muppets) Sesame Street: Magic on Sesame Street (1988) Count It Higher: Great Music Videos From Sesame Street (1988) Big Bird in Japan (1989) (TV) The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (1990) (TV, Crossover with The Muppets) Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake (1991) (TV) Sesame Street Stays Up Late (1993) (TV) Sesame Street: Big Bird Sings! (1995) Elmo Saves Christmas (1996) (TV) Sesame Street: Get Up and Dance (1997) Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs (1999) The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999) Sesame Street: Let's Make Music (2000) Elmo's Musical Adventure: The Story of Peter and the Wolf (2001) Sesame Beginnings (2006–2007) The Furchester Hotel ... episodes #201 and #216 (2016) (TV) The Magical Wand Chase (2017) (TV) Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate (2020) (TV) The ABCs of COVID-19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents (2020) (TV) Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy (2021) (TV) See Us Coming Together - A Sesame Street Special (2021) (TV)
Guest appearances Source: The Electric Company ... episode #131 (1972) Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1974–present) Hollywood Squares (1976–1977, 2000, 2001) Mister Rogers' Neighborhood ... episode #1483 (1981) Kids Like These (1987) Hey Hey, It's Saturday (1995) Soul Man (1998) The West Wing (2004) Jeopardy! (2006) Deal or No Deal (2006) A Capitol Fourth (2009) Jimmy Kimmel Live (2009) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2011) Saturday Night Live (2012, 2015) The Colbert Report (2013, 2014) Super Bowl 50 (2016) The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) The Late Late Show with James Corden (2019) The Drew Barrymore Show (2020)
Commercials Source: Kmart (1997, 1999, 2003) Ford (1998) Ad Council (1990s, 2024) NBA (2003) IBM (2016, 2018) Doordash (2021)
Species The book “G” is for Growing: Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street cites a producer of Sesame Street who refers to Big Bird as a canary. In the series 11 episode, "Mister Rogers Talks about Competition" of the show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Big Bird was asked by King Friday XIII if he was related to the cassowary; he replied, "I'm actually a Golden Condor." On the January 23, 1976 episode of Hollywood Squares, Big Bird was asked what kind of bird he is and said he was a lark, causing host Peter Marshall to crack up. In the film Don't Eat the Pictures, Osiris calls Big Bird an ibis. Zoologist Mike Dickison suggested in his popular Pechakucha talk that Big Bird represents a unique species that evolved from the whooping crane. For decades, Oscar the Grouch has been calling Big Bird a turkey, more as an insult rather than a reference to his species. Big Bird is always described as being flightless.
US politics During the first presidential debate on October 3, 2012, Mitt Romney used Big Bird as an example of spending cuts he would make to reduce the federal budget deficit. Romney told the moderator, Jim Lehrer, "I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually like you, too. But I'm not going to – I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for. That's number one."