Bob McGrath, the original “Sesame Street” cast member who was on the beloved children’s show for 47 seasons, has died at the age of 90. facebook post from his family.
McGrath appeared as himself in the show’s pilot in 1969 and remained on the show until his retirement in 2017. Happy and you know it.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of McGrath as a beloved member of the Sesame Street family. “A founding performer, Bob embodied the tunes of Sesame Street like no other, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world, whether teaching them their ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or The simple joy of feeling the music in their hearts. A respected artist around the world, Bob’s rich career has filled the airwaves and concert halls from Las Vegas to Saskatchewan to Tokyo. We will always be grateful for his many years of passionate creative contributions to Sesame Street. Will be grateful and honored that he shared so much of his life with us.
McGrath’s fellow “Sesame Street” cast Alan Muraoka wrote in a touching Facebook post, along with a picture of the two. “Words cannot begin to express what Bob means to me: a role model, a mentor, a friend,” he wrote. “His kindness and wicked humor were such a joy, and I loved him dearly. We all gathered in July to wish him a happy 90th birthday, and that was the last time Herb and I saw him. Relax my friend. You did well. #alanathoopers #Sesame Street #bobmcgrath #rest in peace #icon,,
Born in Ottawa, Illinois, McGrath earned a music degree from the University of Michigan, where she sang in the university’s glee club. Prior to joining “Sesame Street”, he performed with Mitch Miller on the NBC TV series “Sing Along with Mitch” and became a best-selling recording artist in Japan singing folk songs in Japanese. His work overseas led to appearances on the game show “To Tell the Truth” and “I’ve Got a Secret”.
Along with the main PBS series, McGrath appeared in various “Sesame Street” computer games, movies, and specials including the feature film “Follow That Bird”. Even after leaving the show, he continued to appear in events organized by Sesame Workshop to promote children’s education.
McGrath is survived by his wife, Ann, five children and eight grandchildren.