Actor Bob McGrath, known for his 47-season run on Sesame Street, has died at the age of 90. According to TMZ, McGrath’s family announced his death on his Facebook, writing, “Hello Facebook friends, the McGrath family has some sad news to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.” McGrath was a longtime veteran of Sesame Street, having made his debut in the 1969 pilot and continuing on until 2017. McGrath’s Sesame Street co-star, Emilio Delgado (Luis on the show), also died earlier this year, meaning we’ve lost two beloved stars of the show.
Actor Bob McGrath’s Memorable Run on ‘Sesame Street’
McGrath played a huge role in the 47 seasons he was on Sesame Street. He brought a musical element to the show, contributing original songs such as “People in Your Neighborhood” and “Sing a Song.” He also appeared in numerous specials, sing-a-longs, stand-alone films, and video games. In a 2015 interview, McGrath said his favorite Sesame Street specials were “Christmas Eve on Sesame Street” and “Goodbye Mr. Hooper.” The latter is one of the most iconic Sesame Street specials for teaching children how to deal with death, which the cast was doing when their co-star Will Lee, who played Mr. Hooper, passed away.
In the last few years, Sesame Street has lost much of its original cast from over 50 years ago. Carroll Spinney, who portrayed Big Bird, died just three years ago. For the many generations who grew up with the franchise, these losses are like losing family members.
Despite these losses, the Sesame Street franchise continues to thrive, with 53 seasons to its name. Still, this doesn’t ease the sadness of losing a figure we felt was a part of our childhood. Actor Bob McGrath was a Sesame Street legend. The Nerd Stash wishes his family well, and we send our condolences to all his loved ones.