Bob McGrath dies aged 90: Sesame Street actor dies ‘peacefully at home surrounded by family’
Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath has died at the age of 90.
News of the legendary actor’s death was shared by family members on his official Facebook page on Sunday, who said he “died peacefully at home surrounded by his family”.
McGrath was one of the original human stars on the educational children’s show. He is survived by his wife Ann Logan Sperry, their five children and eight grandchildren.
Farewell to an icon: Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath has passed away at the age of 90; Pictured 2008
Born on June 13, 1932 in Ottawa, Illinois, McGrath was known as a talented musician and author in addition to his acting skills.
He was a recurring cast member on Sesame Street and appeared in the show’s first episode in 1969, playing a human character named Bob Johnson.
He appeared on the show for 47 more seasons.
Peacefully: News of the actor’s death was shared by family members on his Facebook page on Sunday, who said he “died peacefully at home surrounded by his family”; Pictured 2013
His time on Sesame Street came to an end in 2017 and his last episode was called “Having a Ball”.
During his time on the show, McGrath provided educational instruction to the children through his interactions with the puppets.
He also brought original music to the show, featuring songs such as People in Your Neighborhood, Sing a Song, If You’re Happy And You Know It, and the show’s theme song.
From the beginning: McGrath was one of the original human stars on the educational children’s show and appeared on Sesame Street for 47 seasons; (L-R) McGrath, Matt Robinson, Will Lee and Loretta Long
After quitting his screen role on the show in 2017, he continued to work for Sesame Workshop, the company that operates the franchise, and served as an attorney by attending the show’s public events.
McGrath has starred in multiple Sesame Street productions including movies, video games, holiday specials and more.
In 2021 he made his last appearance in the documentary film Sesame Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.
McGrath was also a children’s book author, writing books such as “Uh Oh! Must go!’ and ‘Oops! Excuse me, please!’
A Lifetime Commitment: After quitting his screen role on the show in 2017, he continued to work for the Sesame Workshop and acted as an attorney