According to his loved ones, Bob McGrath, one of the first human stars of ‘Sesame Street,’ and a lifelong mainstay on the show for years, has died.
The actor’s family announced the terrible news on his official Facebook page on Sunday… “Our father, Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.”
McGrath will be most known as a recurrent cast member of the iconic kid’s programme… having originally appeared on the show in the 1960s. He played himself in the pilot in 1969 and went on to work in an additional 47 seasons. He left ‘Sesame Street’ in 2017; his final episode was ‘Having a Ball.’
His contributions to ‘Sesame Street’ cannot be overstated… he not only provided educational lessons for kids through his conversations with the puppets, but he also added a musical element to the show, with original songs like “People in Your Neighborhood,” “Sing a Song,” “If You’re Happy And You Know It,” and even the ‘SS’ theme song.
While Bob has moved away from being on-screen for ‘Sesame Street’ in recent years, he has continued to work with Sesame Workshop, the business that owns the series, by attending public events and acting as an advocate.
Over the years, Bob has appeared in several ‘Sesame Street’ products, including stand-alone films, sing-alongs, Christmas specials, video games, and more. He was one of the series’ longest-serving human adult cast members. His wife and children survive him.