Editing Big Bird (section)

==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 (puppeteer)|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 performed Big Bird in those episodes.<ref name="Daniel Seagren"/> He also performed Big Bird when he appeared on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' in 1969 and on ''[[Hollywood Squares]]'' in the 1970s.<ref name="Daniel Seagren"/> 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.<ref>Stephanie St. Pierre. ''The Story of Jim Henson, Creator of the Muppets''. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991. {{ISBN|0-440-40453-3}}.</ref>
[[File:Big Bird puppeteer monitor harness, 1970s -1.jpg|thumb|Harness with small monitor worn by Caroll Spinney when performing Big Bird in the 1970s]]
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.<ref>Jon Stone, Director/Writer. ''The World of Jim Henson'' (1994)</ref> 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".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gikow|first=Louise A.|title=Sesame Street: A Celebration— Forty Years of Life on the Street|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|year=2009|location=New York|page=36|isbn=978-1-57912-638-4}}</ref> 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 puppeteered 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, though, when the episode aired, none of his vocals were kept in.<ref>{{cite news|last=Itzoff|first=Dave|title=Original Big Bird, Caroll Spinney, Leaves 'Sesame Street' After Nearly 50 Years|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/arts/television/sesame-street-big-bird.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 17, 2018|access-date=October 17, 2018}}</ref> Spinney's final vocal performance as Big Bird to air was in the cold open for Episode 4920.