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Caroll Spinney

Caroll Spinney

Actor · Died December 8, 2019, aged 85 · Waltham, Massachusetts, USA

Caroll Edwin Spinney (sometimes credited as Carroll Spinney or Ed Spinney; December 26, 1933 – December 9, 2019) was an American puppeteer most famous for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the children's television show Sesame Street.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 26, 1933
Died
December 8, 2019 (aged 85)
From
Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
45 on MovieCove · 100 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What are Caroll Spinney's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Bonds.

Genres

Family12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Family movies
Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Short3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Short movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
45%
Bonds
21%
Ideas
15%
Self
9%
Morality
6%
Survival
3%
Community24 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy5 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 30 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 12 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 2

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 29 · Charged 1 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 28 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 22 · Funny 7

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 27 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 30 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 11 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 11
Ally
5 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
25
Warm
25
Hopeful
9
Melancholic
3
Contemplative
3
Other
3

How their films linger

Feel-good27 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy26
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Caroll Spinney's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 45 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Caroll Spinney's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

100 credits, 45 with a MovieCove page; 15 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Jerry Nelson: A Celebratory Birthday Animatic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Big Bird (voice) / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Big Bird / Various Characters

  • Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas(2016)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Big Bird/Oscar

  • I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story(2014)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch / Self

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Numbers(2012)

    as Big Bird

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars(2012)

    as Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Michael Bublé Christmas(2011)

    as Oscar the Grouch

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Portlandia(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Sesame Street: Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures(2011)

    as Big Bird

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: The Best Pet in the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Big Bird

  • Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Sesame Street: Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Big Bird

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: All About Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Oscar The Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Bedtime with Elmo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian(2009)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Being Green (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 1 (1969-1974) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Big Bird

  • Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 2 (1974-1979) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Big Bird

  • Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 3 (1979-1984) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Big Bird

  • Abby in Wonderland(2008)

    as Oscar the Grouch as the Grouch of Hearts (voice)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Summer Vacation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Big Bird

  • Elmo's Christmas Countdown(2007)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: What Makes You Happy? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Big Bird

  • A Sesame Street Christmas Carol(2006)

    as Oscar the Grouch / Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • 1 vs. 100 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 7 episodes · as Oscar the Grouch

  • The Colbert Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Bird (uncredited)

  • Sesame Street: Big Bird Sings! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Sesame Street: A Celebration of Me, Grover(2004)

    as Big Bird / Oscar (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?(2004)

    as Big Bird / Oscar

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Cookie Monster's Best Bites (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Sesame Sings Karaoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch

  • Big Bird Gets Lost(1998)

    as Big Bird / Oscar (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!(2002)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Elmo Visits the Firehouse(2002)

    as Oscar The Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word Play(2002)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice) (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Scrubs(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf(2000)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street: Let's Make Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Big Bird / Oscar

  • Sesame Street: Elmo's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch ("Music" segment)

  • The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland(1999)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Bird

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Sing and Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch (archive footage)

  • Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs(1999)

    as Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Unpaved (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 67 episodes · Actor

  • Sesame Street: CinderElmo(1999)

    as Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Elmopalooza!(1998)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Fiesta! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Quiet Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Sillier at the Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Get Up and Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Big Bird / Oscar (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas(1996)

    as Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Do the Alphabet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Elmocize (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Imagine That! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Kid's Guide to Life: Learning to Share (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch

  • All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!(1994)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street Stays Up Late!(1993)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration(1993)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years: A Musical Celebration! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Big Bird and Oscar

  • Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey(1993)

    as Dog in Pound (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Getting Ready to Read (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Big Bird / Oscar (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Sing, Hoot & Howl with the Sesame Street Animals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson(1990)

    as Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Jim Henson's Memorial Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Actor

  • Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Monster Hits! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music(1990)

    as Big Bird

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Wow, You're A Cartoonist! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Picklepuss / Pop

  • Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie(1988)

    as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch/Bruno the Trashman (voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Big Bird in Japan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • A Muppet Family Christmas(1987)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Big Bird's Story Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Big Bird

  • Sesame Street: Sing Along (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Big Bird and Oscar

  • Sesame Street: Learning About Letters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years(1986)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Sesame Street: Learning About Numbers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Big Bird (voice)

  • Follow That Bird(1985)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch / Bruno the Trashman (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Night of 100 Stars II(1985)

    as Big Bird

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art(1983)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Big Bird in China (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Story · as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • The Great Muppet Caper(1981)

    as Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Muppet Movie(1979)

    as Big Bird (voice)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Presenting Susan Anton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Walking Tour of Sesame Street(1979)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Special Sesame Street Christmas(1978)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Christmas Eve on Sesame Street(1978)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Big Bird

  • The Muppet Show(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Bird

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Out to Lunch(1974)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Julie on Sesame Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Big Bird/ Oscar the Grouch (voice)

  • Sesame Street(1969)

    Show 3,538 episodes · as Bennett Snerf · as Big Bird · as Cookie Monster · as Oscar the Grouch · as Sam the Robot

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • This Way to Sesame Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Big Bird

  • Sesame Street 1986 Wrap Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Big Bird / Oscar the Grouch

  • Sesame Street: Big Bird's Favorite Party Games (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Big Bird

  • Sesame Street: Ernie's Little Lie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Big Bird

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 99 titles, 96 of them dated from 1969 to 2022; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

Follow That Bird (1985)

$14M worldwide

Highest rated

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration (1993)

Film career

19692022

Peak 2015 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting99 of 99: 98 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thWriting1 of 99: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s2 · acting1970s9 · acting1980s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew1990s27 · acting2000s32 · acting2010s10 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 29% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Caroll Spinney's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 40; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 45 titles are Divisive.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Loved with Detractors3
  • Divisive9
  • Cult Classic8
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? (2004)

97th percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 68, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Caroll Spinney work with?

People who share at least 2 of Caroll Spinney's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jerry Nelson shares the most, 20.

Directors

  • J. Squires Emily11 titles · 10 as director    See all 11 shared titles with J. Squires Emily
  • Jon Stone9 titles · 8 as director    See all 9 shared titles with Jon Stone
  • Ted May6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Ted May
  • Victor DiNapoli5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Victor DiNapoli

Writers

  • Tony Geiss9 titles · 7 as writer    See all 9 shared titles with Tony Geiss
  • Christine Ferraro5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Christine Ferraro
  • Norman Stiles5 titles    See all 5 shared titles with Norman Stiles
  • Lou Berger4 titles    See all 4 shared titles with Lou Berger

Actors

  • Jerry Nelson20 titles    See newest 12 of 20 shared titles with Jerry Nelson
  • Frank Oz14 titles    See newest 12 of 14 shared titles with Frank Oz
  • Fran Brill14 titles    See newest 12 of 14 shared titles with Fran Brill
  • David Rudman12 titles    See all 12 shared titles with David Rudman

Composers and editors

Producers

  • Karin Young Shiel9 titles    See all 9 shared titles with Karin Young Shiel
  • Arlene Sherman8 titles    See all 8 shared titles with Arlene Sherman
  • Nancy Kanter7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with Nancy Kanter
  • Dionne Lynn Nosek6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Dionne Lynn Nosek