For 46 years, Caroll Spinney has been playing “Sesame Street’s” Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch – and at 81 years old, he has no intention of stopping. A loving portrait of the man in the yellow suit, “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story” features extraordinary footage of Spinney’s earliest collaborations with Jim Henson as it traces his journey from bullied child to childhood icon. And as the yellow feathers give way to grey hair, it is the man, not the puppet, who will steal your heart.
In the exclusive clip above, fellow “Sesame Street” cast members Dr. Loretta Long and Bob McGrath recall a hilarious issue with a microphone, a couple of randy truckers and Bid Bird being stabbed in the neck (okay, not actually stabbed, just watch the clip.)
“I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story” hit iTunes on May 5, select theaters on May 6 and will expand to more theaters on May 15. There will also be a live Q&A with Caroll and Debra Spinney, filmmakers Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker and Oscar the Grouch at the Brattle Theater in Boston on May 15. Tickets are available here.
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