Decades of Sesame Street Star Bob McGrath Dies At 90!
Bob McGrath, a well-known actor, singer, and children’s book author who played one of the earliest recurring characters on the children’s television program “Sesame Street,” has passed away at the age of 90.
On Sunday, the McGrath family announced his demise on his Facebook page: “The McGrath family has some terrible news to share. Today, Bob McGrath, our father, died away. At home, surrounded by his loved ones, he passed away quietly.
Bob McGrath was a cherished part of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years, as stated in a tweet from Sesame Workshop on Sunday night.
When “Sesame Street” first aired in 1969, Bob McGrath played the role of amiable neighbor Bob Johnson as a member of the show’s original cast. In 2017, he made his last appearance on the program, capping a career that spanned almost five decades on “Sesame Street.”
The actor was born and raised in Illinois and attended the University of Michigan and Manhattan School of Music to study music. Additionally, he sang in the 1960s television program “Sing Along With Mitch” and began a fruitful singing career in Japan.
An admired singer all around the world, Bob’s deep baritone frequently filled concert halls and radio waves from Las Vegas to Saskatchewan to Tokyo, according to Sesame Workshop. We appreciate his years of passionately creating for Sesame Street and are happy he shared much of his life with us.
His wife, Ann Logan Sperry, and their five children are left behind. This story has been updated to reflect McGrath’s attendance at the University of Michigan rather than Maryland.
Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of Bob McGrath, a beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years.
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— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) December 5, 2022
Sesame Workshop paid tribute to Bob McGrath in a statement following his passing, calling him a “valued member of the Sesame Street family for almost 50 years.” According to the information, “Bob represented the songs of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of kids throughout the world, whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple delight of experiencing music in their hearts.”
“Bob McGrath was a well-known artist who frequently filled concert halls and radio waves worldwide, from Saskatchewan to Tokyo to Las Vegas. We are grateful that he spent so many years giving his heart and soul to Sesame Street, and we are honored that he gave us so much of himself.”