Bob McGrath: Iconic 'Sesame Street' original cast member dies at 90
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In one of the most devastating news coming from the entertainment industry, iconic actor Bob McGrath, who appeared as Bob on 'Sesame Street' and became a household name, has died. He was 90. The actor played the role for almost 50 years and was responsible for several memorable moments on the show.
The news of his death was confirmed by his family members via a Facebook post, which noted that McGrath died peacefully at home and was surrounded by his family when he passed away. The post read, "Hello Facebook friends, the McGrath family has some sad news to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family."
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Sesame Workshop also shared a statement on Facebook and mourned the loss of the "beloved member" of the franchise. The statement noted that McGrath's melodies "brought happiness" to generations of children around the world.
"Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world, whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple joy of feeling music in their hearts," the statement read on the workshop's official Facebook page.
The statement concluded by noticing that the entire shown and it's members will always be "grateful" for everything that he has done for 'Sesame Street'. The statement added, "We will be forever grateful for his many years of passionate creative contributions to Sesame Street and honored that he shared so much of his life with us."
Born on June 13, 1932 , McGrath began his professional career in 1960 when he worked with Mitch Miller on NBC's 'Sing Along with Mitch' for four season between 1960-1964. The artist started to have a massive following in Japan after he released several successful albums of several folk songs and ballads in Japanese. However, in 1969, he played Bob Johnson for the first time on 'Sesame Street' and never looked back. He would go on to portray the role of the music teacher for five decades. During his time on the show, he gave several memorable performances and even appeared in a lot of events that were tied to 'Sesame Street'.
Apart from making music, he also wrote many children's books, including 'Uh Oh! Gotta Go!' and 'OOPS! Excuse Me Please!'
McGrath is survived by his wife Ann, five children, and eight grandchildren.