Bob McGrath, actor, musician and children’s author widely known for his portrayal of one of the early regular characters on the children’s show Sesame Streetdied at the age of 90.
Mr McGrath’s death was confirmed by his family who posted on their Facebook page on Sunday: “The McGrath family have sad news to share. Our father, Bob McGrath, passed away today. He passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. »
The non-profit educational organization behind Sesame StreetSesame Workshop, tweeted on Sunday evening that he “mourns the passing of Bob McGrath, a beloved member of the family Sesame Street for more than 50 years”.
Mr. McGrath was one of the founding cast members of Sesame Street when the series premiered in 1969, playing friendly neighbor Bob Johnson. He made his last appearance on the show in 2017, marking a figure of almost five decades in the world of Sesame Street.
The actor grew up in Illinois and studied music at the University of Michigan and the Manhattan School of Music. He was also a singer in the 1960s series Sing Along With Mitch and he launched a successful overseas singing career in Japan.
“A performer revered the world over, Bob’s wealthy tenor has filled the airwaves and concert halls from Las Vegas to Saskatchewan to Tokyo on multiple occasions,” Sesame Workshop said. 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. »
He is survived by his wife, Ann Logan Sperry, and their five children.