Sesame Street: The Real Reason Oscar The Grouch's Original Voice Actor Was Replaced
"Sesame Street" has been a staple of the television landscape for longer than many viewers have even been alive. With the educational children's series having got its start all the way back in 1969, over 50 seasons of the beloved show have aired over the last five decades, offering an episode count of over 4,600 along the way.
Naturally, many memorable characters from the series have made their way into the hearts of fans over so many years. Though Elmo, Grover, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster are among the most famous, there's one green curmudgeon who has been glowering his way through "Sesame Street" since the beginning.
Oscar the Grouch pretty much has the attitude you would expect of a guy who lives in a trashcan, and he's become an easy standout on "Sesame Street" as a result. For 50 years, Caroll Spinney voiced the character before retiring in October 2018. The actor — who also provided the voice for Big Bird — died of dystonia a little over a year later, in December 2019.
Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird live on through Eric Jacobsen
Caroll Spinney didn't just voice these two iconic characters on "Sesame Street"; he was also the puppeteer behind their movements, even if he needed a little help when both characters were in a scene together. While Matt Vogel took over as Big Bird's performer in 2015, Spinney held onto the character of Oscar the Grouch for a bit longer.
Eric Jacobson had worked as Spinney's understudy for the role four years prior to his passing and, as such, had learned a lot about the performer's work. As such, Jacobson has taken over for Spinney seamlessly, allowing Oscar the Grouch to continue to appear on "Sesame Street."
Jacobson has also voiced and performed other iconic characters like Miss Piggy, Fozzy Bear, Bert, and Grover over the years, meaning he was more than up to the task of taking on Oscar the Grouch. While the performers behind these beloved characters might sadly fade away with time, "Sesame Street" will always be a well-populated place so long as there are talented individuals like him to step up and take over.