Bob McGrath, Longtime ‘Sesame Street’ Star, Dead at 90
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Bob McGrath, one of Sesame Street’s first human characters appearing as Bob Johnson in its pilot in 1969, died on Sunday at age 90, his family confirmed on social media.
“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,” the family posted on Facebook Sunday.
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McGrath was an original cast member, and played the recurring character Bob Johnson and Sesame Street’s resident music teacher since its inception until 2016. However, he continued to appear at public events for the series, including numerous Comic Cons, where he would meet with fans.
Born on June 13, 1932 and reared in Ottawa, Illinois, he was musically-inclined from the start, singing for family and eventually majoring in music at University of Michigan. While attending U of M, he was a member of its Glee Club. He later pursued and received a master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music, where he focused on Voice.
Prior to joining Sesame Street as a cast member, he featured on Mitch Miller’s series, Sing Along With Mitch, and later released a string of albums in Japan where he became a bit of a teen music sensation under the name “Bobu Magulas,” which he revealed during a 1966 episode of To Tell the Truth.
In 1969, he joined Sesame Street, where he starred in a multitude of productions beyond the series — from holiday specials to film offshoots. His cast member tenure officially ended in 2016, after the show announced he would not return for its 47th season as the series was being retooled, though he continued to rep the show during subsequent in-person appearances.
The actor-singer released eight children’s albums and received several accolades for his work with children, including receiving a Distinguished Service Award for his decades of service by the Variety Children’s Charity Telethon in British Columbia.
He released his last music compilation, Bob’s Favorite Sing Along Songs in 2013, which includes classic sing-along childhood tracks such as “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “Wheels on the Bus,” and “Sing,” a signature Sesame Street track that became a hit for the Carpenters in 1973.
In 2010, his alma mater University of Michigan honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2013, he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of Manhattan School of Music.
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