Bob McGrath, original ‘Sesame Street’ actor and longtime star, dead at 90

Bob McGrath, an original “Sesame Street” cast member who appeared on the children’s show for more than four decades, died Sunday, his family announced.

The actor, who portrayed the human character Bob Johnson, was 90.

“He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family,” reads the announcement on McGrath’s Facebook page.

McGrath started on “Sesame Street” when it premiered in 1969 and appeared on more than 450 episodes before his last in 2017.

His character was one of the four original humans in the educational show’s primarily puppet cast, along with Matt Robinson’s Gordon, Loretta Long’s Susan and Will Lee’s Mr. Hooper.

“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,” Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the show, tweeted late Sunday.

“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.”

McGrath, who is survived by his wife and five kids, got his master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music after attending the University of Michigan as an undergrad.

Most of his “Sesame Street” tenure coincided with Long’s stint on the show from 1969 to 2016.

With News Wire Services