Big Bird
Well, you all know me! But for the ones who don�t know me at all (hard to believe though) let me tell you about how it all started!

Big Bird is the Muppet, Sesame Street revolved arround. He was a regular on Sesamestreet, New York, USA since the shows premiere on Novemer 10, 1969.. Although, before 11-10-69, the show had already started as an experiment starring the following actors; Mr Hooper (Will Lee), Gordon (Matt Robinson in those days), Susan (Loretta Long) and Bob (Bob McGrath). And the Muppets; Kermit, Ernie, Bert and an un-named Cookie monster.

The first Big Bird ever build (see picture #1) was a big dissappointment to his performer Caroll Spinney.
It also didn�t have a little monitor inside for Caroll to see how Big Bird was doing. The monitor shows exactly how the audience would see Big Bird.
In those days big Bird spoke with a Yokel accent and was kind of stupid.

After season 1 Henson�s build a new Big Bird (see picture #2) and Caroll was pleased with this one. After this he dropped his Yokel accent, his stupidity and Big Bird became a giant pre-schooler. At first the new Big Bird was 3 years old (like his Dutch brother Pino), but eventually turned 6 years old. Big Bird then got a monitor inside him, so Caroll could see how the Bird was doing.

Due to aging, in 1993, the Muppet Workshop made yet another new Big Bird (see picture #3) and this is the Big Bird his fans can see today.

Although Big Bird was performed by Caroll Spinney ever since day 1, Henon�s original idea was to have Frank Oz (Bert, Cookie monster and lots of other muppets voices) perform him. But Frank did not want to...
Big bird is a currious bird who has a lot of friends. For start there was little bird.
He flew into the street  in 1970 and was a  lot arround Big Bird. They had a kind of familie bounding together.
Little Bird stayed in the show until mid 80�s.

Then came Mr. Aloysius Snuffleupagus.
Snuffy started out as Big Bird�s imaginary friend. He used to be invisible, which made the humans on Sesame Street think that Big Bird was delusional. They tried to tell him that Snuffy doesn�t exist. With this, Big Bird and Snuffy feared they couldn�t be friends andymore, so after a tearfull goodbye, Big Bird noticed something....
His feather�s were wet from Snuffy�s tears! And if Snuffy�s tears were real, then obviously he himself was real aswell! After he discovered that, they could be friends again.
In 1985, Snuffy became visible to the humans in Sesame Street ( the audience watching could still see him).
Danny Seagren did Big Bird in "The Ed Sullivan Show". The skit was choreographed by Peter Gennaro, but he also was a trained dancer. He worked with the muppets from 1968 into the early 1970�s.
During the first season of "Sesame Street! Carol Spinney was sick and Danny took over the role of Big Bird.

Now a days since 1999 Matt Vogel jumps in when ever Carol can�t perform Big Bird.
Little Bird
Big Bird is still used in other countries and has in each language an own  name:

Brazil: Garibaldo *
Mexico: Abelardo **
China: Da Niao **
Spain: at first Caponata * / but now Paco Pico
Portugal: Poupas **
France: Toccata *
German: Bibo
The Netherlands: neef Jan

* Once it was an other bird, but after the series stopped they used  the name for Big Bird.

** They have their own bird, but also gave the same name to Big Bird.
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