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Big Bird |
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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... |
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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.... |
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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).
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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. |
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Little Bird |
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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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