The iconic and much-loved actor Bob McGrath, who played Bob Johnson on the classic children’s show “Sesame Street,” has sadly passed away at the age of 90. Sesame Workshop took to social media to announce the news, sharing a statement from his family. “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 statement read.
Sesame Workshop honored McGrath’s nearly five decades on the show with a Twitter thread. “A founding cast member, 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,” the statement continued.
“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. ”
After appearing in the pilot episode of “Sesame Street” in 1969, McGrath continued to work on the show for 47 seasons until 2017. Although he is no longer working on the show, he still attends various events representing it. As a world-renowned tenor and musician, he graced the stages of some of the most prestigious concert halls. McGrath wrote and sang some of “Sesame Street’s” most well-known songs, like “People in Your Neighborhood” and “Sing a Song.”
“Sesame Street” cast member Alan Muraoka took to Instagram to pay respects to McGrath, calling him a “role model” and a “mentor.” In a 2015 interview, McGrath stated that he learned from being on “Sesame Street” how crucial it is to listen carefully to what children express. He leaves behind his wife Ann Logan Sperry.
