Caroll Spinney didn’t just voice these two iconic characters on “Sesame Street”; he was also the puppeteer behind their movements, even if he needed a little help when both characters were in a scene together. While Matt Vogel took over as Big Bird’s performer in 2015, Spinney held onto the character of Oscar the Grouch for a bit longer.
Eric Jacobson had worked as Spinney’s understudy for the role four years prior to his passing and, as such, had learned a lot about the performer’s work. As such, Jacobson has taken over for Spinney seamlessly, allowing Oscar the Grouch to continue to appear on “Sesame Street.”
Jacobson has also voiced and performed other iconic characters like Miss Piggy, Fozzy Bear, Bert, and Grover over the years, meaning he was more than up to the task of taking on Oscar the Grouch. While the performers behind these beloved characters might sadly fade away with time, “Sesame Street” will always be a well-populated place so long as there are talented individuals like him to step up and take over.
