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65-435: Big Bird is a Muppet character designed by Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love for the children's television show Sesame Street . An eight-foot-two-inch-tall (249 cm) bright yellow anthropomorphic bird, he can roller skate , ice skate , dance , swim , sing , write poetry , draw , and ride a unicycle . Despite this wide array of talents, he is prone to frequent misunderstandings, on one occasion even singing

130-409: A tremor . Dystonia is often intensified or exacerbated by physical activity, and symptoms may progress into adjacent muscles. The disorder may be hereditary or caused by other factors such as birth-related or other physical trauma , infection , poisoning (e.g., lead poisoning ) or reaction to pharmaceutical drugs , particularly neuroleptics , or stress. Treatment must be highly customized to

195-470: A La Choy advertising campaign. The Big Bird performer is completely enclosed within the costume, and extends his right hand over his head to operate the head and neck of the puppet. The Muppeteer's left hand serves as the Bird's left wing, while the right wing is stuffed and hangs loosely from a fishing line that runs through a loop under the neck and attaches to the wrist of the left hand. The right hand thus does

260-403: A catheter to the thecal space surrounding the spinal cord. The pump itself is placed in the abdomen. It can be refilled periodically by access through the skin. Baclofen can also be taken in tablet form Botulinum toxin injections into affected muscles have proved quite successful in providing some relief for around 3–6 months, depending on the kind of dystonia. Botox or Dysport injections have

325-670: A group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson , many for the purpose of appearing on the children's television program Sesame Street . Henson's involvement in Sesame Street began when he and Joan Ganz Cooney , one of the creators of the show, met in the summer of 1968, at one of the show's five three-day curriculum planning seminars in Boston . Author Christopher Finch reported that director Jon Stone , who had worked with Henson previously, felt that if they could not bring him on board, they should "make do without puppets". Henson

390-559: A number of Sesame Street characters, including Big Bird, participated in. The short was nominated for an Emmy Award later that year. Big Bird appeared with Caroll Spinney in a spoof of the Academy Award-winning film Birdman. Published on YouTube on February 19, 2015, the video shows Spinney sitting in a dressing room with a poster of Big Bird behind him. Spinney hears the voice of his alter ego , just as Michael Keaton 's character Riggan hears his alter ego Birdman in

455-529: A number of cases of severe generalised dystonia. DBS as treatment for medication-refractory dystonia, on the other hand, may increase the risk of suicide in patients. However, reference data of patients without DBS therapy are lacking. The Italian Bernardino Ramazzini provided one of the first descriptions of task-specific dystonia in 1713 in a book of occupational diseases, The Morbis Artificum. In chapter II of this book's Supplementum, Ramazzini noted that "Scribes and Notaries" may develop "incessant movement of

520-482: A result of the disorder. A variety of treatment strategies can be employed to address the unique needs of each individual. Potential treatment interventions include splinting, therapeutic exercise, manual stretching , soft tissue and joint mobilization , postural training and bracing, neuromuscular electrical stimulation , constraint-induced movement therapy , activity and environmental modification, and gait training . Recent research has investigated further into

585-530: A second puppeteer operated Oscar to Spinney's vocals. Beginning in 1997, Vogel would operate Big Bird and Oscar was performed by Spinney as usual until 2015. In 2015, due to being diagnosed with dystonia , Spinney no longer puppeteered the Big Bird suit full-time. Matt Vogel took over puppetry duties, manipulating the puppet to Spinney's vocals (either pre-recorded, dubbed in post-production, or provided live on set). Spinney continued to provide Big Bird's voice on

650-617: A syndrome that was retrospectively considered to represent familial cases of DYT1 dystonia. Some decades later, in 1975, the first international conference on dystonia was held in New York. It was then recognized that, in addition to severe generalized forms, the dystonia phenotype also encompasses poorly-progressive focal and segmental cases with onset in adulthood, such as blepharospasm, torticollis and writer's cramp. These forms were previously considered independent disorders and were mainly classified among neuroses. A modern definition of dystonia

715-469: A unique species that evolved from the whooping crane . For decades, Oscar the Grouch has been calling Big Bird a turkey, more as an insult rather than a reference to his species. Big Bird is always described as being flightless. During the first presidential debate on October 3, 2012, Mitt Romney used Big Bird as an example of spending cuts he would make to reduce the federal budget deficit. Romney told

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780-494: A video feed, a small hole is made in the costume to allow him to see. In such cases, Big Bird wears a necktie to cover the hole. This can also be seen in the Sesame Street Live shows. In scenes where Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch (both characters performed by Spinney) interact in a scene together, the situation has varied depending on the number of lines one or the other is given. When Spinney performed Big Bird,

845-470: A young child. However, as the researchers noted, their results could have been corollary in nature and not due to the diet itself, though future research is warranted. Surgery, such as the denervation of selected muscles, may also provide some relief; however, the destruction of nerves in the limbs or brain is not reversible and should be considered only in the most extreme cases. Recently, the procedure of deep brain stimulation (DBS) has proven successful in

910-515: Is a Type A and a Type B toxin approved for treatment of dystonia; often, those that develop resistance to Type A may be able to use Type B. Clonazepam , a benzodiazepine , is also sometimes prescribed. However, for most, their effects are limited and side-effects like mental confusion, sedation, mood swings, and short-term memory loss occur. One complex case study found that a ketogenic type diet may have been helpful in reducing symptoms associated with alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) of

975-473: Is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns." In response to the mention in the debates, Big Bird made an appearance in a 2012 Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live with then host Seth Meyers . During the interview, Big Bird joked about how he suddenly "felt famous" after being mentioned in the debates, but refused to make any political statements as to not "ruffle any feathers." I got

1040-507: Is also known as a sensory trick . Patients may be aware of the presence of a geste antagoniste that provides some relief. Therapy for dystonia can involve prosthetics that passively simulate the stimulation. While research in the area of effectiveness of physical therapy intervention for dystonia remains weak, there is reason to believe that rehabilitation can benefit dystonia patients. Physical therapy can be utilized to manage changes in balance, mobility and overall function that occur as

1105-461: Is called cranial dystonia or Meige's syndrome . There is a group called myoclonic dystonia where some cases are hereditary and have been associated with a missense mutation in the dopamine-D2 receptor . Some of these cases have responded well to alcohol. Other genes that have been associated with dystonia include CIZ1 , GNAL , ATP1A3 , and PRRT2 . Another report has linked THAP1 and SLC20A2 to dystonia. Symptoms vary according to

1170-487: Is known for today. Although all the Sesame Street Muppet characters are technically ageless, Big Bird is psychologically written to represent a six-year-old. The costume is partially assembled by company American Plume & Fancy Feather, using the tail feathers from turkeys ; as the feathers are rarely clean, company owner Anthony Trento calls the Big Bird costume his "toughest customer". Sesame Workshop

1235-407: Is now. His personality was more dopey and "bird-brained" than it later became. He gradually got more feathers on top, giving his head a more rounded appearance, and developed a blaze-like crest of lighter yellow feathers above his eyes. His body got fluffier, rounder and more well groomed as well. His personality developed over time from being a dim, slow-witted character into the childlike innocence he

1300-466: Is proposed that dystonia is a large-scale dysfunction, involving not only cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical pathways , but the cortico-ponto-cerebello-thalamo-cortical loop as well. Even in the absence of traditional "cerebellar signs" in most dystonia patients, there are more subtle indications of cerebellar dysfunction. It is clear that as long as the cerebellum's role in dystonia genesis remains unexamined, it will be difficult to significantly improve

1365-430: Is said to reject roughly 90 percent of all the feathers selected for use on the costume. Source: Source: The book “G” is for Growing: Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street cites a producer of Sesame Street who refers to Big Bird as a canary . In the series 11 episode, "Mister Rogers Talks about Competition" of the show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood , Big Bird was asked by King Friday XIII if he

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1430-420: Is unknown. In many cases it may involve some genetic predisposition towards the disorder combined with environmental conditions. Meningitis and encephalitis caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal infections of the brain have been associated with dystonia. The main mechanism is inflammation of the blood vessels, causing restriction of blood flow to the basal ganglia. Other mechanisms include direct nerve injury by

1495-546: The Dutch version has a blue bird named Pino. In the Latin American version (Plaza Sésamo), Big Bird's parrot cousin, Abelardo Montoya, is featured. He appears similar to Big Bird, but he is green. Big Bird's appearance has changed over the years, as has his personality. He originally had very few feathers on top of his head; his body feathers were also more shaggy and unkempt, and his body was not as rounded and full as it

1560-572: The Oklahoma Sooners football team appear interspersed with the daily workings of a major city as someone walks around using the service's TV Everywhere initiative. At the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors, which was filmed on the day Spinney died, Vogel made an appearance as Big Bird for the event to celebrate Sesame Street being honored by the Kennedy Center . List of Sesame Street Muppets The Sesame Street Muppets are

1625-706: The Swedish Chef from cooking him for Christmas dinner by offering him a gift of homemade chocolate covered birdseed. They then sing a duet of "The Christmas Song". On May 21, 1990, Big Bird appeared at Jim Henson's memorial service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City , singing Kermit the Frog 's signature song, " Bein' Green ". Performer Caroll Spinney nearly broke down several times during

1690-413: The alphabet as a single word (pronouncing it as / æ b k ə d ɛ f ɡ iː dʒ ɛ k ə l m ɪ n ɒ p k w ər ˈ s t uː v w ɪ k s ɪ z / in the song " ABC-DEF-GHI "). He would refer to grocer Mr. Hooper as "Mr. Looper", among other mispronunciations. He lives in a large nest behind the 123 Sesame Street brownstone and right next to Oscar the Grouch 's trash can . In Season 46,

1755-492: The basal ganglia ; the dystonia aspect may be attributable to malfunctioning Na - K pumps in the cerebellum (that act to corrupt its input to the basal ganglia) possibly in Purkinje neurons . Cerebellum issues causing dystonia is described by Filip et al. 2013: "Although dystonia has traditionally been regarded as a basal ganglia dysfunction, recent provocative evidence has emerged of cerebellar involvement in

1820-559: The cerebellum and the brain . Indeed, an ouabain block of Na - K pumps in the cerebellum of a live mouse results in it displaying ataxia and dystonia. Ataxia is observed for lower ouabain concentrations, dystonia is observed at higher ouabain concentrations. A mutation in the Na - K pump (ATP1A3 gene ) can cause rapid onset dystonia parkinsonism. The parkinsonism aspect of this disease may be attributable to malfunctioning Na - K pumps in

1885-570: The COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy. Ms. @EricaRHill even said I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea! On November 6, 2021, the character's official Twitter account posted that Big Bird had received a COVID-19 vaccine , in an effort to promote vaccination of children. After President Joe Biden responded in support, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz criticized Sesame Street for

1950-476: The Muppet segments, their interest wavered during the "Street" segments, when no Muppets were on screen. This was because the producers had followed the advice of child psychologists who were concerned that children would be confused if human actors and Muppets were shown together. As a result of this decision, the appeal of the test episodes was lower than the target. The Street scenes were "the glue" that "pulled

2015-581: The Neighborhood of Make-Believe segment, in which he enters the "Draw the Neighborhood" contest. He made an appearance as a guest star on the third season of The Muppet Show . A portrait of Big Bird also appeared in the pilot The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence . Big Bird also made brief appearances in The Muppet Movie and The Muppets Take Manhattan . He appeared in A Muppet Family Christmas holiday special, in which he dissuades

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2080-402: The actor to see; a small television was strapped to the actor's chest to allow him to navigate. The camera was set up for Spinney by technician Walt Rauffer, on the suggestion of director Bob Myhrum. Rauffer rigged the camera to a harness strapped to Spinney's chest; Spinney reported that they called the camera "the electronic bra". When Big Bird's performer is performing on location and cannot get

2145-403: The advantage of ready availability (the same form is used for cosmetic surgery) and the effects are not permanent. There is a risk of temporary paralysis of the muscles being injected or the leaking of the toxin into adjacent muscle groups, causing weakness or paralysis in them. The injections must be repeated, as the effects wear off and around 15% of recipients develop immunity to the toxin. There

2210-499: The bad side, there are two unscrupulous carnival-owning brothers ( Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty ) who want to kidnap and make him perform in their carnival for their own profit. In the meantime, his friends Bert , Ernie , Cookie Monster , Grover , Count von Count , Telly and Oscar the Grouch are in pursuit of him to find him and bring him back home safely. Also joining them are their human friends, Gordon , Maria , Olivia and Linda with Bob aiding them from Sesame Street. In

2275-402: The costume, did not think that Henson was walking like a bird is supposed to walk, and so Henson decided not to perform Big Bird. Frank Oz was offered the part, but since he disliked performing full-body characters, he turned down the job. Director Jon Stone, in the 1994 documentary The World of Jim Henson , revealed that the Big Bird costume actually did not have any openings that would allow

2340-440: The current standards of dystonia treatment or to provide curative treatment." Various treatments focus on sedating brain functions or blocking nerve communications with the muscles via drugs, neuro-suppression, or selective denervation surgery. Almost all treatments have negative side-effects and risks. A geste antagoniste is a physical gesture or position (such as touching one's chin ) that temporarily interrupts dystonia, it

2405-766: The deeply touching performance, which was later described by Life as "an epic and almost unbearably moving event". Big Bird made a non-speaking appearance in The West Wing Season 5 episode " Eppur Si Muove ". During a visit by The Muppets to the White House, Big Bird sat down on a bench next to C. J. Cregg , who had complained during the episode of past comparisons to Big Bird due to her height. He appeared briefly at Qualcomm's CES Keynote on January 7, 2013, to show off Sesame Workshop 's newest app, 'Big Bird's Words', due in Summer 2013. He appeared in

2470-469: The dystonia is the only sign and there is no identifiable cause or structural abnormality in the central nervous system. Researchers suspect it is caused by a pathology of the central nervous system , likely originating in those parts of the brain concerned with motor function—such as the basal ganglia and the GABA ( gamma-aminobutyric acid ) producing Purkinje neurons . The precise cause of primary dystonia

2535-455: The final episode of The Colbert Report in 2014 along with Cookie Monster and dozens of other celebrities singing " We'll Meet Again ". On February 16, 2015, Big Bird appeared alongside Michelle Obama on Billy on the Street , a comedy game show hosted by Billy Eichner . Before the quiz, Michelle Obama talked about "eat brighter", a campaign to promote healthy food in kids which she and

2600-575: The full rights for the Muppets created for Sesame Street (which do not include Kermit the Frog ) have been owned by Sesame Workshop; Sesame continues to license the trademarked term " Muppet " from The Muppets Studio for their characters. Dystonia Dystonia is a neurological hyperkinetic movement disorder in which sustained or repetitive muscle contractions occur involuntarily, resulting in twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal fixed postures. The movements may resemble

2665-642: The hand, always in the same direction … the continuous and almost tonic strain on the muscles... that results in failure of power in the right hand". A report from the British Civil Service also contained an early description of writer's cramp. In 1864, Solly coined the term "scrivener's palsy" for this condition. These historical reports usually attributed the etiology of the motor abnormalities to overuse. Then, dystonia were reported in detail in 1911, when Hermann Oppenheim , Edward Flatau and Wladyslaw Sterling described some Jewish children affected by

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2730-715: The kind of dystonia involved. In most cases, dystonia tends to lead to abnormal posturing, in particular on movement. Many individuals with the condition have continuous pain, cramping, and relentless muscle spasms due to involuntary muscle movements. Other motor symptoms are possible including lip smacking. An accurate diagnosis may be difficult because of the way the disorder manifests itself. Affected individuals may be diagnosed as having similar and perhaps related disorders including Parkinson's disease , essential tremor , carpal tunnel syndrome , temporomandibular joint disorder , Tourette's syndrome , conversion disorder or other neuromuscular movement disorders. It has been found that

2795-526: The material. Not intended for broadcast, they were presented to preschoolers in 60 homes throughout Philadelphia and in day care centers in New York City in July 1969. The results were "generally very positive"; children learned from the shows, their appeal was high, and children's attention was sustained over the full hour. However, the researchers found that although children's attention was high during

2860-420: The mid-late 1970s, Big Bird made several appearances on The Hollywood Squares . As with Mr. Hooper , Big Bird frequently mispronounced host Peter Marshall 's name, calling him "Mr. Marshmallow" or "Mr. Masher". In another episode, when asked by Marshall what kind of bird he was, Big Bird replied "I'm a lark", which broke Marshall up . He appeared in a series 11 episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in

2925-669: The moderator, Jim Lehrer , "I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually like you, too. But I'm not going to – I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for. That's number one." Barack Obama ’s campaign later released a satirical advertisement in which Romney described Big Bird as an "evil genius" and "a menace to our economy", and depicted Romney as more concerned with cracking down on Big Bird than on white collar criminals such as Bernie Madoff and Ken Lay . Sesame Workshop subsequently asked that both campaigns remove Sesame Street characters from campaign materials, stating on their website: "Sesame Workshop

2990-608: The movie. He uses telekinesis to throw a box of tissues at the Big Bird poster. The spoof uses similar music to the Birdman film. The Big Birdman spoof appears as if it were shot in one long take, mimicking the long scenes of the movie. It follows Spinney out of the dressing room, down hallways, through doors, and out onto the sidewalk, where he is joined by Big Bird. In an advertisement for AT&T / DirecTV , Big Bird and other film/television personalities such as David Hasselhoff (as his Knight Rider persona Michael Knight ) and

3055-765: The needs of the individual and may include oral medications, chemodenervation botulinum neurotoxin injections, physical therapy, or other supportive therapies, and surgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation . There are multiple types of dystonia, and many diseases and conditions may cause dystonia. Dystonia is classified by: Physicians use these classifications to guide diagnosis and treatment. For example, dystonia musculorum deformans (Oppenheim, Flatau-Sterling syndrome): Also known as torsion dystonia or idiopathic torsion dystonia (old terminology "dystonia musculorum deformans"). These most common dystonias are typically classified as follows: The combination of blepharospasmodic contractions and oromandibular dystonia

3120-475: The nest sits within a small, furnished maple tree, and is no longer hidden by used construction doors. He has a teddy bear named Radar. Caroll Spinney performed Big Bird from 1969 to 2018. Matt Vogel began as an understudy in 1996 before becoming the character's full-time performer in 2018. In 2000, Big Bird was named a Living Legend by the United States Library of Congress . Big Bird

3185-547: The opposite of the left hand: as the left hand goes down, the right hand is pulled up by the fishing line. A secondary muppeteer would be used in scenes where Big Bird uses both his wings or holds something in the right wing. Big Bird's body suit weighs ten pounds, and his head weighs four pounds. According to writer Louise Gikow, the heat inside the suit is "unbearable, and it's extraordinarily difficult to hold Big Bird's head." Different versions of Big Bird are portrayed in some international versions of Sesame Street . For example,

3250-412: The organism or a toxin, or autoimmune mechanisms. Malfunction of the sodium-potassium pump may be a factor in some dystonias. The Na - K pump has been shown to control and set the intrinsic activity mode of cerebellar Purkinje neurons . This suggests that the pump might not simply be a homeostatic, "housekeeping" molecule for ionic gradients; but could be a computational element in

3315-558: The pathophysiology of this enigmatic disease. It has been suggested that the cerebellum plays an important role in dystonia etiology, from neuroanatomical research of complex networks showing that the cerebellum is connected to a wide range of other central nervous system structures involved in movement control to animal models indicating that signs of dystonia are due to cerebellum dysfunction and completely disappear after cerebellectomy, and finally to clinical observations in secondary dystonia patients with various types of cerebellar lesions. It

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3380-404: The prevalence of dystonia is high in individuals with Huntington's disease , where the most common clinical presentations are internal shoulder rotation, sustained fist clenching, knee flexion, and foot inversion. Risk factors for increased dystonia in patients with Huntington's disease include long disease duration and use of antidopaminergic medication. Primary dystonia is suspected when

3445-452: The role of physiotherapy in the treatment of dystonia. A recent study showed that reducing psychological stress, in conjunction with exercise, is beneficial for reducing truncal dystonia in patients with Parkinson's disease . Another study emphasized progressive relaxation, isometric muscle endurance, dynamic strength, coordination, balance, and body perception, seeing significant improvements to patients' quality of life after 4 weeks. Since

3510-470: The root of the problem is neurological, doctors have explored sensorimotor retraining activities to enable the brain to "rewire" itself and eliminate dystonic movements. The work of several doctors such as Nancy Byl and Joaquin Farias has shown that sensorimotor retraining activities and proprioceptive stimulation can induce neuroplasticity , making it possible for patients to recover substantial function that

3575-520: The series for seasons 46 and 47, as well as select commercials, online videos, and the special Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas . Afterwards, Spinney entered semi-retirement, and Matt Vogel fully assumed the role. Despite this, Spinney continued to receive onscreen credit for playing the characters through Season 50. On October 17, 2018, Spinney announced his official retirement from both his characters. The following day, he recorded his final performances as Big Bird and Oscar as part of Episode 5022 for

3640-409: The series' landmark 50th anniversary, though, when the episode aired, none of his vocals were kept in. Spinney's final vocal performance as Big Bird to air was in the cold open for Episode 4920. Big Bird was designed by a drawing from Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love in 1969. The design was based on a previous Henson creation, a seven-foot-tall (210 cm) dragon that the puppeteer created for

3705-544: The show together", so producers knew they needed to make significant changes. The producers decided to reject the advisers' advice and reshot the Street segments; Henson and his coworkers created Muppets that could interact with the human actors, specifically Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird , who became two of the show's most enduring characters. These test episodes were directly responsible for what writer Malcolm Gladwell called "the essence of Sesame Street —the artful blend of fluffy monsters and earnest adults". Since 2001,

3770-433: The show were popular since its premiere, and more Muppets were added during the first few seasons. The Muppets were effective teaching tools because children easily recognized them, they were predictable, and they appealed to adults and older siblings. During the production of Sesame Street ' s first season, producers created five one-hour episodes to test the show's appeal to children and examine their comprehension of

3835-418: The statement. In response, a parody Twitter account, Big Bird for Senate, (not affiliated with or endorsed by Sesame Workshop) was created portraying Big Bird as a candidate for Cruz's senate seat. The account gained over 100,000 followers in its first week, and numerous other accounts were made casting Sesame Street characters as campaign officials. The original account has since been deleted. In 1985, Big Bird

3900-617: Was lost due to Cervical Dystonia, hand dystonia, blepharospasm, oromandibular dystonia, dysphonia and musicians' dystonia. Due to the rare and variable nature of dystonia, research investigating the effectiveness of these treatments is limited. There is no gold standard for physiotherapy rehabilitation. To date, focal cervical dystonia has received the most research attention; however, study designs are poorly controlled and limited to small sample sizes. A baclofen pump has been used to treat patients of all ages exhibiting muscle spasticity along with dystonia. The pump delivers baclofen via

3965-658: Was originally reluctant but agreed to join Sesame Street in support of its social goals. He also agreed to waive his performance fee for full ownership of the Sesame Street Muppets and to split any revenue they generated with the Children's Television Workshop (renamed to the Sesame Workshop in 2000), the series' non-profit producer. The Muppets were a crucial part of the show's popularity and it brought Henson national attention. The Muppet segments of

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4030-400: Was performed by Caroll Spinney starting in 1969. In the later years of Spinney's career, the show gradually started training new performers to play Big Bird. The apprentices included both Rick Lyon in the opening theme song of the show's 33rd season, and later Matt Vogel in the show's "Journey to Ernie" segment. Vogel became Big Bird's primary performer after Spinney's retirement. Spinney

4095-521: Was related to the cassowary ; he replied, "I'm actually a Golden Condor." On the January 23, 1976 episode of Hollywood Squares , Big Bird was asked what kind of bird he is and said he was a lark , causing host Peter Marshall to crack up. In the film Don't Eat the Pictures , Osiris calls Big Bird an ibis . Zoologist Mike Dickison suggested in his popular Pechakucha talk that Big Bird represents

4160-410: Was sick during the taping of a few first-season episodes, so Daniel Seagren performed Big Bird in those episodes. He also performed Big Bird when he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969 and on Hollywood Squares in the 1970s. According to The Story of Jim Henson by Stephanie St. Pierre, the costume was built for Jim Henson to perform, but when Henson tried it on, Kermit Love , who had built

4225-553: Was the star of his own film, Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird , alongside the cast of Sesame Street . The plot focused on him being moved away to live with a family of dodos by a meddling social-worker named Miss Finch (voiced by Sally Kellerman ). He is not happy with his new home and he runs away and embarks on a cross-country adventure. Along the way, he finds help from a friendly truck driver ( Waylon Jennings ) and two farmer kids ( Alyson Court and Benjamin Barrett). But on

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