Bob McGrath has died at the age of 90.
The actor was widely known for his portrayal of Bob Johnson on the children’s show Sesame Street.
McGrath’s passing was confirmed by his family on his Facebook page on Sunday (4 December).
"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,” they wrote.
The cause of his death hasn’t been revealed.
Sesame Workshop also tweeted Sunday evening that it “mourns the passing of Bob McGrath, a beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years.”
McGrath was a founding cast member of Sesame Street when the show premiered in 1969.
He made his final appearance on the show in 2017, marking an almost five-decade-long figure in the Sesame Street world.
The actor grew up in Illinois and studied music at the University of Michigan and Manhattan School of Music. He also was a singer in the 60s series Sing Along With Mitch and launched a successful singing career overseas in Japan.
“A revered performer worldwide, Bob’s rich tenor filled airwaves and concert halls from Las Vegas to Saskatchewan to Tokyo many times over,” Sesame Workshop wrote. “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.”
McGrath is survived by his wife, Ann Logan Sperry, and their five children.
Additional reporting by agencies
