I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014)

Caroll Spinney has been Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since 1969; at 78-years-old, he has no intention of stopping.

Directors:

Dave LaMattina, Chad N. Walker (as Chad Walker)

Writer:

Dave LaMattina

Stars:

Caroll Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jim Henson	...	Additional Muppets / Self (archive footage)
Frank Oz	...	Self
Jane Henson	...	Self
Steve Whitmire	...	Self (archive footage)
Caroll Spinney	...	Self
Matt Vogel	...	Self
Dave Goelz	...	Self
Roscoe Orman	...	Self
Alison Bartlett	...	Self
Fran Brill	...	Self
Sonia Manzano	...	Self
Jerry Nelson	...	Self
Eric Jacobson	...	Self
Emilio Delgado	...	Self
Joey Mazzarino	...	Self

Storyline

Think you know everything there is to know about Sesame Street? You don't. You might know that Frank Oz turned down an offer to play Big Bird, but you probably don't know that until a last minute change of heart by NASA, Big Bird was supposed to go to space aboard the Challenger. Or you may know that Oscar the Grouch got his voice from a cantankerous cabbie, but you'd be surprised to learn that a fire in his trash can almost led to Caroll's untimely demise. Caroll's stories are the stuff of legend. He has been a constant presence in our lives for over 40 years, his path weaving through American history like that of Forrest Gump. His time inside the Bird has taught him about the world and about himself. I AM BIG BIRD will peel away the instances in Caroll's life that inspired his creation of characters that influenced generations of children. And, as the yellow feathers give way to gray hair, it is the man, not the puppet, who will steal your heart.

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Plot Keywords:

sesame street | puppeteer | the muppets | puppetry | 

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Taglines:

Big Bird guided you through childhood. Let Caroll take you the rest of the way.

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was partially funded by fan donations. More than $120,000 was raised for the film after people donated amounts between $1 and $10,000.

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Quotes

Sonia Manzano: I have always loved Big Bird because he's... complicated. So he has a lot of emotional qualities that a lot of the Muppets don't have.

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Alternate Versions

A segment about an incident where a caretaker of the Spinney property hit a jogger with his car and hid the body in a shed without the Spinney's knowledge was removed from the film when it was released on VOD and iTunes.

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Connections

Referenced in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Lion King Sized Problems (2019)

User Reviews

Great subject, OK film, bad soundtrack.

The real winner of this film is the subject himself, Carrol Spinney. The film making itself is pretty straight-ahead, and the sound track is lousy (No percussion at all? Who's idea was that? This is a movie of men and muppets, for the love of puppetry give us an occasional rhythm or beat!).

That said, Carrol Spinney, the man behind the bird and the grouch, really carries the film just by being himself. Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch are iconic world-renowned characters that continue to enjoy a long legacy. And Mr. Spinney demonstrates himself to be a person full of creativity, love, joy, pain, and a genuine passion for his work and for his wife.

I would recommend this film as a solidly entertaining watch with lasting pathos. The subject is very strong and magnetic, despite the bland filmmaking and schmaltzy soundtrack.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

6 May 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,000, 10 May 2015

Gross USA:

$67,845

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$67,845

Company Credits

Production Co:

Copper Pot Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1