Bob McGrath was an American actor, musician, and children’s author. He was famed for playing the original human character Bob Johnson on the long-running educational television series “Sesame Street“. He was also recognized for being a regular fixture on “Telemiracle” for 38 years. His last appearance in the entertainment industry was on the documentary film “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street” in 2021. Sadly, he died from complications of a stroke at his home in New Jersey on December 4, 2022. He dies at 90.
What was Bob McGrath Famous For?
- Bob McGrath was an actor, author, and musician.
- Bob was known for appearing on the TV series “Sesame Street“.
Sesame Street Star Bob McGrath Dead at 90
Bob McGrath, a veteran actor who was the original cast member of Sesame Street, passed away at age 90. His death was confirmed by his family members via a post. His family said, “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.” Sesame Workshop also paid tribute to Bob, who was one of their first series regulars. Sharing an emotional note on their Twitter handle, they wrote in a series of tweets, “Sesame Workshop mourns the passing of Bob McGrath, a beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over 50 years.”
When was Bob McGrath born?
Bob McGrath was born on June 13, 1932, in Ottawa, Illinois, U.S. He held American nationality and his ethnicity was American-White. His born name was Robert Emmett McGrath. For the last time, he celebrated his 90th birthday with his dear ones. He was Christian by religion. As a child, he would sing for his family while his mother would play the piano. His mother enrolled him in the Roxy Theater’s Amateur Program and he finished in second place. He graduated from Marquette High School. In 1994, he graduated from the University of Michigan. He was also a member of the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club and of the fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta. After graduating he was inducted into the U.S. Army; he was in Germany for two years performing for the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra and booking for them. He earned a Master of Music degree in voice from the Manhattan School of Music in 1959.
Bob McGrath Career Timeline
- Bob McGrath initially worked with Mitch Miller and was the featured tenor on Miller’s NBC-TV television singalong series “Sing Along with Mitch”. He appeared in the series for four seasons (1960-1964).
- Likewise, he was a singer on the Walt Kelly album Songs of the Pogo. In the mid-1960s, he became a well-known recording artist in Japan, releasing a series of successful albums of Irish and other folk songs and ballads sung in Japanese.
- Next, he appeared on the game shows To Tell the Truth in 1966 and I’ve Got a Secret in 1967. From the years 1969 to 2016, he was a regular cast member on “Sesame Street” in which he played the character of Bob Johnson. He was one of the two longest-lasting human characters in the series since the show’s debut. In July 2016, Sesame Workshop announced that McGrath would not return to the show for its 47th season because it would be re-tooling the series, but the company did say that McGrath would continue to represent the Workshop at public events. Sesame Workshop later announced that there would be talks to bring him back. Later, Sesame Workshop said that he would still represent Sesame Street.
- Although McGrath had not been in any new material since season 45, he appeared in online videos for the show. He returned for the 2019 TV special Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.
- In 2021, he appeared in the documentary film, “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street”.
- As an author, he wrote many children’s books, including Uh Oh! Gotta Go! (1996) and OOPS! Excuse Me Please! (2006).
Bob McGrath Awards and Achievements
- Saskatchewan Distinguished Service Award in 2013
- Awarded a grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award in 1995
- Recipient of the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010
Who was Bob McGrath’s Wife?
Bob McGrath was a married man. He tied the knot to his beautiful wife, Ann Logan Sperry in 1958. Ann was a primary school teacher. Ann is a year older than Mcgrath. Mcgrath and his wife Ann met in New York City for the first time; when he met, Mcgrath was completing a master of music degree in voice. Together, they had five children, five granddaughters, and three grandsons. The couple lived in Teaneck, New Jersey from 1958 until 2017; they moved to a ranch in Norwood, New Jersey. Before Bob’s demise, the family was enjoying their life a lot. His sexual orientation was straight.
How much was Bob McGrath’s Net Worth?
Bob McGrath was a successful actor who gained recognition all these years for his frequent appearances on Sesame Street. Apart from being an actor, he was also a singer and author and was active in the industry since 1954. The net worth of Bob was estimated to be around $2 million. His successful career was in the entertainment industry. He was making his annual salary of thousands of dollars from his professional career. He lived a lavish lifestyle.
How tall was Bob McGrath?
Bob McGrath stood at the perfect height of 1.82 m or 182 cm. His body weight was 115 kg. His body type was slim. He had attracted a lot of viewers towards him with his charming smile and glowing face. He had gray hair color with a pair of brown eyes.
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