Caroll Spinney’s been playing both Sesame Street‘s Big Bird as well as Oscar the Grouch for more than 40 years, and the behind-the-scenes story of his Sesame Street career will be heading to theaters in the documentary I Am Big Bird. Tribeca Film’s just picked up the U.S. distribution rights to Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker’s film and is planning on an early 2015 theatrical and VOD release.
“Big Bird is one of the iconic figures in American television and this portrait of the man inside, Caroll Spinney, is simultaneously joyful and fascinating,” said Tribeca Film GM Todd Green, announcing the acquisition. “Dave and Chad weave together years of archival footage to create a truly revealing look at the man inside the Big Bird suit.”
“Caroll entrusted us with telling his story and we’re thrilled that we’ll finally be able to share it with audiences across the country,” said director/producer Chad Walker. “This is a project we’ve spent years of our life on and we’re ecstatic to be working with Tribeca, a company that shares our vision for I Am Big Bird,” added director/producer Dave LaMattina.
The Plot:
For over 40 years, Caroll Spinney has been beloved by generations of children as the man behind Sesame Street‘s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch – and at 80 years old, he has no intention of stopping. A loving portrait of the man in the yellow suit, I Am Big Bird features extraordinary footage of Spinney’s earliest collaborations with Jim Henson as it traces his journey from bullied child to childhood icon. And as the yellow feathers give way to grey hair, it is the man, not the puppet, who will steal your heart.
-By Rebecca Murray
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