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Fans of the PBS hit Sesame Street are mourning the loss of Bob Johnson, the neighborhood music teacher who always knew the exact right advice to give. Bob McGrath was one of the original cast members of the series as Bob Johnson. Sadly, he died on Dec. 4, 2022. So, what was Bob McGrath’s net worth when he died?

‘Sesame Street’ star Bob McGrath died on Dec. 4, 2022

'Sesame Street' star Bob McGrath smiling while surrounded by Muppets
Bob McGrath | Zach Hyman/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Sesame Street captured the hearts of millions, and Bob McGrath helped solidify the show’s legacy as Bob Johnson. According to CNN, McGrath died from stroke complications on Dec. 4, 2022. He was 90 years old.

“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,” his family shared on Facebook.

Sesame Workshop also tweeted about Bob McGrath’s death. “A founding cast member, Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world … whether teaching them the ABCs, the people in their neighborhood, or the simple joy of feeling music in their hearts,” the tweet thread reads. “… 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.”

What was Bob McGrath’s net worth?

The character of Bob Johnson appeared in over 200 episodes of Sesame Street. So, what is Bob McGrath’s net worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, the entertainer was worth $2 million when he died.

The New York Times reports McGrath got his start on Sesame Street with the show’s pilot in 1969, though he wasn’t enthused about the project initially. One of his previous fraternity brothers stopped McGrath to tell him about his idea for the show. And once McGrath saw the animations, he knew he wanted to be a part of it.

Throughout his career, McGrath performed as a singer, musician, actor, author, and voice artist. He worked with Sesame Street until 2017, which is nearly 50 years. He and Loretta Long, the actor who played Susan, were two human characters to last the longest in the series.

Before Sesame Street, McGrath worked for five seasons on Sing Along With Mitch, a weekly sing-along program hosted by Mitch Miller.

The entertainer was fired from ‘Sesame Street’

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Bob McGrath accrued a healthy net worth thanks to his 50 years on Sesame Street — and the end of his career on the show wasn’t his choice. Rolling Stone reports McGrath was fired from the show, as were other original cast members. This happened when the show joined forces with HBO.

“Sesame Street is produced by Sesame Workshop, which is an independent production company, and the casting decision was made by them,” PBS CEO Paula Kerger said at the time. “We did not know about it beforehand. We found out about it after.”

The New York Times reports McGrath still spoke highly of his experience with Sesame Street despite the firing. “I’m really very happy to stay home with my wife and children a little bit more,” he said at Florida Supercon in 2016. “I’d be so greedy if I wanted five minutes more.”

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