Bruno the Trashman

Bruno the Trashman is a sanitation engineer on Sesame Street who acts as personal chauffeur to Oscar the Grouch. He appeared on the series from Season 9 through Season 24.

During the 1970s, the Sesame Street cast made live performances across the country, but there was no effective way to get Oscar to enter the stage. Caroll Spinney, inspired by a puppet character on The Gong Show, conceived of a full-body garbage man who could physicially carry Oscar. Since his arms are usually just holding onto the can, Caroll Spinney was able to perform Oscar as well as Oscar's right hand. The trash can was connected to an opening in Bruno's stomach.

Though generally a silent character, one of the few times that Bruno spoke was in the song "Put it in the Trash Can," which he sang with some Anything Muppet garbage men.

Bruno was briefly featured in the movie Follow That Bird (Bruno's greatest moment, according to Spinney, "as he slowly walks into the sunset carrying Oscar"), as well as in the television specials The Sesame Street Special and Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake. The character was dropped when the foam plastic broke down, and Bruno was never rebuilt.

Book Appearances

 * Ernie's Neighborhood (1987)
 * Oscar's Grouchy Sounds (1990)