Jim Henson
Biography
James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, actor, animator, creative producer, and director who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating Fraggle Rock (1983–1987) and as the director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986), as well as creating the puppets for Sesame Street (1969). Born in Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in both Leland, Mississippi, and University Park, Maryland, Henson began developing puppets in high school. He created Sam and Friends (1955–1961), a short-form comedy television program on WRC-TV, while he was a freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park, in collaboration with fellow student Jane Nebel. Henson and Nebel co-founded Muppets, Inc. – now The Jim Henson Company – in 1958, and married less than a year later in 1959. Henson graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in home economics. In 1969, Henson joined the children's television program Sesame Street (1969–present) where he helped to develop Muppet characters for the series. He and his creative team also appeared on the first season of the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (1975–present). He produced the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show (1976–1981) during this period. Henson revolutionized the way puppetry is captured and presented in video media, and he won fame for his characters – particularly Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, and the characters on Sesame Street. During the later years of his life, he founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson's Creature Shop. He won the Emmy Award twice for his involvement in The Storyteller (1987–1988) and The Jim Henson Hour (1989). Henson died in New York City from toxic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. At the time of his death, he was in negotiations to sell his company to The Walt Disney Company, but talks fell through after his death. He was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991, and was named a Disney Legend in 2011. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jim Henson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (38)
The First Snow of Fraggle Rock
Characters (Writing)
2025
The Muppet Script
as Self (archive footage)
2025
Joan Rivers at the BBC
as Self (archive footage)
2024
Jim Henson Idea Man
as Self (archive footage)
2024
Muppets Haunted Mansion
Characters (Writing)
2021
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
as Self (archive footage)
2021
Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting
as Ernie
2019
Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
Story (Writing)
2015
In Their Own Words: Jim Henson
as Self (archive footage)
2015
Fozzie's Bear-ly Funny Fridays
Creator (Crew)
2015
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
as Self
2015
Jim Henson: Behind the Seams
2014
Muppets Most Wanted
as Kermit The Frog (archival recordings) (uncredited)
2014
Lady Gaga & the Muppets Holiday Spectacular
Characters (Writing)
2013
The Muppets
Characters (Writing)
2011
Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story
2009
Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland
2009
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
Characters (Writing)
2008
Reflections of 'The Dark Crystal'
as Self
2007
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol
as Ernie (voice) (archive footage)
2006
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
Characters (Writing)
2005
Muppet History 101
2004
Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments
2004
Muppet Music Moments
as Self
2004
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
as Kermit the Frog
2004
Sesame Street: Cookie Monster's Best Bites
as Guy Smiley (voice, archive footage)
2004
Muppets Magic from 'The Ed Sullivan Show!'
as Muppet Performer
2003
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
Characters (Writing)
2002
Kermit's Swamp Years
Characters (Writing)
2002
Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word Play
as Kermit the Frog / Bip Bippadotta / Lavender Anything Muppet in Fat Cat (voice) (archive footage)
2002
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 3
as Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob
2001
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Characters (Writing)
1999
Muppets from Space
Characters (Writing)
1999
The Very Best of the Muppet Show
as Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / The Swedish Chef
1999
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 2
as Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / The Swedish Chef
1999
The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street
as Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
1998
Sesame Street: Elmo Says BOO!
as Ernie / Harvey Monster (voice) (archive footage)
1997
Sesame Street: Quiet Time
as Ernie ("Naptime") / Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
1997
TV Shows (12)
The Muppets Mayhem
Characters (Writing)
2023
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock
Characters (Writing)
2022
Muppets Now
Creator (Creator)
2020
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
Characters (Writing)
2019
Muppet Babies
Characters (Writing)
2018
The Muppets
Characters (Writing)
2015
In Their Own Words
as Self (archive footage)
2015
Sesame Street: Play with Me Sesame
2009
Studio DC: Almost Live
Characters (Writing)
2008
Muppets TV
Characters (Writing)
2006
5, Rue Sésame
Creator (Creator)
2005
Sesame Unpaved
1999