Henson, Jim

Henson, Jim (James Maury Henson), 1936–90, American puppeteer, creator of the Muppets, b. Greenville, Miss., grad. Univ. of Maryland (A.B., 1960). In 1954 he got his first job as a local television puppeteer, soon created (1955) his alter ego, the debonair Kermit the Frog, and subsequently introduced several early Muppets (a cross between hand puppets and marionettes, with mobile, espressive faces and gesturing hands). Henson, associate Frank Oz, and the numerous Muppets went on to star (beginning in 1969) in public television's Sesame Street, which became an international hit. The Muppet Show, a television variety series (1976–80), was also a success, and Henson developed many other television projects. In addition to Kermit, Henson's dramatis personae include the flamboyant Miss Piggy, the insatiable Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, the nonpuppet Big Bird, and a host of others. Henson's Muppets began their film career in The Muppet Movie (1979), later appearing in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) and a number of other films. Henson died of pneumonia in 1990, and in 2000 his company was sold to a German firm. His family purchased the company back in 2003, and originates and runs a variety of mainly Muppet-related projects.

Bibliography

See G. Woods, Jim Henson (1987).

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Henson, Jim

 in full James Maury Henson

(born Sept. 24, 1936, Greenville, Miss., U.S.—died May 16, 1990, New York, N.Y.) U.S. puppeteer and producer. He created a puppet show for a television station while in college and developed the first Muppets (melding marionettes and puppets). In the 1960s he made TV commercials. When PBS featured the Muppets on Sesame Street (from 1969), Henson achieved nationwide notice. He premiered The Muppet Show on television in 1976 and gained audiences in over 100 countries. He also produced and directed The Muppet Movie (1979) and its sequels.