Jim Henson

James "Jim" Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American animator, artist and puppeteer. He was best known for his work with the Muppets, which he helped to create.^[1] His best known puppet is Kermit the Frog.

Jim Henson
Henson at the 1989 Emmy Awards
Born	James Maury Henson (1936-09-24)September 24, 1936 Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	May 16, 1990(1990-05-16) (aged 53) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Cause of death	Multiple organ failure complicated by sepsis and pneumonia
Nationality	American
Education	Northwestern High School
Alma mater	University of Maryland, College Park
Occupation(s)	Animator, artist, puppeteer
Years active	1954-1990
Known for	Creator of The Muppets
Board member of	Jim Henson Foundation The Jim Henson Company Jim Henson's Creature Shop
Spouse(s)	Jane Nebel (1954–1964; separated)
Children	3; including John Henson
Parent(s)	Paul Ransom Henson Betty Marcella (née Brown)
Awards	Courage Conscience Award Emmy Award Disney Legend Award

As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. He made movies, like The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper. He also made puppets for projects like Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.

Henson died of organ failure caused by sepsis at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.^[2]

Legacy

The Jim Henson Company and the Jim Henson Foundation continued after his death, making new series and specials. Jim Henson's Creature Shop, founded by Henson, also continues to build creatures for a large number of other movies and series (e.g. the science-fiction production Farscape, the movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and the movie MirrorMask) and is said to be one of the most advanced and well respected creators of movie creatures.

His son Brian and daughter Lisa are the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the company. His daughter Cheryl is the president of the foundation. Steve Whitmire, a veteran member of the Muppet puppeteering crew, plays the roles of Kermit the Frog and Ernie, the most famous characters formerly played by Jim Henson.^[3]

One of Henson's last projects is a show attraction in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. It is called Muppet*Vision 3D. It opened in 1991, shortly after his death.

Tributes

• Henson is honored both as himself and as Kermit the Frog on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Only two other people have received this honor: Mel Blanc as both himself and Bugs Bunny; and Walt Disney as both himself and Mickey Mouse.
• The theater at his alma mater, Northwestern High School, in Hyattsville, MD, is named in his honor.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze and The Muppet Christmas Carol are both dedicated to him.
• Stephen Lynch made a song titled "Jim Henson's Dead". He talks about many of the characters from The Muppet Show and Sesame Street.
• Henson is shown in The American Adventure in Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort.
• Philip Roth often quotes Jim Henson in his Sabbath's Theater as the "great regret" for Mickey Sabbath.
• The Jim Henson Museum, in his hometown of Leland, Mississippi, has an assortment of original Muppet characters, official certificates from the Mississippi Legislature honoring Henson and his characters, and a statue of Kermit in the middle of the stream behind the museum.
• The 1990 television special The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson let the Muppets themselves pay tribute to Henson. The special had interviews with Steven Spielberg and others.
• Celtic singer, musician, and songwriter Heather Alexander wrote a song titled "Storyteller" in 1990. It is about his "Storyteller" series as well as his role as a modern storyteller.
• Tom Smith's Henson tribute song, "A Boy and His Frog", won the Pegasus Award for Best Filk Song in 1991.
• Henson was shown in Boyz II Men's 1991 video, "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday".
• Episode 2880 of Sesame Street (which aired on November 15, 1991) was dedicated in his memory, with a memorial card following the closing credits.
• University of Maryland, College Park has a life-size statue of Henson and Kermit the Frog.^[4]
• Kermit the Frog was named Grand Marshall of the 1996 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.
• On the evening of October 25, 2000, Comedy Central had a banner sign that said: Jim Henson [1936–1990].
• In 2003, Jim Henson was honored at the yearly Norsk Høstfest in Minot, North Dakota.^[5]
• A 3D tribute to Henson called Over Time was shown as part of the 2005 Electronic Theater at SIGGRAPH.
• On September 28, 2005, the U.S. Postal Service issued a sheet of commemorative stamps honoring Henson and the Muppets.
• The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, has more than 700 puppets made by Henson and his studio. Many of these are displayed in the museum exhibit Jim Henson: Puppeteer. In September 2008, the Center opened Jim Henson: Wonders From His Workshop, highlighting creations from Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth, and other later works.
• On September 24, 2011, Henson's hometown of Leland renamed one of their bridges "The Rainbow Connection" to honor Henson and his work.
• On his 75th birthday the Google doodle was six Muppets.^[6]

Filmography

Program	Character(s)
Sam and Friends	Sam, Harry the Hipster, Kermit, Omar, Professor Madcliffe, Pierre the French Rat, Yorick, others
Sesame Street	Ernie, Kermit, Guy Smiley, Anything Muppets, an apple from "Bilingual Fruit Song", As I Was Going to St. Ives boy, Baby Monster, Bad Bart, Barry Rhymie, Beautiful Day Monster, Beginning, Ben, Big Jeffy, Billy Monster, Bip Bippadotta, Captain Vegetable, Charlie, Dan, Father, Fenwick, Flakey, The Geefle, The Genie, George Washington, Grandmother Happy, Granny Fanny Nesselrode, Harold Happy, Harvey Monster, Henry, Herman the Hoppity-Hop, Hippie, J Friend Singer, The King, King Gerry the Generous, King Peter the Persnickety, Lance, Lavender "Fat Cat" performer, Librarian, Little Chrissy, Lost & Found Clerk, Marvin, Maurice, Maurice, Maurice Monster, Mr. Essex, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Nose, Old King Cole's Band Fat Blue fiddler & Pumpkin bass player, Pat Playjacks, Pokey, Salvador Dada, Sam, Sammy the Snake, Scudge (1969), Sherlock Hemlock, Showered Rosell, Sinister Sam, Sneaky, Spaceship Surprise Captain, Stan, Thomas Twiddlebug, Three Little Pigs, Tony, Warren Wolf, Witch, Yellow Submarine Fat Blue train engineer, Yip Yip Martians, Zizzy Zoomer
The Muppet Valetine Show	Wally, Kermit, Rowlf, Ernie
The Muppet Show: Sex & Violence	George Washington, Hudson, The Swedish Chef, Waldorf, Dr. Teeth, Kermit
The Muppet Show	Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef, The Newsman, Link Hogthrob, Mahna Mahna, Crazy Harry, Shakey Sanchez, Balloon-Head Conductor, Beautiful Day Monster, Beaver, Black Rooster, Bobo the Bear, Brown Bear, Butch, Dancers, Doglion, The Eel, Flower-Eating Monster, Frog, Fuzz Brother, a Gills Brother, Green Heap, Green Frackle, Hillbilly Singer, Jim, Kermit the Protozoa, Lenny the Lizard, Lefty, a Muppaphone, The Newspig, Penguins, Pigs, Prairie Dogs, Robot Kermit, Rover Joe, The Scientist, Silver Beak, Slim Wilson, Wally, Wally Whoopie, Whatnots, Zeke
Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas	Kermit, Harrison Fox, Harvey Beaver, Howard Snake
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street	Kermit, Ernie
The Muppet Movie	Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef
The Great Muppet Caper	Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef, The Newsman
The Muppets Take Manhattan	Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef, The Newsman, Ernie, Baby Kermit, Baby Rowlf, Penguins
Follow That Bird	Kermit, Ernie
The Christmas Toy	Jack-in-the-Box, Kermit
A Muppet Family Christmas	Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef, The Newsman, Guy Smiley, & a penguin
The Jim Henson Hour	Kermit, Dr. Teeth, Link Hogthrob, The Swedish Chef, Timecaster, Teddy Bear, Garbage Bags, Timrek the Gorf, Screaming No-Nos
Sesame Street... 20 Years & Still Counting	Ernie, Kermit
The Muppets at Walt Disney World	Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef, Link Hogthrob
Sing Yourself Silly!	Ernie, Kermit, lead singer of one Banana