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Jim Henson

Personal Info

Known For

Directing

Birthdate

1936-09-24

Day of Death

1990-05-16

Place of Birth

Greenville, Mississippi, USA

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.

Filmography (137)

⭐ 0 Role: Self (archive footage)

The Muppet Script

2025
⭐ 0 Role: Self (archive footage)

Joan Rivers at the BBC

2024
⭐ 7.8 Role: Self (archive footage)

Jim Henson Idea Man

2024
⭐ 7.4 Role: Self (archive footage)

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

2021
⭐ 5.5 Role: Ernie

Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting

2019
⭐ 7.0 Role: Self (archive footage)

In Their Own Words: Jim Henson

2015
⭐ 7.4 Role: Self

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story

2015
No Image
⭐ 0 Role: Unknown

Jim Henson: Behind the Seams

2014
⭐ 6.3 Role: Kermit The Frog (archival recordings) (uncredited)

Muppets Most Wanted

2014
⭐ 6.7 Role: Kermit the Frog (archive voice) (uncredited)

The Muppets

2011
No Image
⭐ 2.0 Role: Unknown

Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story

2009
No Image
⭐ 0 Role: Unknown

Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland

2009
⭐ 5.8 Role: Self

Reflections of 'The Dark Crystal'

2007
⭐ 6.7 Role: Ernie (voice) (archive footage)

A Sesame Street Christmas Carol

2006
No Image
⭐ 0 Role: Unknown

Muppet History 101

2004