Jim Henson

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9.9 Superb
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Biography

Recent Role:
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Link Hogthrob / The Swedish Chef (puppetry and voice) / Dr. Teeth / Muppet Newsman / Waldorf on The Muppet Show
Gender:
Male
Born:
9-24-1936
Died:
5-16-1990 (Bacterial Pneumonia (New York, New York, USA))
Birthplace:
Greenville, Mississippi, USA
Birth Name:
James Maury Henson
AKA:
Kermit The Frog
Early television intrigued young Jim Henson and sparked his imagination and creativity. Seeing enormous potential for puppets in this medium, he began his career in Washington, D.C. local television. Sam and Friends, his nightly five-minute show on NBC’s WRC, won Jim an Emmy in 1958 and introduced Kermit to the world.



During the sixties, Jim and the Muppets made many appearances on variety shows and were regulars on The Today Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jimmy Dean Show. While the Muppets grew in popularity, Jim developed another career as a filmmaker.



More His experimental short film, Time Piece, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1965.



Jim’s remarkable association with Public Television’s award-winning children’s show, Sesame Street, began in 1969. The humor and whimsy of his characters continue to entertain each new generation.



The introduction of The Muppet Show in 1976 was a phenomenal success, reaching 235 million viewers in more than 100 countries and winning three Emmys in its five-year run. The popularity of the show led to the feature films The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper and The Muppets take Manhattan, as well as the animated television series, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies.



Throughout the 1980’s, Jim explored new directions in both television and film. The series Fraggle Rock was developed specifically with an international audience in mind. He developed new characters and technologies for the award-winning The Storyteller, The Jim Henson Hour, Dinosaurs and for his groundbreaking fantasy films, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Jim’s final completed project, Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D, continues to delight thousands daily at the Disney theme parks in Florida and California.



His untimely passing in May 1990 was met with a worldwide outpouring of love and renewed appreciation of his imagination and artistry.




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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    The most famous puppeter hide show

    Jim Henson, - Jim Henson is the world's most famous puppeter, bringing to the world some of the most famous creations, from Kermit the Frog to sesmese street. (sorry spelt that wrong) His creations have had people grown up with them, laugh with them and learn together. His contributions were great and nothing would be the same without him. He sad death in the early 90's changed everything, a sad loss. Even at the hands of his death, his great contributions still affect the world as they did when he created them. He made the world a better place to live in

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    10 Perfect
    What a brilliant, clever, imaginative, humorous, creative man. hide show

    Jim Henson really does deserve all the superlatives you can think of. He loved life and his enthusiasm and great sense of humour was show repeatedly in the sketches he did with his adorable Muppets.

    The previous review, by Mighty Elroy, is an excellent recap of Jim's achievements. If you would like to know more, go to www.muppetcentral.com. They have some excellent articles and tributes to this wonderful man. Time Magazine named him as one of the top twenty artists and entertainers of the 20th Century. Jim also made a TV show called "Jim Henson presents The World of Puppetry" which was a fascinating documentary, showing different types of puppets and how much prcatice and skill is required to work with them.

    I was absolutely shattered when he died and just kept saying over and over, what a tragic loss to the entertainment/TV world. I am glad his family and friends were able to continue what he started because as long as "Muppets" are around, Jim Henson will never be forgotten.

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    10 Perfect
    He revolutionized family entertainment with some foam rubber and ping-pong ball type eyes. hide show

    I think that there can be few who would argue that one of the most revolutionary and ingenious minds in the entertainment industry has to be Jim Henson. He was a man with a vision: to make puppetry mainstream entertainment. I believe that he succeeded in spades, and few would be able to convincingly disagree. He began his work in puppetry while attending high school. He was a studio arts major at the University of Maryland, and graduated with a B.Sc. in Home Ecconomics. He created the successful Sam and Friends, a five minute pupet show that introduced us to several characters, including the early version of what would become his most famous character and trademark, Kermit the Frog. He spent much of the fifties and sixties producing popular commercials with his Muppets, and had several appearances on television, most notably on the Ed Sullivan Show.

    In 1969, Jim was asked to join the creative forces behind the immensely successful and still popular Sesame Street, bringing several memorable character such as Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird into pop culture history. He would produce several made for TV specials before his variety show "The Muppet Show" was launched in 1976. "The Muppet Show" would bring about a transition of the love for his puppetry into the mainstream market. Another critically acclaimed and successful show "Fraggle Rock" brought the Muppets and Jim Henson even further success, especially on an international level. They created the show so that it could be adapted to appeal to children of all nations.

    Jim himself was the voice behind many of the most notable and memorable Muppet characters. In addition to Kermit, he performed dozens of popular characters, including Rowlf the Dog, Ernie, Dr. Teeth, the Swedish Chef, and Wladorf, one of the two old hecklers on the Muppet Show. Jim brought a level of charm and wit to the muppets he performed, and had impeccable comedic timing.

    His career was not limitted to that of the TV industry. The silver screen brought us several examples of Jim Henson's genius. In addition to a series of successful Muppet movies, Jim was the creative genius behind the fantasy-themed "Dark Crystal", which is a mesmorizing story. His Muppets also provided us with creatures to be used in films such as "Labrynth", "Teenage Mutant Nija Turtles", and created the legendary character Yoda for the Star Wars franchise. Jim continued to have more success on television, with cartoon hits like "The Muppet Babies", variety shows like "The Jim Henson Hour", and one of my personal favourites, "The Storyteller". While he never acheived the commercial success he had with Sesame Street or the Muppet Show, he continued to create and invent fantastic fun creatures and characters for us to enjoy.

    One of the biggest parts of his success was his ability to surround himself with similar creative geniuses who shared his vision. It is impossibe to speak of Jim Henson without at the very least acknowledging those who helped him along the way. His wife Jane was a fellow puppeteer until their children arrived. All of his kids were involved to some degree with the Muppets. Then there were the like of Jerry Juhl, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, David Golez, Jerry Nelson, and so many others who helped enrich our experience with the Muppets. It is a tribute to his legacy that we so many people continue his tradition.

    Sadly, Jim Henson passed away on May 16, 1990, after complications associated with pneumonia. It was a sad day indeed for all of us, because he was more than just an entertainer. He was a song writer, a story teller, a humanitarian, a poet, an artist, and the best of what humanity can offer. It is almost 18 years since he has left us, but his work and his lebacy live on. May we never take for granted the special gift he gave to each of us that have enjoyed his work.

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    10 Perfect
    Awesome man!! hide show

    Jim Henson is one of the most reconizable people for a reason, he did great. He brought the world another part of puppetry that not only kids could like, but adults could too! Making many shows over the years, every one of them were awesome! He could make anybody laugh. Hew was very, very talented and he was a very special man we can never ever forget!

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