Jim Henson

Jim Henson

Directing Sep 24, 1936 May 16, 1990 (aged 54) Greenville, Mississippi, USA

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.

168 Acting Credits
132 Crew Credits

Acting

Labyrinth Movie

Labyrinth

as Goblins (uncredited)

1986

The Muppets Movie

The Muppets

as Kermit the Frog (archive voice) (uncredited)

2011

The Dark Crystal Movie

The Dark Crystal

as Jen / High Priest, Ritual Master

1982

Muppets Most Wanted Movie

Muppets Most Wanted

as Kermit The Frog (archival recordings) (uncredited)

2014

The Muppet Movie Movie

The Muppet Movie

as Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Doc Hopper's Men / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef (voice)

1979

Saturday Night Live TV

Saturday Night Live

as King Ploobis (voice)

1975

The Muppets Take Manhattan Movie

The Muppets Take Manhattan

as Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Ernie / Granny / Horse & Carriage Rider / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman (voice)

1984

The Muppet Show TV

The Muppet Show

as Kermit the Frog, Waldorf, Rowlf the Dog, Link Hogthrob, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, The Newsman (voice)

1976

The Great Muppet Caper Movie

The Great Muppet Caper

as Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / The Muppet Newsman

1981

Into the Night Movie

Into the Night

as Man on Phone

1985

Sesame Street TV

Sesame Street

1969

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Gobo Fraggle, Convincing John, Cantus (voice)

1983

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Convincing John

1983

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Cantus

1983

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Cantus the Minstrel, Convincing John, Additional Muppets (voice)

1983

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Convincing John (voice, uncredited)

1983

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Cantus the Minstrel (voice)

1983

Fraggle Rock TV

Fraggle Rock

as Convincing John (voice)

1983

A Muppet Family Christmas Movie

A Muppet Family Christmas

as Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Ernie / Self

1987

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson TV

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self (archive footage)

1962

Follow That Bird Movie

Follow That Bird

as Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)

1985

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas Movie

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

as Kermit the Frog / Harrison Fox / Harvey / Snake (voice)

1977

The Oscars TV

The Oscars

as Self / Kermit The Frog / Waldorf

1953

Jim Henson Idea Man Movie

Jim Henson Idea Man

as Self (archive footage)

2024

Crew