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Jim Henson

Directing

Jim Henson

Jim Henson is a director born on September 24, 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi, USA. He died on May 16, 1990, aged 53. He is known for Labyrinth, The Witches and The Dark Crystal. GloboWatch shows where to watch one of his movies and TV shows, country by country.

Known for
Directing
Born
September 24, 1936
Place of birth
Greenville, Mississippi, USA
Died
May 16, 1990
Also known as
James Maury 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

  1. 2024Jim Henson Idea Manas Self (archive footage)
  2. 2021Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Streetas Self (archive footage)
  3. 2020Muppets NowCreator
  4. 2015Jim Henson's Turkey HollowStory
  5. 2015I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Storyas Self
  6. 2014Muppets Most Wantedas Kermit The Frog (archival recordings) (uncredited)
  7. 2011The Muppetsas Kermit the Frog (archive voice) (uncredited)
  8. 2006A Sesame Street Christmas Carolas Ernie (voice) (archive footage)
  9. 1995Orson Welles: The One-Man Band
  10. 1994The World of Jim Hensonas Self / Kermit the Frog / Rowlf (archive footage)
  11. 1992Dog CityCreator
  12. 1990Little Mermaid's IslandCreator
  13. 1990The Muppets Celebrate Jim Hensonas Self / Various Muppets (archive footage)
  14. 1990The WitchesExecutive producer
  15. 1990The Muppets at Walt Disney Worldas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Link Hogthrob (voice) · Executive producer
  16. 1990The Earth Day Specialas Kermit the Frog (voice)
  17. 1989Dog Cityas Self / Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Bugsy Them (voice) · Director
  18. 1989The Jim Henson Houras Self / Various · 12 episodes · Executive producer · Director · Creator
  19. 1988The StorytellerDirector · Executive producer · Creator
  20. 1987A Muppet Family Christmasas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Ernie / Self · Executive producer
  21. 1987Fraggle Rock: The Animated SeriesExecutive producer · Creator
  22. 1986Inside the Labyrinthas Self · Writer
  23. 1986The Christmas Toyas Kermit the Frog (voice) · Producer
  24. 1986Labyrinthas Goblins (uncredited) · Director · Story
  25. 1986The Tale of the Bunny Picnicas Dog (voice) · Director · Producer
  26. 1986The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Yearsas Kermit the Frog / Ernie / Dr. Teeth / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Mahna Mahna / Harry the Hipster / Self · Creator
  27. 1985Follow That Birdas Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)
  28. 1985Into the Nightas Man on Phone
  29. 1984Muppet BabiesDirector · Executive producer · Creator
  30. 1984The Muppets Take Manhattanas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Ernie / Granny / Horse & Carriage Rider / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman (voice) · Executive producer
  31. 1984Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppetsas Self
  32. 1983Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedias Self
  33. 1983Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Artas Ernie (voice)
  34. 1983Reading Rainbowas Kermit the Frog · 1 episode
  35. 1983Big Bird in Chinaas Ernie (voice)
  36. 1983Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppetsas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Waldorf / Zeke (voice) · Director · Producer
  37. 1983Fraggle Rockas Convincing John · 24 episodes · Producer · Director · Creator
  38. 1983The World of 'The Dark Crystal'as Self · Director
  39. 1982The Dark Crystalas Jen / High Priest, Ritual Master · Producer · Director · Story
  40. 1981The Great Muppet Caperas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / The Muppet Newsman / Zeke / Man in Dubonnet Club · Director
  41. 1981The Muppets Go to the Moviesas Kermit / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef / Waldorf (voice) · Writer · Producer
  42. 1979John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Togetheras Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Waldorf / Dr. Teeth / The Swedish Chef (voice)
  43. 1979The Muppet Movieas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Doc Hopper's Men / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef (voice) · Producer
  44. 1979The Muppets Go Hollywoodas Self / Kermit / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldof / Swedish Chef / Pig
  45. 1978Christmas Eve on Sesame Streetas Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice) · Executive producer
  46. 1977Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmasas Kermit the Frog / Harrison Fox / Harvey / Snake (voice) · Director · Producer
  47. 1976The Muppet Showas Kermit the Frog, Waldorf, Rowlf the Dog, Link Hogthrob, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, The Newsman (voice) · 120 episodes · Producer · Writer · Creator
  48. 1972The Muppet Musicians of Bremenas Kermit the Frog / Mean Floyd / Rat (voice) · Director · Producer
  49. 1971Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Princeas Kermit / Garth / King Rupert (voice) · Director
  50. 1971Great Performancesas Kermit the Frog (voice) · 1 episode
  51. 1970The Great Santa Claus Switchas Fred / Lothar (voice) · Executive producer
  52. 1969Sesame Streetas Ernie/Kermit the Frog/Guy Smiley · 3,279 episodes · Creator
  53. 1969Hey Cinderella!as Kermit The Frog / King Goshposh / Rufus (voice) · Director
  54. 1969The Cubeas Gorilla (voice) · Director · Writer
  55. 1967Wheels That GoDirector
  56. 1967RipplesDirector
  57. 1966Limbo: The Organized Mindas Limbo (voice) · Director
  58. 1965Time Pieceas Man · Director · Writer · Producer
  59. 1954The Wonderful World of Disneyas Self · 1 episode
  60. 1953The Oscarsas Self / Kermit The Frog / Waldorf · 1 episode