Jim Henson
Biography
Jim Henson was an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and director who created the Muppets. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in Mississippi and Maryland, he began building puppets during high school. As a University of Maryland student, he created the short-form comedy show Sam and Friends, which included a prototype of Kermit the Frog. He joined Sesame Street in 1969 and helped develop its Muppet characters. He produced The Muppet Show from 1976 to 1981, created Fraggle Rock, and directed The Great Muppet Caper (1981) and Labyrinth (1986), while co-directing The Dark Crystal (1982). He also worked on The Muppet Movie (1979) and The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). He won two Emmy Awards for The Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour. Henson died in 1990.
53years old at death
- Born Greenville
- Died Manhattan
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- James Maury Henson (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 13
- Career span
- 47 years1977 to 2024
Genres
- Family69%, 9 films
- Comedy46%, 6 films
- Documentary38%, 5 films
- Adventure31%, 4 films
- Drama23%, 3 films
Share
Did you know?!
First role
In the late spring of 1954, Henson was hired at WTOP-TV to work marionettes on The Junior Morning Show, a Saturday morning children's program that was canceled only three weeks later.
A first
Henson created Rowlf, a piano-playing dog, and this Muppet was the first to appear regularly on The Jimmy Dean Show. Thankful for the opportunity, Henson gave Dean a 40-percent share of his production company, but Dean turned it down.
A role that slipped away
Henson suggested Frank Oz puppeteer Yoda for The Empire Strikes Back after George Lucas asked him to help create and articulate the character, and Oz went on to play Yoda in later Star Wars films.
A first
Henson received a Hollywood Walk of Fame honor as himself and also as Kermit the Frog. Just three others have been honored this way: Walt Disney, Mel Blanc and Mike Myers.
Jim Henson movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Dark Crystal1982 Adventure, Animation, Familyas Jen, a Gelfling (performer) / High Priest, a Ritual Master (performer)
IMDb rating 7.178K votes
- The Muppet Movie1979 Adventure, Comedy, Familyas Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Link Hogthrob / Doc Hopper's Menvoice
IMDb rating 7.643K votes
- The Muppets Take Manhattan1984as Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Ernie / Granny / Horse & Carriage Rider / Link Hogthrob / The Newsmanvoice
IMDb rating 6.925K votes
- The Great Muppet Caper1981as Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Swedish Chef / Waldorf / The Muppet Newsman / Zeke / Man having Snapshot in Restaurantvoice
IMDb rating 7.119K votes
Most often with
Frank Oz directed two of these films, Jon Stone two. Frank Oz appears in twelve of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Frank Oz's page
Richard Hunt's page
Jerry Nelson's page
Dave Goelz's page
Caroll Spinney's page
Fran Brill's page
All films by Jon Stone
Also four films together1 more actor
- Linda BoveStreet Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021), Follow That Bird (1985), Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1983) and Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
Six awards and honors from 1989 to 2011, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1989 | Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series | The Jim Henson Hour | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2011 | Disney Legends (posthumous) | Honored | |
| 1991 | Hollywood Walk of Fame (posthumous) | Honored | |
| 1990 | Inkpot Award | Won | |
| Peabody Awards | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.