Jim Henson
Directing • Born 1936-09-24 – Died 1990-05-16
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
168 credits
The King of Eight
Movie • 1971
The King of Eight
The Muppet Movie
Movie • 1979
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Doc Hopper's Men / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef (voice)
Into the Night
Movie • 1985
Man on Phone
Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!
Movie • 1990
Ernie / Singer / Kermit the Frog (archive footage) (segment "One Banana") (voice)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
Movie • 1984
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Ernie / Granny / Horse & Carriage Rider / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman (voice)
Of Muppets & Men
Movie • 1981
Self
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol
Movie • 2006
Ernie (voice) (archive footage)
A Muppet Family Christmas
Movie • 1987
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Ernie / Self
Sesame Street: Do the Alphabet
Movie • 1996
Ernie (voice)
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Movie • 1990
Self / Various Muppets (archive footage)
I Love Liberty
Movie • 1982
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Follow That Bird
Movie • 1985
Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)
Hey Cinderella!
Movie • 1969
Kermit The Frog / King Goshposh / Rufus (voice)
Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppets
Movie • 1984
Jim Henson (self)
The Great Muppet Caper
Movie • 1981
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / The Muppet Newsman
Dog City: The Movie
Movie • 1989
Self / Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Bugsy Them (voice)
Julie: My Favourite Things
Movie • 1975
Kermit the Frog/Dr. Teeth
Sesame Street: Imagine That!
Movie • 1996
Ernie (voice) (archive footage)
The Christmas Toy
Movie • 1986
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Time Piece
Movie • 1965
Man
Sesame Street: Learning About Letters
Movie • 1986
Ernie/Kermit the Frog/King Peter the Persnickety (voice)
Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff
Movie • 1985
Kermit the Frog
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
Movie • 1985
Rowlf (voice)
Muppet Treasures
Movie • 1985
Kermit The Frog / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Link Hogthrob / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / The Newsman
The Muppet Revue
Movie • 1985
Kermit the Frog (voice)
The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
Movie • 1972
Kermit the Frog / Mean Floyd / Rat (voice)
The Muppets at Walt Disney World
Movie • 1990
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Link Hogthrob (voice)
Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Prince
Movie • 1971
Kermit / Garth / King Rupert (voice)
Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets
Movie • 1983
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Waldorf / Zeke (voice)
Free to Be... a Family
Movie • 1988
Kermit the Frog (voice)
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show
Movie • 1982
Kermit The Frog (voice)
The Muppets Go Hollywood
Movie • 1979
Various Muppets
The Wizard of Id
Movie • 1969
The Wizard / The Spook (voice)
The World of 'The Dark Crystal'
Movie • 1983
Self
The Muppets on Puppets
Movie • 1970
Self / Rowlf the Dog
The Great Santa Claus Switch
Movie • 1970
Fred / Lothar (voice)
Inside the Labyrinth
Movie • 1986
Self
Reflections of 'The Dark Crystal'
Movie • 2007
Self
50 Years of Television: A Golden Celebration
Movie • 1989
Kermit the Frog
Children's Songs and Stories with the Muppets
Movie • 1985
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Sesame Street: Elmo Says BOO!
Movie • 1997
Ernie / Harvey Monster (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street: Sing Along
Movie • 1987
Sesame Street Pitch Reel
Movie • 1969
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Grump / Conrad Love / The Spook
Hip Hip Parade!
Movie • 1978
Kermit the Frog
Muppet Picker Upper
Movie • 1975
Kermit the Frog / Leo (voice)
The Very Best of the Muppet Show
Movie • 1999
Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / The Swedish Chef
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 2
Movie • 1999
Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / The Swedish Chef
Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Movie • 1983
Ernie (voice)
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 3
Movie • 2001
Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob
The Paperwork Explosion
Movie • 1967
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
Movie • 2015
Self
Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments
Movie • 2004
Muppet Music Moments
Movie • 2004
Self
Muppet History 101
Movie • 2004
Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland
Movie • 2009
Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story
Movie • 2009
Jim Henson: Behind the Seams
Movie • 2014
Jim Henson: In Performance
Movie • 1990
Muppets Magic from 'The Ed Sullivan Show!'
Movie • 2003
Muppet Performer
In Their Own Words: Jim Henson
Movie • 2015
Self (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars II
Movie • 1985
Kermit the Frog
The World of Jim Henson
Movie • 1994
Self / Kermit the Frog / Rowlf (archive footage)
Miss Piggy's Hollywood
Movie • 1989
Waldorf
Down at Fraggle Rock
Movie • 1987
Cantus the Minstrel / Convincing John / Self / Host
Big Bird in China
Movie • 1983
Ernie (voice)
Jim Henson: Sing-Along, Dance-Along, Do-Along
Movie • 1988
Rowlf the Dog (voice)
Hey, You're as Funny as Fozzie Bear
Movie • 1988
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
Movie • 1978
Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)
An Evening with Jim Henson and Frank Oz
Movie • 1989
Self
Sesame Street: Monster Hits!
Movie • 1990
Harvey Monster (voice)
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
Movie • 1977
Kermit the Frog / Harrison Fox / Harvey / Snake (voice)
The Muppets Go to the Movies
Movie • 1981
Kermit / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
Movie • 1979
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Waldorf / Dr. Teeth / The Swedish Chef (voice)
The Orson Welles Show
Movie • 1979
Self / Kermit the Frog (voice)
Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years: A Musical Celebration!
Movie • 1993
Ernie
Muppet Video: The Kermit and Piggy Story
Movie • 1985
Kermit the Frog (voice)
The Bells of Fraggle Rock
Movie • 1984
Cantus the Minstrel (voice)
Tales of the Tinkerdee
Movie • 1962
Kermit the Frog / King Goshposh / Charlie the Ogre (voice)
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
Movie • 1983
Self
Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music
Movie • 1990
Self / Kermit the Frog (voice)
Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie
Movie • 1988
Kermit the Frog/Ernie (voice)
Muppet Side Splitter
Movie • 1981
Leo (voice)
Mickey's 50
Movie • 1978
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Pure Goldie
Movie • 1971
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Muppets Most Wanted
Movie • 2014
Kermit The Frog (archival recordings) (uncredited)
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Movie • 1986
Kermit the Frog / Ernie / Dr. Teeth / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Mahna Mahna / Harry the Hipster / Self
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic
Movie • 1986
Dog (voice)
Muppet Studios Presents: You're the Director
Movie • 1988
Kermit the Frog / Swedish Chef / Rowlf the Dog / Link Hogthrob (voice)
Wow, You're A Cartoonist!
Movie • 1988
Kermit The Frog
The Best of Ernie and Bert
Movie • 1988
Ernie
The Muppet Show Pitch Reel
Movie • 1976
Leo / Kermit the Frog (voice)
Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting
Movie • 2019
Ernie
Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word Play
Movie • 2002
Kermit the Frog / Bip Bippadotta / Lavender Anything Muppet in Fat Cat (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street: Quiet Time
Movie • 1997
Ernie ("Naptime") / Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
Movie • 1986
Ernie / The King (Bedtime Stories & Songs) (voice)
Labyrinth
Movie • 1986
Goblins (uncredited)
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
Movie • 1977
Kermit the Frog / Rowlf
Out to Lunch
Movie • 1974
Kermit / Ernie / Guy Smiley / Person with Cue Card (voice)
Limbo: The Organized Mind
Movie • 1966
Limbo (voice)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street
Movie • 1998
Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Movie • 1994
Kermit the Frog / Ernie (archive footage)
The Dark Crystal
Movie • 1982
Jen / High Priest, Ritual Master
Muppet Breaker Upper
Movie • 1979
Leo
Muppet Gimme a Break
Movie • 1979
Leo / Pasta in "Meal Break"
The Earth Day Special
Movie • 1990
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Muppet Breakthrough
Movie • 1983
Leo
Just a Few Announcements
Movie • 1975
Kermit the Frog
The Muppet Introduction
Movie • 1975
Kermit the Frog
Rowlf the Salesman
Movie • 1966
Rowlf the Dog
Grump Critic
Movie • 1979
Leo
Let's Have the Dam Break
Movie • 1979
Leo
Meal Break
Movie • 1979
Leo / Spaghetti
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street
Movie • 1979
Ernie / Kermit the Frog (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joan Rivers at the BBC
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Alexander the Grape
Movie • 1965
Freddy the Fierce (voice)
The Idea Man
Movie • 1966
Limbo
This Way to Sesame Street
Movie • 1969
Ernie/Kermit
Julie Andrews: One Step Into Spring
Movie • 1978
Kermit The Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth
Sesame Street at Night?
Movie • 1977
Guy Smiley / Ernie / Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
Visual Thinking
Movie • 1961
Kermit / Harry the Hipster (voice)
The Reindeer
Movie • 1965
Dasher / Prancer (voice)
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
Movie • 2004
Kermit the Frog
The Muppet Script
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage)
I'm Nobody
Movie • 1966
Limbo (voice)
Sesame Street: Cookie Monster's Best Bites
Movie • 2004
Guy Smiley (voice, archive footage)
Kagayake! Gorō Mapetto Geba Geba 90-pun!
Movie • 1976
Kermit the Frog
The Vent Event
Movie • 1978
Kermit the Frog
A Classic Christmas from The Ed Sullivan Show
Movie • 1992
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Jim Henson Idea Man
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Sesame Street 1986 Wrap Party
Movie
Ernie / Himself
Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
Movie • 1993
Ernie / Kermit the Frog / Guy Smiley (archive footage) (voice)
Sesame Street: Learning About Numbers
Movie • 1986
Ernie / Kermit the Frog / King of 8 (voice) (uncredited)
Sesame Street- Do you know where Ernie lives?
Movie • 1975
Self
Keep U.S. Beautiful
Movie • 1973
Muppets
Getting Ready to Read
Movie • 1992
Kermit / Ernie / Bip Bippadotta (voice)
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
Movie • 1977
Muppet*Vision 3-D
Movie • 1991
Kermit The Frog, Waldorf, The Swedish Chef
Sam the Snake
Movie • 1969
Sam the Snake
Sesame Street
TV • 1969
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Convincing John
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Gobo Fraggle, Convincing John, Cantus (voice)
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Cantus
Sam and Friends
TV • 1955
Kermit the Frog
The Muppet Show
TV • 1976
Kermit the Frog, Waldorf, Rowlf the Dog, Link Hogthrob, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, The Newsman (voice)
The Jim Henson Hour
TV • 1989
Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters
TV • 1985
Sesame Street: Play with Me Sesame
TV • 2009
Sesame Unpaved
TV • 1999
Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten
TV • 1969
Self
Reading Rainbow
TV • 1983
Kermit the Frog
Einer wird gewinnen
TV • 1964
Self
Wogan
TV • 1982
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
The Dick Cavett Show
TV • 1968
Self - Guest
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Self
NBC Experiment in Television
TV • 1967
Gorilla (voice)
Wedden, dat..?
TV • 1986
Self
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Cantus the Minstrel, Convincing John, Additional Muppets (voice)
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Cantus the Minstrel (voice)
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Convincing John (voice, uncredited)
Fraggle Rock
TV • 1983
Convincing John (voice)
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Kermit the Frog (voice)
Dolly
TV • 1987
Kermit the Frog (voice)
In Their Own Words
TV • 2015
Self (archive footage)
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
TV • 1948
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
King Ploobis (voice)
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self / Kermit The Frog / Waldorf