Editing Jim Henson

{{short description|American puppeteer (1936–1990)}}
{{about|the puppeteer|the company he co-founded|The Jim Henson Company|the man who escaped slavery|Jim Henson (memorialist)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Jim Henson
| image              = Jim Henson, creator, The Muppets.jpg
| alt                = Henson at a public event
| caption            = Henson in 1979
| birth_name         = James Maury Henson
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1936|9|24}}
| birth_place        = [[Greenville, Mississippi]], U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.henson.com/aboutus.php?content=jim|title=The Jim Henson Company|work=henson.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203060259/http://www.henson.com/aboutus.php?content=jim|archive-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref>
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|1990|05|16|1936|09|24}}
| death_place        = [[New York City]], U.S.
| death_cause        = [[Toxic shock syndrome]] caused by [[Group A streptococcal infection]]
| resting_place      = [[Cremation|Cremated]]; ashes scattered in [[Taos, New Mexico]] in 1992
| alma_mater         = [[University of Maryland, College Park]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])
| occupation         = {{hlist|Puppeteer|animator|actor|filmmaker}}
| years_active       = 1954–1990
| known_for          = Creator of [[the Muppets]]
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Jane Henson|Jane Nebel]]|1959|1986|end={{abbr|sep.|separated}}}}
| children           = {{hlist|[[Lisa Henson|Lisa]]||[[Cheryl Henson|Cheryl]]|[[Brian Henson|Brian]]|[[John Henson (puppeteer)|John]]|[[Heather Henson|Heather]]}}
| boards             = {{Plainlist|
*[[Jim Henson Foundation]]
*[[The Jim Henson Company]] (1958–1990)
*[[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]] (1979–1990)
}}
| awards             = {{Plainlist|
*Courage Conscience Award
*[[Emmy Awards|Emmy Award]]
*[[Disney Legends|Disney Legend]]
*[[Inkpot Award]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot |title=Inkpot Award |access-date=September 12, 2020 |archive-date=January 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129155249/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
}}

'''James Maury Henson''' (September 24, 1936&nbsp;– May 16, 1990) was an American [[puppeteer]], animator, actor, and filmmaker 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 film)|Labyrinth]]'' (1986).

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 Henson|Jane Nebel]]. Henson and Nebel co-founded [[The Jim Henson Company|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 Awards|Emmy Award]] twice for his involvement in ''[[The StoryTeller (TV series)|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 Legends|Disney Legend]] in 2011.

==Early life==
James Maury Henson was born on September 24, 1936, in [[Greenville, Mississippi]], the younger of two children of Betty Marcella ([[née]] Brown, 1904–1972) and Paul Ransom Henson (1904–1994), an [[agronomist]] for the United States Department of Agriculture.<ref name="sippi">{{cite web |last=Padgett |first=John B. |date=February 17, 1999 |title=Jim Henson |url=http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/henson_jim/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829001157/http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/henson_jim/index.html |archive-date=August 29, 2007 |access-date=June 19, 2007 |work=The Mississippi Writers Page |publisher=[[University of Mississippi]] Department of English}}</ref> Henson's older brother, Paul Ransom Henson Jr. (1932–1956), died in a car crash on April 15, 1956. He was raised as a [[Christian Science|Christian Scientist]] and spent his early childhood in nearby [[Leland, Mississippi]], before moving with his family to [[University Park, Maryland]], near [[Washington, D.C.]], in the late 1940s and later to [[Bethesda, Maryland|Bethesda]], Maryland.<ref name="People Weekly Article">{{cite news |first1=Susan |last1=Schindehette |first2=J. D. |last2=Podolsky |title=Legacy of a Gentle Genius |date=June 18, 1990 |magazine=People |pages=88–96 |access-date=February 24, 2012 |url=http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle5.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221231138/http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle5.shtml |archive-date=February 21, 2012 |via=Muppet Central}}</ref> He remembered the arrival of the family's first television as "the biggest event of his adolescence",<ref name="nyobit">{{cite news |last=Blau |first=Eleanor |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/17/obituaries/jim-henson-puppeteer-dies-the-muppets-creator-was-53.html |title=Jim Henson, Puppeteer, Dies; The Muppets' Creator Was 53 |work=The New York Times |date=May 17, 1990 |access-date=May 1, 2007 |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629221555/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/17/obituaries/jim-henson-puppeteer-dies-the-muppets-creator-was-53.html |url-status=live }}</ref> being heavily influenced by radio ventriloquist [[Edgar Bergen]] and the early television puppets of [[Burr Tillstrom]] on ''[[Kukla, Fran and Ollie]]'' and [[Bil Baird|Bil and Cora Baird]].<ref name="nyobit"/> He remained a Christian Scientist at least into his twenties, when he taught Sunday school, but he wrote to a Christian Science church in the early 1970s to inform them that he was no longer a practicing member.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7ElPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4502,372385 |title=Henson rumor is groundless |newspaper=Toledo Blade |page=E4 |date=July 1, 1990 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |via=[[Google News Archive]] |archive-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505145408/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7ElPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4502%2C372385 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Career==
===Education===
Henson attended a variety of grade schools in his youth, including Hyattsville High School until it was closed in 1951. He completed his high school career at the newly opened [[Northwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)|Northwestern High School]], where he joined the puppetry club.

He enrolled at the [[University of Maryland, College Park]], the following fall as a studio arts major, thinking that he might become a commercial artist.{{sfn|Finch|1993|p=9}} As a freshman at the university, Jim took a newly offered puppetry class mostly populated with seniors, including his future wife [[Jane Henson|Jane Nebel]].<!--She took the surname Henson after her marriage, thus, per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Biography#People_with_the_same_surname , is referred to by name as "Jane" to distinguish her from "Jim".--> He graduated in 1960 with a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[home economics]].

===Early career: 1954–1961===
Henson began working at [[WUSA (TV)|WTOP-TV]] (now WUSA-TV) in the late spring of 1954, at age {{Age in years|1936|09|24|1954|06|01}}<!-- Age calculated as of June for "late spring" -->, hired to "manipulate marionettes"{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=33}} on a Saturday morning children's show called ''The Junior Morning Show'', until the show was cancelled only three weeks later. This first break into the television industry was short-lived, but his talent landed him and his puppets an opportunity to continue working at WTOP-TV, [[lip-syncing]] on Roy Meachum's ''Saturday'' show.{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=33-35}}

Henson's employment at WTOP-TV lasted only until August, when ''Saturday'' was also cancelled. Meachum then referred Jim to the local NBC-affiliate station WRC-TV, where Henson continued performing his puppets with Jane's help. The two were eventually offered a nightly segment{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=44}} for which they created ''[[Sam and Friends]]'', a three-to-five-minute puppet show that afforded Henson much more freedom to develop his own creative work. The characters on ''Sam and Friends'' were forerunners of the Muppets, and the show included a prototype of Henson's most famous character, Kermit the Frog.{{sfn|Finch|1993|p=102}} He remained at WRC until ''Sam and Friends'' aired its last episode on December 15, 1961.{{sfn|Jones|2013|p=91}}

In the show, Henson began experimenting with techniques that changed the way in which puppetry was used on television, foregoing the convention of pointing the camera at a stationary [[puppet theatre]] [[proscenium]] and instead using the image created by the [[TV camera]] and [[Camera lens|lens]] to dynamically engage with his characters.{{Sfn|Finch|1993|p=18}} He believed that television puppets needed to have "life and sensitivity".<ref name="timehundred">{{cite news |last=Collins |first=James |date=June 8, 1998 |title=Time 100: Jim Henson |url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/henson.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428125811/http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/henson.html |archive-date=April 28, 2007 |access-date=May 1, 2007 |magazine=Time}}</ref> Rather than carving wooden puppets Henson built characters from softer, flexible materials like foam rubber;<ref name="sippi2">{{cite web |last=Padgett |first=John B. |date=February 17, 1999 |title=Jim Henson |url=http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/henson_jim/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829001157/http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/henson_jim/index.html |archive-date=August 29, 2007 |access-date=June 19, 2007 |work=The Mississippi Writers Page |publisher=[[University of Mississippi]] Department of English}}</ref> his first iteration of Kermit was made from a halved [[Table tennis#Ball|table tennis ball]] and fabric from an old coat belonging to his mother, with denim from a pair of jeans forming the sleeve for the puppeteer's arm.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Original Kermit Puppet |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1396955 |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=americanhistory.si.edu |language=en |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505193556/https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1396955 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Though Henson told people that "Muppet" was a [[portmanteau]] of "[[Puppet#Marionette|marionette]]" and "[[Puppet]]",{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=41}} many early Muppets were actually [[Puppet#Hand puppet or glove puppet|hand puppets]], [[Puppet#Rod puppet|rod puppets]], or some combination of the two. Direct control over the puppet's mouth, in combination with the softer construction materials, allowed the puppeteer to express a wider range of emotions and to more accurately move the puppet's mouth along with the character's dialogue or while [[Lip sync|lip-syncing]] to music. Commenting on his puppet design philosophy, Henson said,<blockquote>''"A lot of people build very stiff puppets—you can barely move the things—and you can get very little expression out of a character that you can barely move. Your hand has a lot of flexibility to it, and what you want to do is to build a puppet that can reflect all that flexibility."{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=47}}''</blockquote>''Sam and Friends'' was a financial success, but Henson began to have doubts about going into a career performing with puppets once he graduated. He spent six weeks in Europe during the summer of 1958, originally with the intent to study painting, but was surprised to learn that puppets were considered just as serious of an art form as painting or sculpture. After returning to the United States he and Jane made their partnership official, creating Muppets, Inc. in November of that same year,<ref>{{Cite web |title="Muppets, Inc." Certificate of Incorporation – 1958-11-20 |url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/2/25/CertificateOfIncorporation.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20091222203256mpany |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815083713/https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/2/25/CertificateOfIncorporation.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20091222203256 |archive-date=2022-08-15 |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Muppet Wiki |language=en}}</ref> then marrying each other in 1959.{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=73-77}}

===Television and Muppets: 1961–1969===
Henson spent much of the next two decades working in commercials, talk shows, and children's projects before realizing his dream of the Muppets as "entertainment for everybody".<ref name="nyobit"/> The popularity of his work on ''Sam and Friends'' in the late 1950s led to a series of guest appearances on network talk and variety shows. He appeared as a guest on many shows, including ''[[The Steve Allen Show]]'', ''[[Jack Paar|The Jack Paar Program]]'', and ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''. (Sullivan introduced him as "Jim Newsom and his Puppets" on September 11, 1966.) These television broadcasts greatly increased his exposure, leading to hundreds of commercial appearances by Henson characters throughout the 1960s.{{Sfn|Finch|1993|p=22}}

Among the most popular of Henson's commercials was a series for the local Wilkins Coffee company in [[Washington, D.C.]], created for a campaign managed by advertising manager [[Helen Ver Standig]].<ref name="central">{{cite news |last=Harris |first=Judy |url=http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/jim1.shtml |title=Muppet Master: An Interview with Jim Henson |via=Muppet Central |date=September 21, 1998 |access-date=May 5, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926003558/http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/jim1.shtml |archive-date=September 26, 2015}}</ref> Most of the Wilkins advertisements followed a similar formula: two Muppets, in this case named [[Wilkins and Wontkins]] (usually both voiced by Henson), would appear. Wilkins would extol the product while Wontkins would express his hatred for it, prompting physical retaliation from Wilkins; Wontkins might be shot with a cannon, struck in the head with a hammer or baseball bat, or have a pie thrown in his face.<ref>{{cite video |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPVDw7h-nSQ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102094020/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPVDw7h-nSQ&feature=youtu.be&t=1439| archive-date=2020-11-02 | url-status=dead|title=Wilkins and Wontkins commercials |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> The Jim Henson Company has posted a short selection of them.<ref>{{cite video |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVewx3-9x24 |title=Wilkins Coffee Commercials |via=YouTube |access-date=February 20, 2021 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205183955/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVewx3-9x24 |url-status=live }}</ref> Henson later explained, "Till then, advertising agencies believed that the hard sell was the only way to get their message over on television. We took a very different approach. We tried to sell things by making people laugh."{{sfn|Finch|1993|p=22}}

The first seven-second commercials for Wilkins were an immediate hit and were later remade for other local coffee companies throughout the United States, such as [[Community Coffee]], [[Red Diamond]] Coffee, La Touraine Coffee, [[Nash Finch Company|Nash's Coffee]], and Jomar Instant coffee.<ref name="central"/> The characters were so successful in selling coffee that soon other companies began seeking them to promote their products, such as bakeries like [[Merita Breads]], service station chains such as [[Standard Oil of Ohio]] and the [[Downstream (petroleum industry)|downstream]] [[Marathon Petroleum|assets]] of [[Marathon Oil]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeMvb01BTIY|title=Marathon Gas – Jim's Red Book – The Jim Henson Company|date=January 25, 2013 |via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=August 24, 2023|archive-date=August 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824021307/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeMvb01BTIY|url-status=live}}</ref> and beverage bottlers such as [[Faygo]]. Over 300 "Wilkins and Wontkins" commercials were made.{{sfn|Finch|1993|p=22}} The ads were primarily produced in black and white, but some color examples also exist.

Henson sold the rights to Wilkins and Wontkins to the Wilkins Company, who allowed marketing executive John T. Brady to sell the rights to some toymakers and film studios. However, in July 1992 Brady was sued by Jim Henson Productions for unfair competition in addition to copyright and trademark infringement. The Henson company claimed that Brady was incorrectly using Henson's name and likeness in their attempts to license the characters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/18/business/moi-involved-in-a-copyright-infringement-suit.html |title=Moi? Involved in a Copyright-Infringement Suit? |date=July 18, 1992 |work=[[The New York Times]] |page=5 |language=en-US |access-date=July 15, 2019 |archive-date=July 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715211656/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/18/business/moi-involved-in-a-copyright-infringement-suit.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1963, Henson and his wife moved to New York City where the newly formed [[The Jim Henson Company|Muppets, Inc.]] resided for some time. Jane quit performing to raise their children, and Henson hired writer [[Jerry Juhl]] in 1961 and puppet performer [[Frank Oz]] in 1963 to replace her.<ref name="oz">{{cite interview |last=Plume |first=Kenneth |title=Interview with Frank Oz |website=IGN |date=February 10, 2000 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/10/interview-with-frank-oz-part-1-of-4 |access-date=May 6, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228032836/http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035842p1.html |archive-date=February 28, 2007 }}</ref> Henson credited them both with developing much of the humor and character of his Muppets.<ref name="hands">{{cite news |last=Freeman |first=Don |title=Muppets on His Hands |work=The Saturday Evening Post |year=1979 |pages=50–53, 126}}</ref> Henson and Oz developed a close friendship and a performing partnership that lasted until Henson's death; their teamwork is particularly evident in their portrayals of [[Bert and Ernie]], Kermit and [[Miss Piggy]], and Kermit and [[Fozzie Bear]].<ref name="lifemag">{{cite magazine |last=Harrigan |first=Stephen |url=http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle6.shtml |title=It's Not Easy Being Blue |magazine=Life |date=July 1990 |access-date=May 6, 2007 |via=Muppet Central |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805055823/http://muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle6.shtml |archive-date=August 5, 2007 }}</ref> In New York City, Henson formed a partnership with [[Bernie Brillstein]], who managed Henson's career until the puppeteer's death.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brillstein |first1=Bernie |last2=Rensin |first2=David |title=Where Did I Go Right?: You're No One in Hollywood Unless Someone Wants You Dead |year=1999 |pages=54–55 |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]] |isbn=978-0-316-11885-9}}</ref> In the years that followed, more performers joined Henson's team, including [[Jerry Nelson]], [[Richard Hunt (puppeteer)|Richard Hunt]], [[Dave Goelz]], [[Steve Whitmire]], [[Fran Brill]], and [[Kevin Clash]].

In 1964, he and his family moved to [[Greenwich, Connecticut]], where they lived until 1971, when they moved to [[Bedford (town), New York|Bedford, New York]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=DeRosa |first1=Andrew |title=Jim Henson's CT years: Experimental films and the rise of 'Sesame Street' |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/entertainment/article/Jim-Henson-CT-greenwich-sesame-street-16750864.php |website=CT Insider |date=January 19, 2022 |publisher=Hearst Connecticut Media |access-date=8 February 2022 |archive-date=February 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208015630/https://www.ctinsider.com/entertainment/article/Jim-Henson-CT-greenwich-sesame-street-16750864.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Henson's talk show appearances culminated when he devised [[Rowlf the Dog|Rowlf]], a piano-playing anthropomorphic dog that became the first Muppet to make regular appearances on ''[[The Jimmy Dean Show]]''. Henson was so grateful for this break that he offered [[Jimmy Dean]] a 40-percent interest in his production company, but Dean declined, stating that Henson deserved all the rewards for his own work, a decision of conscience that Dean never regretted.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Hell of a Man Himself |url=http://thebluegrassspecial.com/archive/2010/july10/jimmy-dean-news-notes.php |publisher=The Bluegrass Special.com |access-date=October 18, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020154333/http://thebluegrassspecial.com/archive/2010/july10/jimmy-dean-news-notes.php |archive-date=October 20, 2011 }}</ref> From 1963 to 1966, Henson began exploring filmmaking and produced a series of experimental films.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite journal |title=Jim Henson |work=Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. |year=2012 |access-date=September 24, 2012 |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/262164/Jim-Henson |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015203441/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/262164/Jim-Henson |archive-date=October 15, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://zenbullets.com/blog/?p=110|title=Jim Henson's Experimental Period|publisher=zenbullets.com|access-date=January 7, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422103342/http://zenbullets.com/blog/?p=110|archive-date=April 22, 2009}}</ref> His nine-minute experimental film ''[[Time Piece]]'' was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film]] in 1965. He produced ''[[The Cube (film)|The Cube]]'' in 1969. Around this time, he wrote the first drafts of a live-action movie script with Jerry Juhl which became ''[[Tale of Sand]]''. The script remained in the Henson Company archives until it was adapted in the 2012 graphic novel ''Jim Henson's Tale of Sand''.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.henson.com/archaia-and-the-jim-henson-company-announce-new-original-graphic-novel-written-by-jim-henson-and-jerry-juhl/ |title=Archaia and the Jim Henson Company Announce new, original graphic novel written by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl |agency=Jim Henson Company |date=August 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330011842/https://www.henson.com/archaia-and-the-jim-henson-company-announce-new-original-graphic-novel-written-by-jim-henson-and-jerry-juhl/ |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=November 27, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Jim Henson - McGarry's Sausages featuring Kermit and Mack (1964).webm|thumb|left|3 commercials for McGarry's Sausages featuring Kermit the Frog and Mack, following the typical snappy, wordplay-based violent format of a Wilkins & Wontkins commercial]]
During this time, Henson continued to work with various companies who sought out his Muppets for advertising purposes. Among his clients were [[Thomas E. Wilson|Wilson Meats]], [[RC Cola|Royal Crown Cola]], Claussen's Bread, [[La Choy]], and [[Frito-Lay]], which featured an early version of his character Cookie Monster to promote their [[Munchos]] line of potato snacks. Like the Wilkins Coffee ads of the late 1950s and early 1960s, the formula stayed fairly similar. For instance, one of the Claussen's commercials featured Kermit the Frog dangling from a window while a character named Mack asks him if he brought a loaf of the company's bread; when Kermit says he did not, Mack closes the window on Kermit's fingers and causes him to fall, suggesting he "drop down" to the grocery store to buy a loaf.

===''Sesame Street'': 1969===
{{main|Sesame Street}}

In 1969, television producer [[Joan Ganz Cooney]] and her staff at the [[Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]]<!--Do not change it to Sesame Workshop; name wasn't changed until 2000, so that would be historically inaccurate for 1969--> were impressed by the quality and creativity of the Henson-led team, so they asked Henson and staff to work full-time on ''Sesame Street'', a children's program for public television that premiered on [[National Educational Television]] on November 10, 1969. Part of the show was set aside for a series of funny, colorful puppet characters living on Sesame Street, including [[Grover]], [[Cookie Monster]], Bert and Ernie, [[Oscar the Grouch]], and [[Big Bird]]. Henson performed the characters of Ernie, game-show host [[Guy Smiley]], and Kermit, who appeared as a roving television news reporter.

Henson's Muppets initially appeared separately from the realistic segments on the Street, but the show was revamped to integrate the two segments, placing much greater emphasis on Henson's work. Cooney frequently praised Henson's work, and PBS called him "the spark that ignited our fledgling broadcast service."<ref name="nyobit"/> The success of ''Sesame Street'' also allowed him to stop producing commercials, and he said that "it was a pleasure to get out of that world".<ref name="central"/>

Henson was also involved in producing various shows and animation inserts during the first two seasons. He produced a series of counting films for the numbers 1 through 10 which always ended with a baker (voiced by Henson) falling down the stairs while carrying the featured number of desserts. He also worked on a variety of inserts for the numbers 2 through 12, including the films "Dollhouse"; "Number Three Ball Film"; the stop-motions "King of Eight" and "Queen of Six"; the cut-out animation "Eleven Cheer"; and the computer animation "Nobody Counts To 10." He also directed the original "[[C Is For Cookie]]" and ''Tales from Muppetland'', a short series of TV movie specials that were comic retellings of classic fairy tales aimed at a young audience and hosted by Kermit the Frog. The series included ''[[Hey, Cinderella!]]'', ''[[The Frog Prince (1971 film)|The Frog Prince]]'', and ''[[The Muppet Musicians of Bremen]]''.{{sfn|Jones|2013|pp=152, 176–177, 186}}

===Expansion of audience: 1970–1978===
[[File:Jim Henson (cropped).tif|thumb|upright|Henson in 1971]]
Henson, Oz, and his team were concerned that the company was becoming typecast solely as purveyors of children's entertainment, so they targeted an adult audience with a series of sketches on the first season of the late-night live television variety show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. Eleven ''[[The Land of Gorch|Land of Gorch]]'' sketches were aired between October 1975 and January 1976 on [[NBC]], with four additional appearances in March, April, May, and September 1976. Henson liked [[Lorne Michaels]]' work and wanted to be a part of it, but he ultimately concluded that "what we were trying to do and what his writers could write for it never gelled".<ref name="central"/> The ''SNL'' writers were not comfortable writing for the characters, and they frequently disparaged Henson's creations. [[Michael O'Donoghue]] quipped, "I won't write for felt."<ref>{{cite book |last=Shales |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Shales |author2=Miller, James Andrew |title =Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]] |year=2002 |location=[[Boston]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/livefromnewyorku00shal/page/79 79–80] |isbn=0-316-78146-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/livefromnewyorku00shal/page/79}}</ref>

Henson began developing a Broadway show and a weekly television series both featuring the Muppets.<ref name="central"/> The American networks rejected the series in 1976, believing that Muppets would appeal only to a child audience. Then, Henson pitched the show to British impresario [[Lew Grade]] to finance the show. The show would be shot in the United Kingdom and syndicated worldwide.<ref name="behindfrog">{{cite magazine |date=December 25, 1978 |title=The Man Behind the Frog |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,948401,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010141141/http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,948401,00.html |archive-date=October 10, 2018 |access-date=May 1, 2007 |magazine=Time}}</ref> That same year, he scrapped plans for his Broadway show and moved his creative team to England, where ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' began taping. The show featured Kermit as host, with a variety of prominent characters, notably [[Miss Piggy]], [[Gonzo (Muppet)|Gonzo the Great]], and [[Fozzie Bear]], in addition to its large cast of supporting characters such as the Muppet musicians [[Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem]] with their chaotic drummer [[Animal (Muppet)|Animal]]. Henson's teammates sometimes compared his role to that of Kermit: a shy, gentle boss with "a whim of steel"<ref name="lifemag"/> who ran things like "an explosion in a mattress factory."<ref name="marvelous">{{cite magazine |last=Skow |first=John |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,948400,00.html |title=Those Marvelous Muppets |magazine=Time |date=December 25, 1978 |access-date=May 1, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016182527/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C948400%2C00.html |archive-date=October 16, 2007 }}</ref> [[Caroll Spinney]], who performed as Big Bird, remembered that Henson would never say he did not like something. "He would just go 'Hmm.'&nbsp;... And if he liked it, he would say, 'Lovely!'"<ref name="People Weekly Article"/> Henson recognized Kermit as an alter ego, though he thought that Kermit was bolder than he; he once said of the character: "He can say things I hold back."<ref name="newsweek">{{cite magazine |author1=Seligmann, J. |author2=Leonard, E. |title=Jim Henson: 1936–1990 |magazine=Newsweek |date=May 28, 1990}}</ref>
[[File:Jim Henson, creator, The Muppets -full.jpg|thumb|Henson with [[Miss Piggy]] and [[Fozzie Bear]] in 1979]]

===Transition to the big screen: 1979–1986===
The Muppets appeared in their first theatrical feature film ''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' in 1979. It was both a critical and financial success;{{sfn|Finch|1993|p=128}} it made $65.2&nbsp;million domestically and was the 61st highest-grossing film at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=muppetmovie.htm |title=The Muppet Movie |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=November 5, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017104004/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=muppetmovie.htm |archive-date=October 17, 2013 }}</ref> Henson's idol [[Edgar Bergen]] died at age 75 during production of the film, and Henson dedicated it to his memory. Henson as Kermit sang "[[Rainbow Connection]]", and it hit number 25 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]]. The Henson-directed ''[[The Great Muppet Caper]]'' (1981) followed, and Henson decided to end the ''Muppet Show'' to concentrate on making films,<ref name="sippi"/> though the Muppet characters continued to appear in TV movies and specials.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holland |first=Stephen |date=2024-10-09 |title=The 15 Best Celebrity Guests On The Muppet Show |url=https://screenrant.com/the-15-best-celebrity-guests-on-the-muppet-show/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref>

Henson also aided others in their work. During development on ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980), [[George Lucas]] asked him to aid make-up artist [[Stuart Freeborn]] in the creation and articulation of [[Yoda]]. Lucas had also wanted Henson to puppeteer the character, but Henson instead suggested Frank Oz for the role;{{sfn|Jones|2013|pp=307–308}} Oz performed the role and continued in the subsequent ''[[Star Wars]]'' films. Lucas lobbied unsuccessfully to have Oz nominated for an Academy Award for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]].{{sfn|Finch|1993|p=176}}

In 1982, Henson founded the [[Jim Henson Foundation]] to promote and develop the art of puppetry in the United States. Around that time, he began creating darker and more realistic fantasy films that did not feature the Muppets and displayed "a growing, brooding interest in mortality."<ref name="lifemag"/> He co-directed ''[[The Dark Crystal]]'' (1982) with Oz, "trying to go toward a sense of realism—toward a reality of creatures that are actually alive".<ref name="central"/> To provide a visual style distinct from the Muppets, the puppets in ''The Dark Crystal'' were based on conceptual artwork by [[Brian Froud]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=jbindeck2015 |date=2019-08-28 |title=The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance's designer on 'a purer form of puppetry' |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-dark-crystal-age-of-resistances-designer-on-a-purer-form-of-puppetry/ |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=August 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200816215517/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-dark-crystal-age-of-resistances-designer-on-a-purer-form-of-puppetry/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and it was a critical success, winning several industry awards including the [[Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film]] and the Grand Prize Winner at the [[Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival]].<ref>{{Citation |title=The Dark Crystal (1982) |work=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083791/awards/ |pages=awards |language=en |access-date=2022-09-05 |archive-date=September 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905142424/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083791/awards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was less financially successful in theaters, but later claimed an enormous following and revenue when it was introduced on VHS for home entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Idato |first=Michael |date=2019-08-21 |title=The Dark Crystal gets rebirth for streaming era |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-dark-crystal-gets-rebirth-for-streaming-era-20190819-p52ifu.html |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |archive-date=September 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905142424/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-dark-crystal-gets-rebirth-for-streaming-era-20190819-p52ifu.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in 1982, Henson co-founded [[HIT Entertainment|Henson International Television]] with [[Peter Orton]] and [[Sophie Turner Laing]] as his partners. The company was a distribution company for children's, teens' and family television.<ref name="ind">{{cite news|title=Peter Orton: Media entrepreneur who made a global success of Bob the Builder|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-orton-media-entrepreneur-who-made-a-global-success-of-bob-the-builder-764554.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-orton-media-entrepreneur-who-made-a-global-success-of-bob-the-builder-764554.html |archive-date=June 8, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=December 29, 2017|work=The Independent|date=December 12, 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Lucas - Henson - 1986.jpg|thumb|right|Henson and producer [[George Lucas]] working on ''[[Labyrinth (1986 film)|Labyrinth]]'' in 1986]]
Henson worked with Oz again on ''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]'' (1984), this time with Oz as sole director.{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=354}} The film grossed $25.5 million domestically<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Muppets Take Manhattan |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3244656129/weekend/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224220817/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3244656129/weekend/ |archive-date=2021-02-24 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Box Office Mojo}}</ref> of a budget of only around $8 million,{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=371}} and ranked as one of the top 40 films of 1984.<ref>{{cite web |title=1984 Yearly Box Office Results |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1984&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103115555/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1984&p=.htm |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |access-date=November 5, 2013 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref>

''[[Labyrinth (1986 film)|Labyrinth]]'' (1986) was a fantasy that Henson directed by himself, but—despite some positive reviews; ''The New York Times'' called it "a fabulous film"—it was a commercial disappointment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Darnton |first=Nina |title=Jim Henson's 'Labyrinth' |work=The New York Times |page=C14 |date=June 27, 1986 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/27/movies/screen-jum-henson-s-labyrinth.html |access-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809064302/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/27/movies/screen-jum-henson-s-labyrinth.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This demoralized Henson; his son [[Brian Henson]] described it as "the closest I've seen him to turning in on himself and getting quite depressed."<ref name="lifemag" /> The film later became a cult classic.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sparrow |first=A.E. |date=September 11, 2006 |title=Return to Labyrinth Vol. 1 Review |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/11/return-to-labyrinth-vol-1-review |access-date=November 5, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221160255/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/11/return-to-labyrinth-vol-1-review |archive-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref>

In 1984 Henson traveled to Moscow, where he made a film about [[Sergey Obraztsov|Sergei Obraztsov]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=8/19-24/1984 – 'In Dresden with Cheryl for UNIMA Puppet Festival.' {{!}} Jim Henson's Red Book |url=https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2013/08/819-241984-2/ |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=www.henson.com |archive-date=April 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414122301/https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2013/08/819-241984-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Henson also donated four dolls to the puppeteer to replenish the Moscow Museum of Obraztsov Puppets: Fraggle, Skeksi, Bugard, and Robin the Frog. Of the show's guests, the Henson Archivist points out that Jim Henson placed a special importance on meeting Obraztsov: "As a teenager learning to make puppets, Jim checked out some books from the public library for instruction – one was Obraztsov’s 1950 book, ''My Profession''"<ref>{{Cite web |title=5/14-17/1984 – 'In Holland for Triangel – Henk and Ans Boerwinkel for J.H. Presents – John H. comes along.' {{!}} Jim Henson's Red Book |url=https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2014/05/514-171984/ |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=www.henson.com |archive-date=April 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414121533/https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2014/05/514-171984/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-21 |title=Wanted: The Muppets |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2012/01/25/wanted-the-muppets-a12156 |access-date=2023-04-14 |archive-date=September 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921064433/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2012/01/25/wanted-the-muppets-a12156 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Smale |first=Alison |date=November 23, 1984 |title=Henson Takes Kermit to Meet Russian Puppetmaster |work=[[The Associated Press]]}}</ref>

===Last years: 1987–1990===
[[File:Jim_Henson_(1989)_headshot.jpg|thumb|upright|Henson at the 1989 [[Emmy Awards]]]]
Henson continued creating children's television, such as ''[[Fraggle Rock]]'' and the animated ''[[Muppet Babies (1984 TV series)|Muppet Babies]]''. He also continued to address darker, more mature themes with the folklore and mythology-oriented show ''[[The StoryTeller (TV series)|The StoryTeller]]'' (1988), which won an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program. The next year, he returned to television with ''[[The Jim Henson Hour]]'', which mixed lighthearted Muppet fare with more risqué material. It was critically well-received and won him another [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series|Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program]], but it was canceled after 12 episodes due to poor ratings. Henson blamed its failure on NBC's constant rescheduling.<ref name="amfilm">{{cite magazine |title=Dialogue on Film: Jim Henson |magazine=[[American Film (magazine)|American Film]] |pages=18–21 |date=November 1989}}</ref>

In late 1989, Henson entered into negotiations to sell his company and characters (excluding those from ''Sesame Street'') to [[The Walt Disney Company]] for almost $150&nbsp;million, hoping that he would "be able to spend a lot more of my time on the creative side of things" with Disney handling business matters.<ref name="amfilm"/> By 1990, he had completed production on the television special ''[[The Muppets at Walt Disney World]]'' and the [[Disney's Hollywood Studios|Disney-MGM Studios]] attraction ''[[Muppet*Vision 3D]]'' and he was developing film ideas and a television series entitled ''Muppet High''.<ref name="People Weekly Article"/>

==Personal life==
Henson and fellow puppeteer [[Jane Henson|Jane Nebel]]<!--She took the surname Henson after her marriage, thus, per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Biography#People_with_the_same_surname , is referred to by name as "Jane" to distinguish her from "Jim".--> were married on May 28, 1959, in a small ceremony at Jane's family home.{{Sfn|Jones|2013|p=77}} They had five children: [[Lisa Henson|Lisa]] (born 1960), [[Cheryl Henson|Cheryl]] (born 1961), [[Brian Henson|Brian]] (born 1963), [[John Henson (puppeteer)|John]] (1965–2014),<ref name="facebook12">{{cite web |title=It is with great sadness that we confirm... – The Jim Henson Company |url=https://www.facebook.com/hensoncompany/posts/10152201503957629?stream_ref=10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703024215/https://www.facebook.com/hensoncompany/posts/10152201503957629?stream_ref=10 |archive-date=July 3, 2015 |access-date=April 23, 2014 |via=Facebook}}</ref> and [[Heather Henson]] (born 1970).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Oliver |first=Myrna |date=May 17, 1990 |title=From the Archives: Jim Henson Dies at Age 53; Muppets' Creative Genius |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-jim-henson-20160516-snap-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 10, 2019 |archive-date=June 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602101030/https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-jim-henson-20160516-snap-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Henson and his wife legally separated in 1986; while he had a few short relationships with other women, he remained close to Jane for the rest of his life.<ref name="People Weekly Article2">{{cite news |last1=Schindehette |first1=Susan |last2=Podolsky |first2=J. D. |date=June 18, 1990 |title=Legacy of a Gentle Genius |url=http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle5.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221231138/http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle5.shtml |archive-date=February 21, 2012 |access-date=February 24, 2012 |magazine=People |pages=88–96 |via=Muppet Central}}</ref> Jane said that Henson was so involved with his work that he had very little time to spend with her or their children.<ref name="People Weekly Article2" /> His children began working with Muppets at an early age, partly because "one of the best ways of being around [Jim] was to work with him", according to Cheryl.<ref name="timehundred"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Vitello |first=Paul |date=April 3, 2013 |title=Jane Henson, a Partner in Creating the Muppets, Dies at 78 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/arts/television/jane-henson-early-collaborator-on-the-muppets-dies-at-78.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220103/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/arts/television/jane-henson-early-collaborator-on-the-muppets-dies-at-78.html |archive-date=2022-01-03 |work=The New York Times}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 

Henson was a strong supporter of the [[civil rights movement]].<ref>{{cite news |date=January 22, 2010 |title=Are the Muppets conservatives? |url=https://www.economist.com/democracy-in-america/2010/01/22/are-the-muppets-conservatives |access-date=June 24, 2019 |newspaper=The Economist |archive-date=June 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624004823/https://www.economist.com/democracy-in-america/2010/01/22/are-the-muppets-conservatives |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Henson took an interest in the [[Seth Material]] by [[Jane Roberts]], a series of mystical-philosophical documents which Roberts claimed to have received via supernatural means. Brian Jay Jones reports in ''Jim Henson, the Biography'', 2016, page 209: "...on July 30 [1974], [Henson] drove to [[Elmira, New York|Elmira]], New York, to pay his respects to Roberts and her husband. 'I find this inspired material very beautiful,' Jim
said of the Seth Material. 'It puts everything into a harmonious totality that I just love.'"

==Illness and death==
Henson appeared with Kermit on ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]'' in Los Angeles on May 4, 1990. This was his final television appearance. Shortly afterwards, he privately disclosed to his publicist that he was tired and had a sore throat, but he believed it was a minor illness. On May 12, Henson traveled to [[Ahoskie, North Carolina]], with his daughter Cheryl to visit his father and stepmother. They returned to their home in New York City the following day, and Henson cancelled a Muppet recording session that had been scheduled for May 14, 1990, due to his ill health.<ref name="People Weekly Article"/> His wife came to visit that night.

Henson was having trouble breathing when he woke up at around 2:00&nbsp;a.m. EDT on May 15, and he began coughing up blood. He suggested to his wife that he might be dying, but he did not want to take time off from his schedule to visit a hospital, feeling that his illness would resolve on its own.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/henson/hensonarticle5.shtml | title=Muppet Central Articles - Tributes: Legacy of a Gentle Genius }}</ref> Two hours later, Henson agreed to be taken by taxi to the emergency room at [[NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital]] in [[Manhattan]]. Shortly after admission, he stopped breathing and was rushed into the intensive care unit. X-ray images of his chest revealed multiple [[Lung abscess|abscesses]] in both of his lungs as a result of a previous [[streptococcal pharyngitis]] he had apparently had for the past few days. Henson was placed on a ventilator but quickly deteriorated over the next several hours despite increasingly aggressive treatment with multiple antibiotics. Although the medicine killed off most of the infection, it had already weakened many of Henson's organs, and he died at 1:21&nbsp;a.m. the following morning. He was 53.<ref>{{cite news |last=Angier |first=Natalie |title=An Aggressive Infection, Abrupt and Overwhelming |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/17/arts/an-aggressive-infection-abrupt-and-overwhelming.html |work=The New York Times |page=D29 |date=May 17, 1990 |access-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-date=October 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018110458/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/17/arts/an-aggressive-infection-abrupt-and-overwhelming.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

David Gelmont, the hospital's intensive care unit director, announced that Henson had died from ''[[Streptococcus pneumoniae]]'', a bacterium that causes [[bacterial pneumonia]].<ref name="nyobit" /> However, on May 29, Gelmont reclassified it as organ dysfunction resulting from streptococcal [[toxic shock syndrome]] caused by ''[[Streptococcus pyogenes]]''.<ref name="altman">{{cite news |last=Altman |first=Lawrence K. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/29/science/the-doctor-s-world-henson-death-shows-danger-of-pneumonia.html |title=The Doctor's World; Henson Death Shows Danger of Pneumonia |work=The New York Times |date=May 29, 1990 |access-date=June 19, 2007 |archive-date=February 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209232107/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/29/science/the-doctor-s-world-henson-death-shows-danger-of-pneumonia.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Sherris>{{cite book |editor1=C. George Ray |editor2=Kenneth J. Ryan |title=Sherris Medical Microbiology |edition=4th |publisher=McGraw Hill |year=2004 |pages=276–286 |isbn=0-8385-8529-9}}</ref> Gelmont noted Henson might have been saved had he gone to the hospital just a few hours sooner.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1990-05-18-9005180413-story.html|title=Pneumonia Quickly Spread In Henson|first=Cindy|last=Schreuder|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=May 18, 1990|access-date=September 26, 2020|archive-date=June 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619172733/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1990-05-18-9005180413-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 

Medicine reporter Lawrence D. Altman of ''The New York Times'' also stated that Henson's death "may have shocked many Americans who believed that bacterial infections no longer could kill with such swiftness."<ref name="altman"/> A lack of common familiarity with fast-developing bacterial infections, combined with the recent [[AIDS]]-related deaths of several prominent men (including [[Rock Hudson]], [[Liberace]], and [[Roy Cohn]]), led to a false but widespread rumor that Henson had died of AIDS. This rumor was swiftly and directly refuted by Gelmont.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1990/05/29/assuming-aids/|title=ASSUMING AIDS|first=Sun|last=Sentinel|work=South Florida Sun Sentinel|date=May 29, 1990|access-date=May 31, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=May 31, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531150216/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1990/05/29/assuming-aids/}}</ref> Frank Oz believed the stress of negotiating with Disney contributed to Henson's death, stating in a 2021 interview: "The Disney deal is probably what killed Jim. It made him sick."<ref name=GuardAug21>{{cite news|last=Freeman|first=Hadley|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/aug/30/frank-oz-on-life-as-fozzie-bear-miss-piggy-and-yoda-id-love-to-do-the-muppets-again-but-disney-doesnt-want-me|title=Frank Oz on life as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and Yoda: 'I'd love to do the Muppets again but Disney doesn't want me'|date=30 August 2021|author-link=Hadley Freeman|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=14 September 2021|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519040119/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/aug/30/frank-oz-on-life-as-fozzie-bear-miss-piggy-and-yoda-id-love-to-do-the-muppets-again-but-disney-doesnt-want-me|url-status=live}}</ref> His remains were cremated, and in 1992, his ashes were scattered near [[Taos, New Mexico]].{{sfn|Jones|2013|p=481}}

===Memorials===
[[File:Mickeykermit.jpg|thumb|[[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] artists Joe Lanzisero and [[Tim Kirk]] drew a tribute of [[Mickey Mouse]] consoling [[Kermit the Frog]], which appeared in the Summer 1990 issue of ''[[Walt Disney Imagineering|WD Eye]].''<ref>the Summer 1990 issue of ''[[Walt Disney Imagineering|WD Eye]]''</ref>|200x200px]]
News of Henson's death spread quickly and admirers of his work responded from around the world with tributes and condolences. Many of Henson's co-stars and directors from ''Sesame Street'', the Muppets, and other works also shared their thoughts on his death. Numerous outlets covered his death alongside [[Sammy Davis Jr]], who died the same day.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/05/18/of-davis-henson-and-a-nations-loss/ | title=Of Davis, Henson and a Nation's Loss | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=May 18, 1990 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjJNHCGFwCo | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/cjJNHCGFwCo| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=The Deaths of Jim Henson and Sammy Davis Jr |access-date=March 26, 2021 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On May 21, 1990, Henson's public memorial service was conducted in Manhattan at the [[Cathedral of St. John the Divine]]. Another was conducted on July 2, at [[St Paul's Cathedral]] in London. [[Harry Belafonte]] sang "Turn the World Around", a song that he had debuted on ''The Muppet Show'', as each member of the congregation waved a brightly colored foam butterfly attached to a puppet performer's rod.<ref name="fune">{{cite news |last=Blau |first=Eleanor |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/22/arts/henson-is-remembered-as-a-man-with-artistry-humanity-and-fun.html |title=Henson Is Remembered as a Man With Artistry, Humanity and Fun |work=The New York Times |page=B11 |date=May 22, 1990 |access-date=May 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229232807/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/22/arts/henson-is-remembered-as-a-man-with-artistry-humanity-and-fun.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="belafonte">{{cite video |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9Em3vVwsm0 |title= Jim Henson Memorial 'Turn The World Around' Sung by Harry Belafonte |date=May 22, 1990 |access-date= December 21, 2009 |url-status=live |via=YouTube |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625040842/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9Em3vVwsm0 |archive-date=June 25, 2013 |df= mdy-all}}</ref> Later, [[Big Bird]] (performed by [[Caroll Spinney]]) walked onto the stage and sang Kermit's signature song "[[Bein' Green]]" while fighting back tears.<ref name="hill">{{cite web |last=Barry |first=Chris |title=Saying "Goodbye" to Jim |date=September 7, 2005 |website=Jim Hill Media |url=http://jimhillmedia.com/guest_writers1/b/chris_barry/archive/2005/09/08/1722.aspx |access-date=November 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105160428/http://jimhillmedia.com/guest_writers1/b/chris_barry/archive/2005/09/08/1722.aspx |archive-date=November 5, 2013 }}</ref> [[Dave Goelz]], Frank Oz, [[Kevin Clash]], [[Steve Whitmire]], [[Jerry Nelson]], and [[Richard Hunt (puppeteer)|Richard Hunt]] sang a medley of Henson's favorite songs in their characters' voices, ending with a performance of "Just One Person" while performing their Muppets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nprfreshair.tumblr.com/post/10954602984/at-jim-hensons-funeral-the-muppets-and-their |publisher=NPR Fresh Air |title=At Jim Henson's funeral, the Muppets (and their human handlers) sang his favorite songs |access-date=November 5, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206071025/http://nprfreshair.tumblr.com/post/10954602984/at-jim-hensons-funeral-the-muppets-and-their |archive-date=February 6, 2015 }}</ref>

In accordance with Henson's wishes, no one in attendance wore black, and the [[Dirty Dozen Brass Band]] finished the service by performing "[[When the Saints Go Marching In]]". The funeral was described by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' as "an epic and almost unbearably moving event".<ref name="lifemag"/>

==Legacy==
The Jim Henson Company and the [[Jim Henson Foundation]] continued after his death, producing new series and specials. [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]] also continues to create characters and special effects for both Henson-related and outside projects. [[Steve Whitmire]], who had joined the Muppets cast in 1978, began performing Kermit the Frog six months after Henson's death.<ref>{{cite news|last=Plume|first=Kenneth|url=http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/whitmire3.shtml|title=Ratting Out: An Interview with Muppeteer Steve Whitmire|publisher=Muppet Central|date=July 19, 1999|access-date=July 11, 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926233739/http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/whitmire3.shtml|archive-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> He was dismissed from the cast in October 2016, and [[Matt Vogel (puppeteer)|Matt Vogel]] succeeded him in the role of Kermit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=Ryan |title=Kermit the Frog Muppeteer Says Disney Fired Him |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/kermit-frog-muppeteer-says-he-was-fired-by-disney-1020466 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=July 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618075828/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/kermit-frog-muppeteer-says-he-was-fired-by-disney-1020466 |archive-date=June 18, 2018 |date=July 13, 2017}}</ref>

The Children's Television Workshop was renamed [[Sesame Workshop]], which retained the ''Sesame Street'' characters in 2000.<ref>{{cite news|last=Barnes|first=Brooks|title=Fuzzy Renaissance|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/movies/21barn.html|access-date=December 29, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 18, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511170924/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/movies/21barn.html|archive-date=May 11, 2013}}</ref> On February 17, 2004, the Muppets and the ''[[Bear in the Big Blue House]]'' properties were sold to Disney.<ref>{{cite press release|title=The Walt Disney Company and The Jim Henson Company Sign Agreement for Disney to buy The 'Muppets' and 'Bear in the Big Blue House'|url=http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2004/2004_0217_kermit.html |publisher=[[The Walt Disney Company]] |access-date=January 16, 2013 |quote=In the months before his death in 1990, my father Jim Henson pursued extensive discussions with The Walt Disney Company based on his strong belief that Disney would be a perfect home for the Muppets. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207182316/http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2004/2004_0217_kermit.html |archive-date=December 7, 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=The Walt Disney Company and The Jim Henson Company Sign Agreement for Disney to buy the 'Muppets' and 'Bear in the Big Blue House'|url=http://www.henson.com/press_releases/2004-02-17.pdf |publisher=[[The Jim Henson Company]] |access-date=January 16, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616224354/http://www.henson.com/press_releases/2004-02-17.pdf |archive-date=June 16, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/disney-buys-muppets-as-bid-prospect-fades-69711.html|title=Disney buys Muppets as bid prospect fades|work=The Independent|date=February 18, 2004|access-date=December 31, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203185919/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/disney-buys-muppets-as-bid-prospect-fades-69711.html|archive-date=December 3, 2015}}</ref>

One of Henson's last projects was the attraction ''[[Muppet*Vision 3D]]'', which opened at [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] on May 16, 1991, exactly one year after his death. The Jim Henson Company retains the Creature Shop as well as the rest of its film and television library, including ''Fraggle Rock'', ''[[Farscape]]'', ''The Dark Crystal'', and ''Labyrinth''.<ref name="sale">{{cite news |last=Meier |first=Barry |title=Kermit and Miss Piggy Join Stable of Walt Disney Stars |work=The New York Times |date=February 18, 2004 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/business/kermit-and-miss-piggy-join-stable-of-walt-disney-stars.html |access-date=April 8, 2008 |archive-date=July 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722040620/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/business/kermit-and-miss-piggy-join-stable-of-walt-disney-stars.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Brian Jay Jones]] wrote the book ''Jim Henson: The Biography.'' It was released on what would have been Henson's 77th birthday, September 24, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/208942/jim-henson-by-brian-jay-jones/ |title=''Jim Henson: The Biography'' by Brian Jay Jones |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517190306/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/208942/jim-henson-by-brian-jay-jones/ |website=Penguin Random House |archive-date=May 17, 2016 |access-date=March 25, 2021}}</ref>

The moving-image collection of Jim Henson, which contains the film work of Jim Henson and The Jim Henson Company,<ref>{{cite web |date=September 5, 2014 |title=Jim Henson Collection |url=http://www.oscars.org/film-archive/collections/jim-henson-collection |website=Academy Film Archive |access-date=July 7, 2016 |archive-date=July 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703055232/https://www.oscars.org/film-archive/collections/jim-henson-collection |url-status=live }}</ref> is held at the [[Academy Film Archive]].

In 2019, the [[YouTube]] channel [[Defunctland]] released a six-part miniseries on the life and legacy of Jim Henson.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brinkhof |first=Tim |date=2024-05-31 |title=The Best Jim Henson Documentary Is Already out on YouTube |url=https://slate.com/culture/2024/05/jim-henson-muppets-documentary-idea-man-ron-howard-youtube.html |access-date=2024-07-13 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref>

A [[Biographical film|biopic]] film based on Henson's life, known as ''Muppet Man'', has been in development at [[Walt Disney Pictures]] and The Jim Henson Company since 2010. In April 2021, it was reported that [[Michael Mitnick]] was hired to rewrite the screenplay, previously written by [[Aaron and Jordan Kandell]]. [[Lisa Henson]] will serve as producer.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wiseman |first1=Andreas |title=Jim Henson Biopic: Michael Mitnick Writing 'Muppet Man' For Disney & The Jim Henson Company |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/jim-henson-movie-muppet-man-sesame-street-muppets-michael-mitnick-1234740866/ |access-date=April 22, 2021 |work=Deadline |date=April 21, 2021 |archive-date=October 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018030330/https://deadline.com/2021/04/jim-henson-movie-muppet-man-sesame-street-muppets-michael-mitnick-1234740866/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2022, it was announced that [[Ron Howard]] planned to direct a documentary on Henson's life, with [[Brian Grazer]]'s [[Imagine Entertainment]] collaborating with [[Disney+|Disney Original Documentary]] to produce it. The project was reported to have "the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family".<ref>{{cite news |last=Carey |first=Matthew |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/jim-henson-documentary-project-director-ron-howard-producer-brian-grazer-imagine-documentaries-disney-original-documentary-news-1234990726/ |title=Ron Howard, Brian Grazer Team For Documentary On Jim Henson, With Full Participation Of Muppet Creator's Family |work=Deadline |date=March 30, 2022 |access-date=March 30, 2022 |archive-date=March 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330132802/https://deadline.com/2022/03/jim-henson-documentary-project-director-ron-howard-producer-brian-grazer-imagine-documentaries-disney-original-documentary-news-1234990726/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2024, it was announced the documentary was titled ''[[Jim Henson Idea Man]]''. It began streaming on [[Disney+]] on May 31, 2024.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Zuckerman |first=Esther |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/jim-henson-documentary-disney-ron-howard |title=First Look: Ron Howard Enters the World of Jim Henson |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=April 11, 2024 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |archive-date=April 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411145911/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/jim-henson-documentary-disney-ron-howard |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2024, Henson was portrayed by [[Nicholas Braun]] in the biographical [[Comedy drama|dramedy]] ''[[Saturday Night (2024 film)|Saturday Night]]'', which chronicles the production of the first episode of ''Saturday Night Live''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |last2=D'Alessandro |first2=Anthony |date=March 7, 2024 |title='SNL 1975' Origin Movie Finds Its Jim Henson, Michael O'Donoghue & Billy Crystal |url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/snl-1975-jim-henson-billy-crystal-michael-odonoghue-1235848237/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]}}</ref>

Henson's characters are currently performed by the following puppeteers: [[Matt Vogel (puppeteer)|Matt Vogel]] (Kermit), [[Peter Linz]] ([[Ernie (Sesame Street)|Ernie]], [[Link Hogthrob]]), [[Eric Jacobson]] ([[Guy Smiley]], The Newsman), [[Dave Goelz]] ([[Waldorf (Muppet)|Waldorf]]) and [[Bill Barretta]] ([[Rowlf the Dog]], [[Swedish Chef|The Swedish Chef]], [[Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem#Dr. Teeth|Dr. Teeth]]).<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2011-09-30 |title=Sesame Street Puppeteer Eric Jacobson Reveals Shocking News That Sesame Street Is Not a Real Place |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/09/-i-sesame-street--i--puppeteer-eric-jacobson-reveals-shocking-ne |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924231426/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/09/-i-sesame-street--i--puppeteer-eric-jacobson-reveals-shocking-ne |archive-date=September 24, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-07 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=August 29 |first1=Nick Romano |last2=EDT |first2=2017 at 12:33 PM |title=New Kermit the Frog Voice Actor Makes Debut in 'Muppets' Video |url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/08/29/kermit-the-frog-matt-vogel-muppets-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107081552/https://ew.com/tv/2017/08/29/kermit-the-frog-matt-vogel-muppets-video/ |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mar 01 |first1=Michelle Drown Thu |last2=2018 {{!}} 12:00am |date=2018-03-01 |title=Muppets in the House for PuppetPalooza |url=https://www.independent.com/2018/03/01/muppets-house-puppetpalooza/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107081554/https://www.independent.com/2018/03/01/muppets-house-puppetpalooza/ |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2022 |title=Gonzo the Great on the Creativity and Collaboration Behind Jim Henson's Muppets |url=https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101888460/gonzo-the-great-on-the-creativity-and-collaboration-behind-jim-hensons-muppets |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107081553/https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101888460/gonzo-the-great-on-the-creativity-and-collaboration-behind-jim-hensons-muppets |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=KQED |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=For Muppeteers, It Isn't Easy Being Invisible |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/11/21/142509532/for-muppeteers-it-isnt-easy-being-invisible |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107081547/https://www.npr.org/2011/11/21/142509532/for-muppeteers-it-isnt-easy-being-invisible |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=NPR.org |language=en}}</ref> 

===Tributes===
[[File:English Heritage blue plaque at Jim Henson's former home (close).png|thumb|[[English Heritage]] blue plaque at Henson's former home in North London]]
* In 1971, the University of Maryland's [[National Residence Hall Honorary]] chapter was founded as the Jim Henson Chapter. The UMD NRHH Chapter is still the Jim Henson Chapter to this day. The Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library created an exhibit from 2019 to 2020 highlighting Jim Henson's time at the university.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/jim-henson-was-born-gifted-at-u-md-he-became-even-more-talented/2020/01/04/7807f41c-2e82-11ea-9b60-817cc18cf173_story.html|title=Perspective {{!}} Jim Henson was born gifted. At U-Md., he became even more talented.|last=Kelly|first=John|date=January 4, 2020|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=January 5, 2020|archive-date=January 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104233328/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/jim-henson-was-born-gifted-at-u-md-he-became-even-more-talented/2020/01/04/7807f41c-2e82-11ea-9b60-817cc18cf173_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lib.umd.edu/mspal/gallery|title=In the Gallery at the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library – MSPAL {{!}} UMD Libraries|date=December 3, 2019|website=www.lib.umd.edu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019002103/https://www.lib.umd.edu/mspal/gallery|archive-date=October 19, 2019|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref>
*Henson is honored both as himself and as Kermit the Frog on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]. Only three other people have received this honor: [[Walt Disney]] as both himself and [[Mickey Mouse]]; [[Mel Blanc]] as both himself and [[Bugs Bunny]]; and [[Mike Myers]] as both himself and [[Shrek (character)|Shrek]]. Henson was posthumously inducted into the Walk of Fame in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/jim-henson|title=Jim Henson: Hollywood Walk of Fame|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219022113/http://www.walkoffame.com/jim-henson|archive-date=February 19, 2014}}</ref>
*Henson received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, New York (June 1982)<ref>{{cite web|title=The Jim Henson Legacy – Awards|url=https://www.jimhensonlegacy.org/facts-and-things/awards|access-date=2021-10-13|website=www.jimhensonlegacy.org|archive-date=October 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029170929/https://www.jimhensonlegacy.org/facts-and-things/awards|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Henson was inducted into the [[Television Hall of Fame]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorees |url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/hall-of-fame-honorees |website=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=June 5, 2018 |language=en |archive-date=May 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501211810/http://www.emmys.com/awards/hall-of-fame-honorees |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Henson received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|title=Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement|website=www.achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/|access-date=August 26, 2020|archive-date=December 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215023909/https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The theater and Visual and Performing Arts Academy at his alma mater, [[Northwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)|Northwestern High School]], in [[Hyattsville, MD|Hyattsville, Maryland]], is named in his honor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Northwestern VPA|url=https://sites.google.com/pgcps.org/northwesternvpa/home|website=sites.google.com|access-date=June 5, 2018|archive-date=October 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020234539/https://sites.google.com/pgcps.org/northwesternvpa/home|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze]]'' and ''[[The Muppet Christmas Carol]]'' are both dedicated to his memory.
* Henson featured in ''[[The American Adventure (Epcot)|The American Adventure]]'' in [[Epcot]] at the [[Walt Disney World Resort]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The American Adventure |url=http://www.wdwthemeparks.com/details/epcot/world-showcase/american-adventure-pavilion/the-american-adventure |website=WDWThemeParks.com |access-date=June 9, 2018 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612191051/http://www.wdwthemeparks.com/details/epcot/world-showcase/american-adventure-pavilion/the-american-adventure |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The Jim Henson Exhibit, located in Leland, Mississippi, features an assortment of original Muppet characters, official certificates from the [[Mississippi Legislature]] honoring Henson and his characters, and a statue of Kermit in the middle of the stream behind the museum.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jim Henson Exhibit, Leland, Mississippi |url=https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g43851-d2097980-Reviews-Jim_Henson_Exhibit-Leland_Mississippi.html |website=[[TripAdvisor]] |access-date=June 5, 2018 |archive-date=September 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915001815/https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g43851-d2097980-Reviews-Jim_Henson_Exhibit-Leland_Mississippi.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* The 1990 television special ''[[The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson]]'' allowed the Muppets themselves to pay tribute to Henson. The special featured interviews with [[Steven Spielberg]] and others.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (1990) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251874/ |website=IMDb |access-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628160517/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251874/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Tom Smith (filker)|Tom Smith]]'s Henson tribute song, "A Boy and His Frog", won the [[Pegasus Award]] for Best [[Filk]] Song in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.ovff.org/pegasus/people/tom-smith.html|title = Tom Smith|work = Pegasus Awards|publisher = [[Ohio Valley Filk Fest]]|access-date = September 3, 2007|archive-date = October 10, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010171859/http://www.ovff.org/pegasus/people/tom-smith.html|url-status = live}}</ref>
* The classes of 1994, 1998, and 1999 at the [[University of Maryland, College Park]], Henson's alma mater, commissioned a life-size statue of Henson and Kermit the Frog, which was dedicated on September 24, 2003, on what would have been Henson's 67th birthday. The statue cost $217,000 and is displayed outside Maryland's [[Student activity center|student union]].<ref>{{cite web| title =Jim Henson Statue & Memorial FAQ| work =UMD Newsdesk| publisher =University of Maryland| date =July 28, 2004| url =http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/images/Henson/Articles/FAQ.html| access-date =June 19, 2007| archive-date =June 14, 2007| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070614160642/http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/images/Henson/Articles/FAQ.html| url-status =dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://arboretum.umd.edu/JimHensonMemorial|title=Jim Henson Statue and Memorial Garden &#124; UMD Arboretum & Botanical Garden|access-date=September 11, 2019|archive-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824105219/https://www.arboretum.umd.edu/JimHensonMemorial|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2006, the University of Maryland introduced 50 statues of its school mascot, Testudo the [[Terrapin]], with various designs chosen by different sponsoring groups. Among them was Kertle, a statue designed to look like Kermit the Frog by Washington, DC–based artist Elizabeth Baldwin.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fear the Turtle sculptures: Guide to locations|author=<!--staff-->|date=April 21, 2006|work=The Baltimore Sun|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-vg-turtles-locations-story.html|access-date=September 14, 2019|archive-date=January 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114012605/https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-vg-turtles-locations-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In 2003, Jim Henson was honored at the annual [[Norsk Høstfest]] in [[Minot, North Dakota]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hostfest.com/halloffame/view.asp?ID=107 |title='Jim Henson.10/8/2003' (Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame) |publisher=Hostfest.com |date=October 8, 2003 |access-date=September 24, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005005534/http://hostfest.com/halloffame/view.asp?ID=107 |archive-date=October 5, 2011 }}</ref>
* Our Atlan, Thibaut Berland, and Damien Ferrie wrote, directed, and animated a 3D tribute to Henson entitled ''Over Time'' that was shown as part of the 2005 Electronic Theater at [[SIGGRAPH]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Keep it in Motion – Classic Animation Revisited: 'Overtime' |url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/keep-it-motion-classic-animation-revisited-overtime |website=Animation World Network |access-date=June 5, 2018 |language=en |archive-date=January 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114032540/https://www.awn.com/animationworld/keep-it-motion-classic-animation-revisited-overtime |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=damien ferrie on Behance |url=https://www.behance.net/gallery/3250863/Overtime |website=www.behance.net |access-date=June 5, 2018 |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814051618/https://www.behance.net/gallery/3250863/Overtime |url-status=live }}</ref>
* On September 28, 2005, the [[United States Postal Service|U.S. Postal Service]] issued a sheet of [[commemorative stamp]]s honoring Henson and the Muppets.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dakss |first1=Brian |title=Muppets Get Their Own Stamps |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/muppets-get-their-own-stamps/ |website=[[CBS News]] |date=September 29, 2005 |access-date=June 5, 2018 |language=en |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623061210/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/muppets-get-their-own-stamps/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* On August 9, 2011, Jim Henson posthumously received the [[Disney Legends]] Award. Two of his characters, [[Kermit the Frog]] and [[Rowlf the Dog]], performed "Rainbow Connection" in his honor.<ref name=DisneyLegend>{{cite news|last=Goldhaber|first=Mark|title=Disney Legends Class of 2011: Modern princesses, the Muppet master and more|url=http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/mouseplanet/post/2011/09/Disney-Legends-Class-of--2011-Modern-princesses-the-Muppet-master-and-more/545673/1|access-date=September 16, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=September 2, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101200026/http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/mouseplanet/post/2011/09/Disney-Legends-Class-of--2011-Modern-princesses-the-Muppet-master-and-more/545673/1|archive-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref>
* On September 24, 2011, which what would have been Henson's 75th birthday, Mississippi town Leland renamed a local bridge to "The Rainbow Connection" to honor Henson and his work.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/muppets-creator-jim-henson-honored-239873|title=Muppets Creator Jim Henson Honored on 75th Birthday|date=September 24, 2011|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=September 17, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012031846/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/muppets-creator-jim-henson-honored-239873|archive-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> He was also honored with a [[Google logo|Google doodle]] to commemorate his 75th birthday; the Google logo had six Muppets that were clickable using the "hand" buttons.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/jim-hensons-muppets-new-google-doodle-celebrates-late-creators-75th-birthday/2011/09/23/gIQAefxbrK_blog.html |title=Jim Henson's Muppets: New Google Doodle celebrates late creator's 75th birthday |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 24, 2011 |date=September 24, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924145735/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/jim-hensons-muppets-new-google-doodle-celebrates-late-creators-75th-birthday/2011/09/23/gIQAefxbrK_blog.html |archive-date=September 24, 2011 }}</ref>
* The [[Center for Puppetry Arts]] in [[Atlanta]] opened a gallery of Muppets exhibits within the ''Worlds of Puppetry'' exhibition at the Center in November 2015, a greatly scaled-down version of what was announced in 2007 to have been a wing honoring Henson.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pousner|first=Howard|title=With Muppets on-screen, puppet center works to secure Henson legacy|url=http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-events/with-muppets-on-screen-1249213.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114065649/http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-events/with-muppets-on-screen-1249213.html|archive-date=January 14, 2012|access-date=December 30, 2011|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=December 2, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Nation's Largest Puppetry Center to Open Jim Henson Wing in Atlanta |url=http://www.puppet.org/pdf/R-Henson.pdf |publisher=Center for Puppetry Arts |date=July 25, 2007 |access-date=December 30, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124065951/http://puppet.org/pdf/R-Henson.pdf |archive-date=November 24, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toughpigs.com/henson-atlanta/|title=It Belongs in a Museum: The New Henson Exhibit in Atlanta|last=Lee|first=Barry|website=Toughpigs|date=January 15, 2016|access-date=July 15, 2017|archive-date=June 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606194938/http://www.toughpigs.com/henson-atlanta/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In July 2016, [[Hyattsville, Maryland]] installed a memorial to Jim Henson in the city's Magruder Park, featuring a large planter embossed with images of characters from ''Sam & Friends'' and benches inscribed with quotes from Henson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Magruder Park now home to memorial honoring Jim Henson's legacy|work=Hyattsville Today|url=http://hyattsvilletoday.com/magruder-park-now-home-to-memorial-honoring-jim-hensons-legacy/|last=Bennett|first=Rebecca|date=July 9, 2016|location=Hyattsville, Maryland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713064123/http://hyattsvilletoday.com/magruder-park-now-home-to-memorial-honoring-jim-hensons-legacy/ |archive-date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hyattsvillewire.com/2017/07/18/jim-henson-memorials/|title=How Route 1 Honors Jim Henson|last=Teague Beckwith|first=Ryan|work=The Hyattsville Wire|location=Hyattsville, Maryland|date=July 8, 2017|access-date=December 5, 2018|archive-date=December 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206004837/https://www.hyattsvillewire.com/2017/07/18/jim-henson-memorials/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited'', an exhibition organized by the [[Museum of the Moving Image]] showcasing over 300 artifacts from Henson's career, premiered at the [[Museum of Pop Culture]] in Seattle before opening at its permanent home in New York City in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |first=Sharon |last=Arnold |date=May 29, 2017 |title=Jim Henson was more than a puppetmaster |website=[[Crosscut.com]] |url=https://crosscut.com/2017/05/mopop-shows-the-unlimited-imagination-of-jim-henson |access-date= August 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606132032/http://crosscut.com/2017/05/mopop-shows-the-unlimited-imagination-of-jim-henson/ |archive-date=June 6, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Jordan |last=Hoffman |date=July 20, 2017 |title=Psychedelia, clubbing and Muppets: inside the world of Jim Henson |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/jul/20/jim-henson-sesame-street-museum-of-moving-image-exhibition |access-date=July 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720171125/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/jul/20/jim-henson-sesame-street-museum-of-moving-image-exhibition |archive-date=July 20, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> A traveling version of the exhibition, featuring over 100 objects and 25 historic puppets, has been hosted by several cultural institutions across the U.S. including [[Skirball Cultural Center]] in Los Angeles (June–September 2018),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited|title=The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited|date=March 7, 2018|work=[[Skirball Cultural Center]]|access-date=August 8, 2018|language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614010648/https://www.skirball.org/exhibitions/jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Albuquerque Museum]] (November 2019 – April 2020),<ref>{{cite news |date=November 22, 2019 |title=Jim Henson exhibit opens at museum |newspaper=[[Albuquerque Journal]] |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico |url=https://www.pressreader.com/usa/albuquerque-journal/20191122/282544430147610 |access-date=January 14, 2021 |via=[[PressReader]] |archive-date=June 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625085307/https://www.pressreader.com/usa/albuquerque-journal/20191122/282544430147610 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |editor-first=Emily |editor-last=Esterton |date=Winter 2020 |title=Unusual People: The Jim Henson Exhibition |magazine=Art. History. People. |publisher=Albuquerque Museum Foundation |pages=6–7 |url=https://issuu.com/emilyesterson/docs/abqm_winter2020issuu |access-date=January 14, 2021 |via=[[Issuu]] |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511123559/https://issuu.com/emilyesterson/docs/abqm_winter2020issuu |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Durham Museum, Omaha, Nebraska|Durham Museum]] in [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]] (October 2020 – January 2021),<ref>{{cite web |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Durham Museum to open Jim Henson exhibition |website=[[Durham Museum, Omaha, Nebraska|Durham Museum]] |url=https://durhammuseum.org/durham-museum-to-open-jim-henson-exhibition/ |access-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625064357/https://durhammuseum.org/durham-museum-to-open-jim-henson-exhibition/ |archive-date=June 25, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |editor1-first=Daisy |editor1-last=Hutzell-Rodman |editor2-first=Tara |editor2-last=Spencer |editor3-first=Linda |editor3-last=Persigehl |date=November–December 2020 |title=Calendar of Events – The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited |magazine=Omaha Magazine |volume=38 |issue=7 |page=8 |url=https://issuu.com/omahapublications/docs/omahamagazine_om1120_cityversion |access-date=January 14, 2021 |via=[[Issuu]] |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511123559/https://issuu.com/omahapublications/docs/omahamagazine_om1120_cityversion |url-status=live }}</ref> [[The Henry Ford]] museum in [[Dearborn, Michigan|Dearborn]] (June–September 2021),<ref>{{cite web |first=Maureen |last=Feighan |date=May 3, 2021 |title=Jim Henson Exhibition coming to The Henry Ford explores 'Muppets' founder's lasting legacy |website=[[The Detroit News]] |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/2021/05/03/jim-henson-exhibition-opening-henry-ford-early-june-explores-muppets-founders-lasting-legacy/4926685001/ |access-date=June 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503223640/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/2021/05/03/jim-henson-exhibition-opening-henry-ford-early-june-explores-muppets-founders-lasting-legacy/4926685001/ |archive-date=May 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Duante |last=Beddingfield |date=June 3, 2021 |title=Meet the man behind the Muppets at the Henry Ford's new Jim Henson exhibition |website=[[Detroit Free Press]] |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2021/06/03/muppets-jim-henson-imagination-unlimited-henry-ford/5288225001/ |access-date=June 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603122415/https://eu.freep.com/story/entertainment/2021/06/03/muppets-jim-henson-imagination-unlimited-henry-ford/5288225001/ |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> the [[Contemporary Jewish Museum]] in [[San Francisco]] (May–August 2022),<ref>{{cite web |first=Tony |last=Bravo |date=April 26, 2022 |title=Jim Henson's world – from beloved Muppets to avant-garde experiments – comes to life at S.F. museum |website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/art-exhibits/jim-hensons-world-from-beloved-muppets-to-avant-garde-experiments-comes-to-life-at-s-f-museum |access-date=May 2, 2022 |archive-date=May 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502061645/https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/art-exhibits/jim-hensons-world-from-beloved-muppets-to-avant-garde-experiments-comes-to-life-at-s-f-museum |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited |website=SF Station |url=https://www.sfstation.com/the-jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited-e2428465 |access-date=May 2, 2022 |archive-date=April 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423144354/https://www.sfstation.com/the-jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited-e2428465 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[Grand Rapids Art Museum]] in Michigan (October 2022 – January 2023).<ref>{{cite web |first=Lauren |last=Gordon |date=January 4, 2023 |title=The Jim Henson Muppets Exhibit Is About To Leave West Michigan |website=[[WKFR-FM]] |url=https://wkfr.com/jim-henson-muppet-exhibit-west-michigan/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222064912/https://wkfr.com/jim-henson-muppet-exhibit-west-michigan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The traveling exhibition's final stop will be the [[Maryland Center for History and Culture]] in Baltimore (May–December 2023).<ref>{{cite web |title=The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited |website=[[Maryland Center for History and Culture]] |url=https://www.mdhistory.org/exhibitions/the-jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222064943/https://www.mdhistory.org/exhibitions/the-jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* In 2018, the [[American Banjo Museum]] inducted Henson into its [[American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame members|hall of fame]], for his positive portrayal of the banjo in his shows and in ''The Muppet Movie''.<ref name=muppetref>{{cite web |url= http://www.americanbanjomuseum.com/blog/okc-to-celebrate-the-life-and-legacy-of-jim-henson-at-the-american-banjo-museum |title= OKC to celebrate the life and legacy of Jim Henson at the American Banjo Museum |author= <!--Not stated--> |date= August 22, 2018 |publisher= American Banjo Museum |access-date= February 14, 2020 |archive-date= February 15, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200215053108/http://www.americanbanjomuseum.com/blog/okc-to-celebrate-the-life-and-legacy-of-jim-henson-at-the-american-banjo-museum |url-status= live }}</ref>
*In 2020, the 1979 song "[[Rainbow Connection]]" from ''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' (performed by Henson as Kermit) was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the [[Library of Congress]] and selected for preservation in the [[National Recording Registry]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Schuessler|first=Jennifer|date=March 24, 2021|title=Janet Jackson and Kermit the Frog Added to National Recording Registry|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/arts/music/national-recording-registry-janet-jackson.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/arts/music/national-recording-registry-janet-jackson.html |archive-date=2021-12-28 |url-access=limited|access-date=March 24, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* On September 7, 2021, a blue plaque was unveiled at Jim Henson's former Hampstead home, 50 Downshire Hill NW3<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Not stated.-->|date=2021-09-07|title=Muppets creator Jim Henson's London home gets blue plaque|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/sep/07/muppets-creator-jim-henson-london-home-gets-blue-plaque|access-date=2021-09-07|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519040120/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/sep/07/muppets-creator-jim-henson-london-home-gets-blue-plaque|url-status=live}}</ref> to honor his artistic creativity. Henson purchased his London home in 1979 after ITV commissioned the Muppet series, filmed at Elstree Studios.
* An area outside Studio 6B at NBC's [[Rockefeller Center]] headquarters in New York City includes a set of pipes that Henson and his team of puppeteers had painted while waiting to perform on ''[[The Jack Paar Show]]'' in 1964. While the artwork has been preserved over time – Henson showed it to [[Gene Shalit]] on ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' in 1980 and Paar took [[David Letterman]] over to see it during an appearance on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman|Late Night]]'' which taped across the hall – it wasn't until [[Jimmy Fallon]], host of the studio's current tenant ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon|The Tonight Show]]'', brought it up that NBC officially made the pipes part of its studio tour. Frank Oz attended the ribbon-cutting for the exhibit in 2010.<ref name="muppets">{{cite web |url=https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2013/12/12181964/ |title=12/18/1964 – 'Paar show – "Glow Worm"' |publisher=Jim Henson's Red Book |date=December 18, 2013 |access-date=June 1, 2022 |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525203217/https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2013/12/12181964/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Filmography==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
!Director
!Producer
!Screenwriter
! Actor
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Time Piece]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| Man
| Short film
|-
| 1979
| ''[[The Muppet Movie]]''
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Dr. Teeth<br />Waldorf<br />Swedish Chef<br />Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1981
| ''[[The Great Muppet Caper]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Dr. Teeth<br />Waldorf<br />Swedish Chef<br />The Newsman<br />Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1982
| ''[[The Dark Crystal]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{partial|Story}}
| {{Yes}}
| Jen<br />skekZok/The Ritual Master<br />skekSo/The Emperor
| Puppeteering only<br />Co-directed with [[Frank Oz]]
|-
| 1984
| ''[[The Muppets Take Manhattan]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Dr. Teeth<br />Waldorf<br />Swedish Chef<br />The Newsman<br />Ernie<br />Additional Muppets
| 
|-
| rowspan=2|1985
| ''[[Into the Night (1985 film)|Into the Night]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Man on the phone
| Cameo
|-
| ''[[Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Ernie
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Labyrinth (1986 film)|Labyrinth]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Story}}
| {{No}}
|
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[The Witches (1990 film)|The Witches]]''
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
|
|
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Muppet*Vision 3D]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Waldorf<br />The Swedish Chef
| 3D film attraction at [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]], posthumous release
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Director
! Producer
! Screenwriter
! Actor
! Role
! Notes
|-
| rowspan="2"|1954
| ''The Junior Morning Show''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Pierre the French Rat<br />Additional Muppets
| rowspan="2"|aired on [[WUSA (TV)|WTOP-TV]]
|-
| ''Saturday''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Additional Muppets
|-
| 1955–1956
| ''Afternoon with Inga''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Additional Muppets
| rowspan="4"| aired on [[WRC-TV]]
|-
| 1955
| ''In Our Town''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Sam<br />Kermit<br />Yorick<br />Additional Muppets
|-
| 1955–1961
| ''[[Sam and Friends]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| Sam<br />Harry the Hipster<br />[[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]]<br />Professor Madcliffe<br />Omar<br />Yorick<br />Pierre the French Rat<br />Additional Muppets
|-
| 1956
| ''Footlight Theater''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Sam<br />Additional Muppets
|-
| 1962
| ''Tales of the Tinkerdee''
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Additional Muppets
| Unaired<br />[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_AGSadreDo Pilot available on YouTube]
|-
| 1963–1966
| ''[[The Jimmy Dean Show]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| [[Rowlf the Dog]]
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|1969
| ''[[The Cube (film)|The Cube]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
|
|
|-
| ''[[The Wizard of Id]]'' test pilot
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Additional Muppets
| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDeAuq44XKQ Pilot available on YouTube]
|-
| ''[[Hey, Cinderella!]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1969–1990
| ''[[Sesame Street]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| [[Ernie (Sesame Street)|Ernie]]<br />Kermit the Frog<br />[[Guy Smiley]]<br />Bip Bippadotta 
Harvey Monster 
Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1970
| ''[[The Muppets on Puppets]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Himself<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Kermit<br />Additional Muppets
| Filmed in 1968
|-
| 1971
| ''[[The Frog Prince (Muppets)|The Frog Prince]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| rowspan="2" | Kermit the Frog<br />Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1972
| ''[[The Muppet Musicians of Bremen]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
|
|-
| 1974
| ''[[The Muppets Valentine Show]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Wally<br />Kermit the Frog<br />[[Rowlf the Dog]]<br />Ernie<br />Additional Muppets
| 
|-
| 1975
| ''[[The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence]]''
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| Nigel<br />[[George Washington]]<br />[[Swedish Chef|The Swedish Chef]]<br />[[Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem#Dr. Teeth|Dr. Teeth]]<br />[[Statler and Waldorf|Waldorf]]<br />Kermit the Frog<br />Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1976–1981
| ''[[The Muppet Show]]''
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| [[Kermit the Frog]]<br />[[Rowlf the Dog]]<br />[[Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem#Dr. Teeth|Dr. Teeth]]<br />[[Statler and Waldorf|Waldorf]]<br />[[Swedish Chef|The Swedish Chef]]<br />[[Link Hogthrob]]<br />[[The Muppet Newsman|The Newsman]]<br />Additional Muppets
|
|-
| 1977
| ''[[Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Harvey Beaver<br />Howard Snake<br />Mayor Harrison Fox
| rowspan="2"|Television film
|-
| 1978
| ''[[Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Ernie
|-
| 1983–1987
| ''[[Fraggle Rock]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| Cantus the Minstrel<br />Convincing John
| 
|-
| rowspan="2"|1983
| ''[[Big Bird in China]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| rowspan="2"|Ernie
| rowspan="2"|Television film
|-
| ''[[Don't Eat the Pictures]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Little Muppet Monsters]]''
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog (live-action puppet only)<br />Dr. Teeth
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|1986
| ''[[The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Dr. Teeth<br />Waldorf<br />The Swedish Chef<br />Link Hogthrob<br />Ernie<br />Harry the Hipster<br />The Newsman<br />Additional Muppets
| rowspan="3" | Television film
|-
| ''[[The Tale of the Bunny Picnic]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| The Dog
|-
| ''[[The Christmas Toy]]''
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Jack-in-the-Box<br />Kermit the Frog
|-
| 1987–1988
| ''[[The StoryTeller (TV series)|The StoryTeller]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
|
| 
|-
| rowspan="2"|1987
| ''[[Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
|
|
|-
| ''[[A Muppet Family Christmas]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Dr. Teeth<br />Waldorf<br />Swedish Chef<br />The Newsman<br />Ernie<br />Guy Smiley<br />Baby Kermit<br />Baby Rowlf<br />Additional Muppets
| Television film
|-
| 1988
| ''Sing-Along, Dance-Along, Do-Along''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Rowlf the Dog<br />Penguins<br />Kermit the Frog
| Entry in the Play-Along Video series
|-
| 1984–1991
| ''[[Muppet Babies (1984 TV series)|Muppet Babies]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
|
| 
|-
| rowspan="2"|1989
| ''[[Sesame Street... 20 Years & Still Counting]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Ernie<br />Kermit the Frog<br />Additional Muppets
| Television film
|-
| ''[[The Jim Henson Hour]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Himself<br />Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Additional Muppets
| 
|-
| rowspan="2"|1990
| ''[[The Earth Day Special]]''
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog
| segment: "Kermit the Frog"
|-
| ''[[The Muppets at Walt Disney World]]''
| {{No}}
| {{partial|Executive}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| Kermit the Frog<br />Rowlf the Dog<br />Dr. Teeth<br />Waldorf<br />Link Hogthrob<br />The Swedish Chef
| Television special
|-
|1990
|[[The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson]]
|
|
|
|
|Himself
|Television Special
|}

===Video games===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| rowspan="2"|1988
| ''Oscar's Letter Party''
| Kermit the Frog<ref>{{Citation |last1=May |first1=Ted |title=Sesame Street: Oscar's Letter Party |date=1988-09-02 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7561978/ |type=Family |access-date=2023-12-05 |others=Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson |publisher=Children's Television Workshop (CTW) |last2=Alfonso |first2=Ozzie |last3=Squires |first3=Emily |archive-date=December 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229224554/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7561978/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}}
|-
| ''Let's Learn to Play Together''
| Ernie
|{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1991
| ''Sesame Street Numbers''
| rowspan="2"|Ernie<br />Kermit the Frog<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors">[http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Jim-Henson/ "Jim Henson at Behind the Voice Actors"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801052202/http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Jim-Henson/ |date=August 1, 2017 }} Retrieved September 22, 2017.</ref>
| rowspan="2"|Voice only, Posthumous release
|-
| ''Sesame Street Letters''
|}

==References==
{{Clear}}
{{Reflist}}
<!--official Jim Henson channel, who still own the copyright to these commercials tag with name "officialhensonwilkins" defined is not used in prior text
<ref name=officialhensonwilkins>{{cite AV media | people = Jim Henson (producer) | title=Wilkins Coffee Commercials | medium = Television production | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVewx3-9x24&t=0m10s | access-date = February 18, 2013 | time = 10 seconds | via = YouTube | quote = With this camera, I shoot pictures of people who don't drink Wilkins Coffee}}</ref> -->

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last=Finch |first=Christopher |title=Jim Henson: The Works – The Art, the Magic, the Imagination |url=https://archive.org/details/jimhensonworksar0000finc_z1x5 |url-access=registration |year=1993 |publisher=[[Random House]] |location=New York |isbn=0-679-41203-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Brian Jay |title=Jim Henson: The Biography |year=2013 |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] |location=New York |isbn=978-0-345-52611-3}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web |last1=Henson |first1=Jim |title=The Red Book |url=https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/ |website=JimHenson.Com |publisher=The Jim Henson Company}}
*{{cite book |last=Finch |first=Christopher |title=Of Muppets and Men: The Making of The Muppet Show |year=1981 |publisher=Muppet Press/Alfred A. Knopf |location=New York |isbn=0-394-52085-8}}

==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Jim-Henson.ogg|date=January 17, 2008}}
{{Wikiquote}}{{Commons}}
* {{Muppets}}
* [http://www.jimhensonlegacy.org/ The Jim Henson Legacy]
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{TCMDb name}}
* {{The Interviews about|jim-henson}}
* [http://www.adcglobal.org/archive/hof/1991/?id=426 Art Directors Club biography and portrait]
* [http://castig.org/jim-henson-the-biography/ Jim Henson Biography – Book Summary and Quotes]
* [http://digital.lib.umd.edu/henson/ The Jim Henson Works at the University of Maryland]: 70+ digital videos available to students, scholars and visitors at the University of Maryland (College Park, MD)
* [http://techchannel.att.com/search.cfm?tag=Jim%20Henson Early Jim Henson films in the AT&T Archives]: "Robot" and "Charlie Magnetico", two films that Henson created for the Bell Data Communications Seminar in the early 1960s
* [http://video.pbs.org/video/2365557703 Jim Henson] Documentary produced by the [[PBS]] series ''In Their Own Words''
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLplWWKocAfTYIGzH8eQ0x0kEQgoV9CpYm Documentary about Jim Henson on YouTube], produced by [[Defunctland]]
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVoGf1JTVeI Sam and Friends]
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_eOs_CSVas Sesame Street]
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5jJQ2IeDvE The Muppet Show]
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl4mlq6zAxw Fraggle Rock]
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Agx492B4FY Muppet Babies]
** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SfsynRHZK0 The Jim Henson Hour]

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Kermit the Frog|Performer of Kermit the Frog]]|years= 1955–1990}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Steve Whitmire]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Ernie (Sesame Street)|Performer of Ernie]]|years= 1969–1990}}
{{s-aft|after= Steve Whitmire}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[List of Sesame Street Muppets#C|Performer of Captain Vegetable]]|years= 1982}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Richard Hunt (puppeteer)|Richard Hunt]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[The Muppet Newsman|Performer of The Muppet Newsman]]|years= 1976–1989}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Jerry Nelson]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Link Hogthrob|Performer of Link Hogthrob]]|years = 1977–1990}}
{{s-aft|after = Steve Whitmire}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Rowlf the Dog|Performer of Rowlf the Dog]]|years = 1962–1990}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Bill Barretta]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Swedish Chef|Performer of The Swedish Chef]]|years=1975–1990}}
{{s-aft|after= [[David Rudman]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem#Dr. Teeth|Performer of Dr. Teeth]]|years= 1975–1990}}
{{s-aft|after= [[John Kennedy (puppeteer)|John Kennedy]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Mah Nà Mah Nà#Versions by the Muppets|Performer of Mahna Mahna]]|years= 1969–1986}}
{{s-aft|after= Bill Barretta}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Statler and Waldorf|Performer of Waldorf]]|years= 1975–1990}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Dave Goelz]]}}

{{s-bef|before = None}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Guy Smiley|Performer of Guy Smiley]]|years= 1969–1990}}
{{s-aft|after= Don Reardon}}
{{s-end}}

{{The Jim Henson Company}}
{{Jim Henson films}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Jim Henson
|list =
{{Disney Legends Awards 2010s}}
{{Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming}}
{{International Emmy Founders Award}}
{{EmmyAward VarietySeriesDirecting}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Children's Album}}
{{Inkpot Award 1990s}}
{{TCA Career Achievement Award}}
{{TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming}}
{{1987 Television Hall of Fame}}
}}
{{The Muppets}}
{{Sesame Street}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Henson, Jim}}
[[Category:Jim Henson| ]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:1990 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American comedy film directors]]
[[Category:American fantasy film directors]]
[[Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:American puppeteers]]
[[Category:American sketch comedians]]
[[Category:Artists from New York City]]
[[Category:Comedians from Maryland]]
[[Category:Comedians from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Comedians from New York City]]
[[Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in New York City]]
[[Category:Disney Legends]]
[[Category:Film directors from Maryland]]
[[Category:Film directors from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Film producers from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Former Christian Scientists]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Henson family (show business)]]
[[Category:HIT Entertainment]]
[[Category:Inkpot Award winners]]
[[Category:International Emmy Founders Award winners]]
[[Category:Mississippi Democrats]]
[[Category:Muppet designers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Greenville, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Peabody Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Leland, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Television producers from New York City]]
[[Category:Television show creators]]
[[Category:The Jim Henson Company people]]
[[Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni]]
[[Category:Sesame Workshop people]]