The Muppets, are a long running multimedia franchise with an ensemble cast of iconic puppet characters created by the late Jim Henson.
hough the “Muppets” now technically only refers to specific characters from the Muppet Show, they colloquially refer to any character constructed by the Jim Henson Company as they appear in a variety of productions, such as ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Fraggle Rock’.
Jim Henson combined traditional puppetry with marionette techniques to create a unique range of lifelike and expressive puppets that revolutionized puppetry. The impact of Jim Henson’s puppets were to the extent that for many in the mainstream, Muppets are practically synonymous with puppets as a whole.
Jim Henson’s first foray into puppet popularity began in the 1950s, with Sam and Friends, an experimental five-minute puppet show aired on local television. Though it had barely any resemblance to the bombastic productions at their height, Sam and Friends was the first official appearance of Henson’s innovative Muppet techniques and a prototype for Kermit the Frog.
Prior to the Muppets, puppetry was far more wooden and static, but Henson’s techniques allowed for the distinct personalities of the Muppet characters to be expressed with a lot of flexibility and believability. With spotlights on several talk shows, and a run of popular commercials, they quickly gained attention and popularity.
Big break
The Muppets got their first real big break in 1969 with the debut of ‘Sesame Street’. Though the Muppets were just one part of a cohesive children’s educational program, many attributed the show’s long running success to Henson’s puppets.
However, while Jim Henson greatly respected the program and its goals, he wanted to avoid pigeonholing the Muppets as children’s entertainment. His true goal of a prime time adult oriented TV program would only be met after a few attempts, with the debut of “The Muppet Show,” which premiered in 1976 and ran for five successful seasons.
The show featured a mix of comedy sketches, musical performances, and celebrity guest appearances, starring beloved characters like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and many others who would soon become household names.
The groundbreaking success of the Muppet Show led to it quickly becoming a global sensation among all age groups, just as Henson had hoped. The Muppets went on to star in numerous beloved feature films, including “The Muppet Movie,” “The Great Muppet Caper,” and “Muppet Treasure Island,” each pushing the boundaries on what was possible with puppetry on screen and contributing to their enduring popularity.
Live stage shows
Despite being widely considered the most popular show on TV, not just in the US and UK, but globally, Jim Henson ended production with its fifth season to move on to bigger and better things, such as the children’s show Fraggle Rock, and cult classic films the Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986).
The Muppets’ cultural impact extends beyond television and film. They have released countless albums, received prestigious awards, and even hosted their own live stage shows. Their presence in popular culture has been felt through parodies, merchandise, and references in other media.
The Muppets had the rare ability to bridge the generation gap, appealing to both nostalgic adults who grew up with them and young children discovering their magic for the first time.
Near the end of his career, Jim Henson secured the longevity of the Muppets by it being acquired by Disney. Henson himself worked on many productions, such as ‘The Storyteller’ (1988) and ‘The Jim Henson Hour’ (1989) up until his untimely passing in 1990, but his legacy has long been cemented as the most renowned and revolutionary puppeteer of his time, and as a hardworking, visionary entertainer besides.
The Jim Henson Company, the Jim Henson Foundation and the Jim Henson Creature Shop, as well as the countless other puppeteers and filmmakers inspired by him have carried on his vision of entertainment through puppetry and innovation to this day.