Welcome to a fun exploration of the life and work of Jim Henson, the creative genius behind the Muppets! Did you know that Jim Henson invented the word “Muppet” in the 1950s? Many people think it’s a mix of “puppet” and “marionette,” but Henson said it was just a made-up word since he rarely used marionettes.
In the opening scene of “The Muppet Movie,” Kermit the Frog sings “The Rainbow Connection” while sitting on a log in a swamp. This scene looks simple, but it was quite challenging to film. Jim Henson had to crouch inside a special diving bell underwater to make it happen!
Interestingly, Jim Henson didn’t start out loving puppets. He just wanted to be on TV. By the time he was in college, he had a five-minute show called “Sam and Friends” that aired every weekday. He also made money by designing and silk-screening posters for theater shows, running a small printing business at his college.
Kermit the Frog started as a simple character made from Jim’s mom’s old turquoise coat. Back then, Kermit wasn’t even a frog! He was more like an abstract lizard with ping-pong ball eyes. Over time, Kermit transformed into the frog we know today, complete with a collar, green skin, and webbed feet.
Jim Henson was very dedicated to his art. For example, while filming a commercial, he wanted an archer to shoot an apple off a Muppet’s head. Even though the archer hit the apple on the first try, Henson made him do it four more times to get the perfect shot!
Henson’s creativity was inspired by his grandmother, who taught him to draw, paint, and sew. These skills were useful when he took time off from college to work on his show. He graduated with a degree in home economics and even showed up to his graduation in a Rolls Royce he bought with his earnings.
Jim Henson had some interesting collaborations. He helped George Lucas with the character Yoda in “The Empire Strikes Back,” suggesting Frank Oz for the role. Henson and Lucas remained friends, and on the first day of shooting “Labyrinth,” Lucas had Darth Vader deliver a good-luck card to Henson.
The Swedish Chef is performed by two puppeteers: Jim Henson provided the voice while Frank Oz operated the hands. Cookie Monster started as a character in an IBM training video and was called the “Wheel Stealer” before becoming the cookie-loving monster we know today.
“Fraggle Rock,” created by Henson, was the first HBO original series. It aimed to teach kids about peaceful conflict resolution. The show was filmed in Toronto and designed to be adapted for different countries, becoming a hit worldwide, including in the Soviet Union.
Henson was always embracing new technologies, like radio control puppetry for more dynamic movements. “The Muppet Show” was initially rejected by U.S. networks but became a huge success after being picked up by British TV, airing in 106 countries.
In 1970, the “Sesame Street” song “Rubber Duckie,” sung by Ernie, reached number 16 on the Billboard charts. Henson’s “The Rainbow Connection” also became a hit, reaching number 25.
Before he passed away, Henson left instructions for his memorial service, asking for a joyful celebration with no black clothing and a Dixieland jazz band. The most touching moment was when Big Bird, performed by Caroll Spinney, sang “It’s Not Easy Being Green” as a tribute to Kermit.
Thanks for joining us on this journey through Jim Henson’s incredible life and work. Remember, as we say, don’t forget to be awesome!
Imagine you are Jim Henson for a day! Design your own Muppet character using materials like felt, fabric, and googly eyes. Think about what makes your Muppet unique and give it a fun name. Share your creation with the class and explain its personality and backstory.
Work in groups to reenact the iconic “Rainbow Connection” scene from “The Muppet Movie.” Assign roles such as Kermit, the director, and the camera crew. Use props and costumes to bring the scene to life. Discuss the challenges Jim Henson faced while filming this scene and how you overcame similar challenges in your reenactment.
Create a timeline of Jim Henson’s life and achievements. Include key events such as the creation of “Sam and Friends,” the evolution of Kermit, and the launch of “Fraggle Rock.” Use drawings or digital tools to make your timeline visually engaging. Present your timeline to the class and highlight the most surprising fact you discovered.
Write a script for a new episode of “Fraggle Rock” that teaches a lesson about peaceful conflict resolution. Think about the characters and setting, and how they can work together to solve a problem. Perform your script as a short play for the class, using puppets or acting out the roles.
Choose a song from Jim Henson’s work, such as “Rubber Duckie” or “The Rainbow Connection,” and perform it for the class. You can sing, play an instrument, or create a music video. Discuss the impact of music in Jim Henson’s shows and how it contributed to their success.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m John Green. Welcome to my salon. This is a Mental Floss video. Did you know that Jim Henson coined the term “Muppet” in the 1950s while working on television? Contrary to popular belief, the word is not a combination of “puppet” and “marionette.” Henson said it was simply a term they made up, as he did very few things with marionettes.
In this video, I’ll share some fascinating facts about the extraordinary Jim Henson. The opening scene of “The Muppet Movie” features Kermit singing “The Rainbow Connection” while sitting on a log in a swamp. That scene wasn’t as simple as it looked; to get the shot just right, Jim Henson had to crouch inside a custom-made diving bell submerged underwater.
Interestingly, Henson didn’t grow up loving puppetry. He initially just wanted to get onto television, and by the time he was in college, he had a five-minute show on air every weekday. While Henson made money from that show, “Sam and Friends,” he also had another college gig designing and silk-screening posters for theater shows, even running a small printing business out of his college’s student union.
Henson made the original Kermit out of his mother’s old turquoise coat. At that time, Kermit wasn’t a frog; he was just an abstract lizard with a dissected ping-pong ball for eyes. Over the years, Kermit evolved into a frog, gaining a collar, turning green, and growing webbed feet. As Henson put it, they “Fraggified” him.
To illustrate how much Henson cared about his art, consider this: while making a commercial for Southern bread, he wanted to have an archer shoot an apple off the head of a Muppet. He hired an archer, placed an apple on top of the Muppet’s head, and had the archer stand 20 yards back. The archer hit the apple on the first shot, but Henson didn’t like how it looked on camera, so he had the archer do it four more times, which was quite risky.
Jim Henson’s creativity was inspired by his grandmother, who taught him to draw, paint, and sew. These skills came in handy when he completed college, taking time off to work on his show and art. His degree was in home economics, and he was a driven individual, even showing up to his college graduation in a Rolls Royce that he bought with money he earned during college.
In the early days of the Muppets, Henson had two possible endings for his stories: either one creature ate the other, or both of them blew up. Although he made several movies, Jim Henson was only nominated for one Oscar in 1966 for his experimental short film “Timepiece,” which featured no puppets and only one word—”help.”
George Lucas consulted Henson when creating the Yoda character for “The Empire Strikes Back.” Henson suggested that his colleague Frank Oz should perform the character, and Oz nailed both the performance and the voice. Henson and Lucas remained friends over the years. On the first day of shooting “Labyrinth,” Lucas arranged for Darth Vader to stroll over to Henson and hand him a good-luck card.
Henson was also friends with Douglas Adams, the author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” and they collaborated on projects like the “Labyrinth” video game. Speaking of collaborations, the Swedish Chef has two human hands and is performed by two puppeteers simultaneously—Henson and Frank Oz. Henson voiced the character while Oz performed the puppets’ live hands, allowing for detailed and expressive motions.
Cookie Monster evolved from a character in an IBM training video and was previously known as the “Wheel Stealer.” Henson hired designer Don Saleem to build many of the most popular characters, perfecting a sewing technique called the “Henson stitch” to hide fabric seams, making the puppets look realistic on TV.
“Fraggle Rock,” created by Henson, was the first HBO original series. Henson aimed to teach kids about peaceful conflict resolution. The show was filmed in Toronto but designed to work around the world, with plans for co-productions in various countries. While it was a hit in the Soviet Union, it also aired in many other countries, often dubbed.
Henson wrote the 16-page treatment for “The Dark Crystal” while snowed in at a Howard Johnson Hotel during a blizzard. He embraced new technologies, such as radio control puppetry, which allowed for more dynamic puppet movements.
“The Muppet Show” was initially turned down by all three U.S. TV networks before being picked up by British TV mogul Lord Lou Grade. It went on to become one of the most successful TV shows ever, airing in 106 countries to over 235 million viewers. Remarkably, the show was made without a contract, just a handshake deal.
In 1970, the “Sesame Street” song “Rubber Duckie,” performed by Ernie, reached number 16 on the Billboard charts, while Henson’s performance of “The Rainbow Connection” reached number 25. In 1986, Henson wrote about his belief in using television and film to positively influence children and adults.
Before he passed away, Henson wrote instructions for his memorial service, insisting that no one wear black and that a Dixieland jazz band end the service with “When the Saints Go Marching In.” He wanted friends to share happy memories and songs, and the most touching moment was when Caroll Spinney, as Big Bird, performed “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” ending with a heartfelt thank you to Kermit.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss, made with the help of many awesome people. As we say in our hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
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This version removes any inappropriate or sensitive content while maintaining the essence of the original transcript.
Puppet – A movable model of a person or animal that is used in entertainment and is typically controlled by strings or hands. – During the school play, Sarah skillfully manipulated the puppet to make it look like it was dancing.
Muppet – A type of puppet, often used in television shows and movies, that is typically made of fabric and operated by hand. – The students laughed as the muppet on stage sang a funny song about friendship.
Creativity – The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness. – The director encouraged creativity by allowing the actors to improvise their lines during rehearsals.
Performance – An act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. – The audience applauded loudly after the final performance of the musical.
Theater – A building or outdoor area where plays, films, or other performances are presented. – Our class visited the theater to watch a live production of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Collaboration – The action of working with someone to produce or create something. – The play was a success because of the collaboration between the writers, actors, and directors.
Inspiration – The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. – The author found inspiration for her novel from the stories her grandmother used to tell.
Character – A person in a novel, play, or movie. – The main character in the story learned an important lesson about honesty.
Music – Vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. – The music in the background added to the emotional impact of the scene.
Legacy – Something handed down by a predecessor, often referring to achievements or cultural contributions. – Shakespeare’s legacy continues to influence writers and playwrights around the world.
