MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SCREENING SERIES, THE:
THE LEGACY OF JIM HENSON: MUPPETS FOREVER, PACKAGE
7: THE MANY WORLDS OF JIM HENSON

Summary

For thirty-five years Jim Henson brought wit and imagination to the art of presenting puppetry on television. He created a singular world of characters -- the Muppets -- that he inventively expanded from a small core of friends to a multitude of families. The Museum's screening series pays tribute to the artistic developments of Henson's television career. In 1955 Jim Henson introduced his Muppets on the late-night series "Sam and Friends," seen locally in Washington, D.C. His creations soon began to reach a wider audience in commercials and in guest appearances on such network programs as "Today"; "The Tonight Show"; "The Ed Sullivan Show"; and "The Jimmy Dean Show," which featured Rowlf the Dog as a cast member. Since 1969 the Muppets have been regulars on the landmark educational program "Sesame Street." In 1976 Henson developed his own syndicated series, "The Muppet Show," which reached an estimated weekly audience of 235 million around the world and in fall 2001 celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. Among many honors the show has received the 1978 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series and the 1978 Peabody Award for its "gentle satire, clever characters, genuine good humor, and for high standards in family viewing." During the eighties Henson extended his range in family entertainment. He created a cable series, "Fraggle Rock," introducing a new family of Muppets, the Fraggles; ventured into Saturday morning television with the animated "Muppet Babies"; contributed characters to the music appreciation series "Jim Henson's 'Ghost of Faffner Hall'"; and updated traditional folktales for network television in "Jim Henson's 'The Storyteller.'" He received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program for "Dog City," a segment from his innovative series "The Jim Henson Hour," while additional Emmy Awards went to the "Storyteller" episode "Hans My Hedgehog" for Outstanding Children's Program, and to "Muppet Babies" for Outstanding Animated Series in four consecutive years (1985Ð1988). In May 1990 the world was saddened by Jim Henson's untimely death, but his legacy endures. The creative team he brought together continues to produce new projects in the Henson tradition of quality family entertainment with such programs as "Farscape," "Bear in the Big Blue House," and "Jim Henson's 'Animal Show.'" The universe of Muppets, suffused with tolerance and love, entertains and enlightens children and adults alike. The Museum's screenings and collection testify not only to Jim Henson's optimistic philosophy of life, but also to his contributions to the artistic possibilities of television.

Jim Henson's The Storyteller: "Hans My Hedgehog" A king must hand over his daughter to a hideous half-man, half-beast in return for being given shelter by the creature. This episode of "The Storyteller," a series that used live actors and creations from Henson's Creature Shop, won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program. (1987; 25 minutes)

Jim Henson's Ghost of Faffner Hall: "Notation: The Sign That Gets the Sound" The Wild Impresario attempts to compose a new piece of music for a composition contest. This episode of the music appreciation series welcomes guests Aswad and James Taylor. (1989; 25 minutes)

The Jim Henson Hour: "The Song of the Cloud Forest" Milton, a golden rain forest toad facing extinction, must rescue his only potential mate, who has been captured by humans with their own plan for saving the species. (1989; 25 minutes)

Details

• NETWORK: N/A
• DATE: November 30, 2000
• RUNNING TIME: 1:13:30
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:64914
• GENRE: Children's
• SUBJECT HEADING: Children's programs; Puppets
• SERIES RUN: N/A
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• For "Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Hans My Hedgehog":
• Jim Henson … Executive Producer
• Mark Shivas … Producer
• Martin G. Baker … Associate Producer
• Steve Barron … Director
• Anthony Minghella … Writer, Screenplay by, Based on an early European folk tale
• Duncan Kenworthy … Production (Misc.), Executive in Charge of Production
• John Stephenson … Production Design, Creative Supervisor, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
• Chris Carr … Production Design, Production Supervisor, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
• Brian Froud … Production Design, Conceptual Designer
• Roger Hall … Production Design
• Rachel Portman … Music by
• John Hurt … Cast, the Storyteller
• Eric Richard … Cast, the Farmer
• Maggie Wilkinson … Cast, the Farmer's Wife
• David Swift … Cast, the King
• Helen Lindsay … Cast, the Queen
• Abigail Cruttenden … Cast, the Princess
• Jason Carter … Cast, the Man
• Robin Summers … Cast, the Jailer
• Ailsa Berk … Cast, the Grovelhog
• Brian Henson … Cast, the Storyteller's Dog
• For "Jim Henson's Ghost of Faffner Hall: Notation, the Sign That Gets the Sound":
• Tyne Tees Television … Production Statement
• Jim Henson Productions … Production Statement
• Jim Henson … Executive Producer
• Jocelyn Stevenson … Producer , Created by, Composer, Lyrics by
• Tony Kysh … Director
• David Angus … Writer
• Patrick Barlow … Writer
• Trish Kinane … Production (Misc.), Executive in Charge of Production for Tyne Tees
• Jim Henson's Creature Shop … Puppets by
• Ron Mueck … Designer
• Chris Barton … Designer
• Maria Boggi … Designer
• Peter Brooke … Designer
• Magot Forster … Designer
• Jane Gootnick … Designer
• Mike Osborn … Designer
• Quentin Plant … Designer
• Kenny Wilson … Designer
• Ed Welch … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Director
• Mike D. Roberts … Title Music by
• John Paynter … Composer, Music composed by, Creative Consultant
• Richard Orton … Composer, Music composed by
• Richard Hunt … Cast, Wild Impresario, Puppeteer
• Louise Gold … Cast, Fughetta Faffner, Puppeteer
• Karen Prell … Cast, Mimi, Puppeteer
• Mark Wilson … Cast, Farkas Faffner, Puppeteer
• Mike Quinby … Cast, Riff, Puppeteer
• Richard Coombs … Puppeteer
• Phil Knowles … Puppeteer
• Bob Smeaton … Puppeteer
• James Taylor … Special Guest
• Aswad … Special Guest
• For "The Jim Henson Hour: The Song of the Cloud Forest":
• Ritamarie Peruggi … Co-Producer
• Jim Henson … Director
• David Young … Writer
• John Davis … Production Design
• Cheryl Henson … Art Director
• David Lebolt … Music by
• Mark Radice … Music by
• Phil Ramone … Music by
• Zak Smith … Music by
• Dave Goelz … Cast, Milton
• Jerry Nelson … Cast, Ralph
• Steve Whitmire … Cast, Wilf
• Kevin Clash … Cast, Nick/Caiman
• Camille Bonora … Cast, Blanche
• Ricky Boyd … Cast, Aart
• Fran Brill … Cast, an Upright
• Jerry Nelson … Cast, an Upright
• David Rudman … Cast
• Lainie Cooke … Cast
• Rick Lyon … Cast
• Brian Muehl … Cast
• Carmen Cuesta … Cast
• Paul Hartis … Cast