MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SCREENING SERIES, THE:
THE LEGACY OF JIM HENSON: MUPPETS FOREVER, PACKAGE
10: MONSTERS AND MYTHS
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.
The Jim Henson Hour: "Monster Maker"
A troubled teenager, obsessed with monster movies, gets
the chance of a lifetime when he is invited to work in
the studio of Chancey Bellow, the best monster maker in
the business. (1989; 50 minutes)
Jim Henson's The Storyteller:
Greek Myths: "Theseus & the Minotaur"
This episode of the British-made series re-creates the
heroic battle between Theseus and the Minotaur in the
labyrinth. Like "The Storyteller," this follow-up
series combines Jim Henson's creatures with live actors,
including Michael Gambon as the Storyteller.
(1991; 25 minutes)
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 2000
- RUNNING TIME: 1:13:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:64922
- GENRE: Children's
- SUBJECT HEADING: Children's programs; Puppets
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- For "The Jim Henson Hour: Monster Maker"
- TVS Films Ltd. … Production Statement
- Jim Henson Productions … Production Statement
- Lawrence S. Mirkin … Series Producer
- Jerry Juhl … Co-Producer
- Martin G. Baker … Co-Producer
- Duncan Kenworthy … Producer
- Alexander de Grunwald … Associate Producer
- Giles Foster … Director
- Matthew Jacobs … Writer, Screenplay by
- Nicholas Fisk … Writer, Based on the novel by
- J. Nigel Pickard … Production (Misc.), Executive in Charge of Production
- Rachel Portman … Music by
- Simon Holland … Production Design
- John Stephenson … Production Design, Creative Supervisor , For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- David Barrington-Holt … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- John Blakely … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Mike Osborn … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Nigel Booth … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Verner Gresty … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Gary Pollard … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Chris Barton … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Jim Henson … Host
- Harry Dean Stanton … Cast, Bellow, Chancey
- Kieran O'Brien … Cast, Banting, Matt
- George Costigan … Cast, the Father
- Amanda Dickinson … Cast, the Mother
- Alison Steadman … Cast, Perriwinkle
- Grant Bardsley … Cast, Ben
- Bill Moody … Cast, Reg
- Matthew Scurfield … Cast, Vaughn
- Jonathan Coy … Cast, the Teacher
- Michael Gambon … Cast, the voice of the Ultragorgon, Voice
- Brian Henson … Ultragorgon Performer
- David Greenaway … Ultragorgon Performer
- Marcus Clarke … Ultragorgon Performer
- Sue Dacre … Ultragorgon Performer
- Michael Bayliss … Ultragorgon Performer
- Chris Leith … Ultragorgon Performer
- Martin Anthony … Ultragorgon Performer
- Tony Ashton … Ultragorgon Performer
- For "Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Greek Myths: Theseus & the Minotaur":
- Jim Henson … Executive Producer
- Duncan Kenworthy … Producer
- John Madden … Director
- Anthony Minghella … Created by
- Nigel Williams … Writer, Screenplay by
- J. Nigel Pickard … Production (Misc.), Executive in Charge of Production
- John Stephenson … Production Design, Creative Supervisor, For The Creature Shop
- Gary Pollard … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For The Creature Shop
- Neal Scanlan … Production Design, Special Creature Design, For The Creature Shop
- John Beard … Production Design
- Rachel Portman … Music by
- Carolyn Choa … Choreographer
- David Greenaway … Puppeteer
- Michael Gambon … Cast, the Storyteller
- Brian Henson … Cast, the Dog
- David Morrissey … Cast, Theseus
- Maggie O'Neill … Cast, Ariadne
- Robert Flemyng … Cast, Aegeus
- Amanda Burton … Cast, Aithra
- Lindsay Duncan … Cast, Medea
- Stephen Varnom … Cast, the Minotaur