James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 â€" May 16, 1990) was an
American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, filmmaker,
and screenwriter who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The
Muppets (1955â€"present) and Fraggle Rock (1983â€"1987); and as the
director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986). He was born
in Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in Leland, Mississippi, and
University Park, Maryland.Henson began developing puppets in high
school. He created Sam and Friends, a short-form comedy television
program, while he was a freshman at the University of Maryland,
College Park. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a
degree in home economics, after which he produced coffee
advertisements and developed experimental films. In 1958, he
co-founded Muppets, Inc., which became The Jim Henson Company.In 1969,
Henson joined the children's educational television program Sesame
Street where he helped to develop characters for the series. He and
his creative team also appeared on the sketch comedy show Saturday
Night Live. He produced The Muppet Show during this period, premiering
the series in 1976. He won fame for his characters, particularly
Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, and Ernie. During the later years of
his life, he founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson's
Creature Shop. He won the Emmy Award twice for his involvement in The
Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour.
American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, filmmaker,
and screenwriter who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The
Muppets (1955â€"present) and Fraggle Rock (1983â€"1987); and as the
director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986). He was born
in Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in Leland, Mississippi, and
University Park, Maryland.Henson began developing puppets in high
school. He created Sam and Friends, a short-form comedy television
program, while he was a freshman at the University of Maryland,
College Park. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a
degree in home economics, after which he produced coffee
advertisements and developed experimental films. In 1958, he
co-founded Muppets, Inc., which became The Jim Henson Company.In 1969,
Henson joined the children's educational television program Sesame
Street where he helped to develop characters for the series. He and
his creative team also appeared on the sketch comedy show Saturday
Night Live. He produced The Muppet Show during this period, premiering
the series in 1976. He won fame for his characters, particularly
Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, and Ernie. During the later years of
his life, he founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson's
Creature Shop. He won the Emmy Award twice for his involvement in The
Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour.
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