Jim Henson

Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame
2003 inductee

It would take a genius to have the whole world believing that a stuffed green frog is human. Jim Henson was that genius – and the frog, of course, is Kermit.

Henson, a Swedish-American and creator of the muppets, adapted the ancient art of puppetry to the most modern of media, television. He did so by crafting flexible marionettes/puppets, hence “Muppets” with supple bodies, and mouths large enough to convey a wide range of emotion and the “life and sensitivity” he thought necessary. The result was a collection of sympathetic characters who have entertained, taught, and inspired hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Henson was a puppeteer, artist, cartoonist, inventor, screenwriter, actor, film director and producer as well as the creator of the Muppets. Born hin Greenville, Mississippi, he was educated at the University of Maryland where he created “Sam and Friends” as a freshman. After suffering struggles with programs he created, he eventually found success with “Sesame Street”.

From “Sesame Street” spawed “The Muppet SHow”, which featured Muppets created by Henson. Henson later founded The Jim Henson Company, The Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. He died May 16,1990.