One of the most underrated forms of art is ventriloquism. While this practice has existed for decades, it wasn't until a young man from Mississippi began performing with his own cast of characters that the medium exploded into the mainstream. Jim Henson is responsible for a multitude of classic characters, from Kermit to Elmo.
He ignited the imagination of millions and his name is still iconic, even several generations later. But as legendary as Jim has become, there are many things about him that elude the mainstream public. In order to truly appreciate Henson's genius, fans must take a look at the man behind the Muppets to understand the kind of talent that only comes around once in a lifetime.
One Of Kermit The Frog's Earliest Forms Was Similar To Bugs Bunny
Arguably, Jim Henson's most iconic character is the leader of The Muppets, Kermit The Frog. Even those who have never seen a Muppets film know the legendary character and his optimistic, happy-go-lucky attitude. One of the precursors, however, was a coffee-loving creature who had violent tendencies akin to Bugs Bunny.
In the late 50s, Jim was hired by Wilkins Coffee to do a series of advertisements for local television. These commercials included two Muppets: Wontkins, who despised the Wilkins family of products, and Wilkins, who was obsessed. Wilkins would go to extreme lengths when Wontkins refuses the coffee, including shooting him with a canon.
Jim Never Wanted To Be Known For Children's Programming
When many audiences think of Jim Henson today, they may think of him as primarily a children's entertainer. This was never Jim's goal however, in fact, much of his early projects, such as Sam And Friends, were aimed toward older audiences and young adults.
With the immense success of Sesame Street, Jim was quickly typecast for children's entertainment, which he wanted to avoid. When he later created The Muppet Show, it aired on primetime and was made to appeal to all ages. Jim wanted his creations to be enjoyed by fans of all ages, not just young children.
Jim Had A Failed Series Of Skits On The First Season Of SNL
While attempting to appeal to a more mature audience, Jim had a series of skits on the first season of Saturday Night Live. The segment, known as The Land Of Gorch, consists of a royal family that resides in a fantasy land. The characters were designed to look grotesque and were very vulgar and the skits often dealt with alcohol, drugs, and many innuendos. The Land Of Gorch has become infamous for being one of the worst segments on the show, as well as one of Jim's worst projects ever.
The segment did not survive past the first season, being canceled by the producers due to the critical backlash. There are influences of The Land Of Gorch seen in Henson's later work, most notably in The Dark Crystal. Jim later blamed clashing between him and the head SNL writers for the final product.
Jim Henson's Workshop Designed The Live-Action Ninja Turtles
In the late '80s and early '90s, comic book movies enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Thanks to the success of Tim Burton's Batman, darker movies based on comic books dominated the box office. In 1990, fans were excited to see their favorite crime-fighting turtles on the big screen with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Released at the height of the Turtle's popularity, the movie was closer in tone to the much darker comic series. Jim Henson's workshop was hired to design the Turtles, and what they created were some of the most advanced puppetry ever created at that point. Jim later admitted he didn't care for the final product due to the violence, but he was proud of the Turtles themselves.
Was Introduced By The Wrong Name By Ed Sullivan
One of the most popular shows in the golden age of television was The Ed Sullivan Show. Hosted by the show's namesake, when an act was featured on the show, it was a sign of success. After the popularity of Sam & Friends, Jim was invited to perform on the same stage occupied by The Beatles in their first American performance, just two years prior.
While Henson appeared on the show a total of 25 times, the first time, Ed Sullivan flubbed his name. He introduced the act as "Jim Newsom and his Puppets." This didn't seem to phase Jim, as he performed well and stole the show, as had become expected from him. When a compilation of Jim's Ed Sullivan show appearances was released on DVD, the flub was dubbed over to say, "Jim Henson and his Muppets."
The Muppet Show Was Filmed In England
After the cancellation of his Saturday Night Live segment, Jim struggled to pitch his Muppets. Most producers only saw Jim as a children's performer, due to the success of Sesame Street and the failure of The Land Of Gorch. Jim desperately began pitching a Broadway show and a weekly series featuring The Muppets, although he had no luck until he met Lew Grade, a talent agent from the United Kingdom.
Lew saw promise in Jim and offered him the chance to make his show in England, to be released for syndication. Jim canceled his Broadway show and moved his team to England to begin production on The Muppet Show. The show was immensely successful and made the likes of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzy, and of course, Jim Henson, household names.
Jim Was Key To The Success Of Yoda
When George Lucas was producing The Empire Strikes Back, he hired Jim to help design the legendary Yoda. Jim assisted the makeup up artist in designing the look of the Jedi Master. Jim not only helped design the look of Yoda, he created the puppet that would be used on-screen, meaning technically Yoda is a Muppet.
Jim also recommended his long-time friend Frank Oz to George Lucas to provide the voice for Yoda. Frank's voice mannerisms for the character have become as iconic as Jim's design, and history was made.
Kermit Was Closest To His Real Personality
The personality of Kermit The Frog was kind, somewhat of spoken, and a dutiful leader. Those that were close to Henson have stated this is exactly how he was too. Jim Henson oftentimes said Kermit is an extension of himself, saying things that Jim himself wanted to say, but would never actually say.
Jim's team has stated on numerous occasions that he was a man who worked hard for the entertainment of others and was also one of the kindest people who ever lived. While being the performer of many of The Muppets, Kermit was his signature character and the one he will be best known for.
One Of His Closest Friends Was Frank Oz
A fact that every fan knows, is Jim Henson and Frank Oz worked together on many projects. What may not be as well known, though, is that they were close friends behind the scenes. Frank was one of the head writers and performers on Jim's projects, and would oftentimes also direct various Muppet projects.
The characters that the two would play put their chemistry on full display. From Kermit and Miss Piggy to Bert and Ernie, the friendship these two shared is apparent all over the Muppet universe.
An Unused Script Was Adapted Into A Graphic Novel
While Jim is known for The Muppets, there are some of his projects are not related to his famous creations. One such project was a script written in the '60s titled Tale Of Sand. The screenplay involved a man trekking through a large desert while being pursued by a man with an eyepatch.
Unfortunately, the script was never greenlit and was locked in Jim's archives. In 2012, Archaia Entertainment, the comic book partner of The Henson Company, adapted the script into a graphic novel. The story was well-received by fans, many of who wonder what it would have been like on the big screen, as Jim intended.