Jim Henson
If you heard the word “Muppet” would you know what it meant? If you heard the name “Kermit,” who would you think of? Do you associate these two words with cute puppets and a green frog? Most people do. Kermit and the whole Muppet gang have been a part of American culture since the 1950’s when their creator, Jim Henson, was given a chance to perform with his puppets in high school.
Since then, Jim Henson and the Muppets have become household names and have become one of the most important influences on children and adults alike. The most amazing thing is that Jim Henson not only created the Muppets, he also created a job for himself that allowed him to do the thing he loved the most - being a puppeteer. He captured it the best when he said, “Follow your enthusiasm. It’s something I’ve always believed in. Find those parts of your life you enjoy the most. Do what you enjoy doing.” Read on to find out why Jim Henson is a role model for us all.
Throughout his life, Jim Henson loved puppets. And with this love, he decided to try something that no one else had. Instead of the hard wooden marionette puppets that were commonly used, Jim decided to add character and emotion. He designed his puppets with flexible, fabric-covered foam rubber, big soft bodies, and large mouths which made them more realistic. With these unique puppets, he was given a chance to perform on a local Saturday morning television show. That opportunity launched his career to new heights.
By 1970, Henson was approached about creating a television show for pre-school children called “Sesame Street.” He gladly accepted the offer and as we all know, the show was a booming success. What made his work so amazing is that he took puppetry to new areas. Until then, puppet shows were performed on stage, but now, he was using the television as his stage. And he also took the size of his puppets to great extremes. Take Big Bird for example, inside Big Bird is a man who uses miniature TV monitors to see and uses his hands, feet and sometimes radio controls to move the bird’s big body. Henson also used different colors and movement to hide the puppeteers, strings and rods used to move the smaller puppets.
Henson created so many wonderful TV shows and movies that people still know and love today. Sadly, in 1990, Jim Henson passed away and people around the world mourned. He is certainly missed by all, but not forgotten. You see his work still on Sesame Street and his influence is everywhere.
