Jim Henson: podcast appearances and interviews

James Maury Henson was an American puppeteer, creative producer, filmmaker, and director renowned for creating the Muppets. His work includes the creation of the Sesame Street characters, the television series Fraggle Rock, and the films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, he spent his childhood in Leland, Mississippi, and University Park, Maryland. Henson began developing puppets during high school and created the television program Sam and Friends while attending the University of Maryland, College Park. In 1958, he co-founded Muppets, Inc., now known as The Jim Henson Company, with fellow student Jane Nebel, whom he married in 1959. Graduating with a degree in home economics, Henson contributed to the development of Muppet characters for Sesame Street, which debuted in 1969. His innovative approach to puppetry helped revolutionize the media presentation of puppetry and earned him fame for characters such as Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog. Henson's career also included appearances on Saturday Night Live and the production of The Muppet Show. Throughout his life, he founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Creature Shop, and received multiple awards including two Emmy Awards for his work on The Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour. He passed away in New York City from toxic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. At the time of his death, negotiations were underway to sell his company to The Walt Disney Company, but these plans did not proceed. Henson was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named a Disney Legend.