It’s the Muppet Show! With today’s special guest…you!
So….what exactly is a Muppet?
There are many types of puppets, as show below, but what makes the Muppets unique is that they are a combination of a marionette and a puppet. Jim Henson used a combination of a traditional puppet, strings of a marionette as well as rods to control the arms and dubbed his new creation, Muppets!
Before the Muppets we know and love there were Sam…and Friends. Including a friend you may recognize
Who is that beneath the wig?
Kermit the….lizard?
Jim Henson: “When I started doing this little local television show, Kermit was more a lizard-like character. We frogafied him over a couple of television specials “ The first Kermit was made made out of an old turquoise-green coat that belonged to his mother with the eyes being made from ping-pong balls.
On Sam and Friends, the characters mostly lip-synced to popular tunes including “That Old Black Magic”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, and this clip of “The Horse Named Bill.”
You’ll see the familiar Kermit “scrunch face.” Most of the film footage from Sam and Friends is lost to time.
Before he sold sausage, Jimmy Dean had his own show with a now familiar face
Rowlf (voiced/performed by Jim Henson) received more fan mail that Jimmy Dean!
Rowlf gets to meet another star…Lassie!
The Muppet Show Premiers September 1976…Across the Pond
ABC, NBC, and CBS all said no to The Muppet Show! A TV station in the UK was used to puppet performances and it became a big hit. “There’s something about the English who see absolutely nothing odd about letting a frog and a bunch of crazies have their own variety show.” (Kermit the Frog from his book Before You Leap: A Frog’s-eye View of Life’s Greatest Lessons)
The Muppet Show tried to showcase celebrities that did not normally do TV and highlight talents they have that they may not get to show as often. A perfect example of this is Christopher Reeve. We know him as Superman but did you know he could sing and play piano?5 seasons, 120 episodes and never a repeated guest on the show. Jim Henson decided to end after 5 seasons to go out on a high note because the show was so successful.
You can find the first 3 seasons of the Muppet Show on DVD in our collection. Seasons 4 and 5 are not currently available on DVD but are available on Disney Plus.
Jim Henson and The Muppets hit the silver screen (all located in our dvd collection)
1979: Filled with celebrities, music, and jokes, The Muppet Movie showcases the humor and innovation of Muppets.
1981: Celebrity cameos, music, dancing and typical Muppet hijinx
1984: Can the Muppets make it on Broadway? Find out in this silly Muppet filled romp in the big apple.
A seemingly simple scene of Kermit playing his famous song Rainbow Connection was very complicated to get the shot that Jim Henson wanted.
After the sudden passing of Jim Henson in 1990, his children have taken over running his empire and keeping his legacy alive. As of 2004, The Muppets were acquired by Disney.
The Muppets are here to stay to bring joy to a new generation of children and adults alike. Check out our collection here at WPPL!
1992: Considered by many to be the best adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic!
What is Gonzo? Find out in this 1999 classic filled with 1970s funk music.
2011: Featuring the Oscar winning song “Man or Muppet”
Sarah is an Outreach Specialist at WPPL who brings materials and presentations to senior living facilities and patrons that are homebound in the Westlake Community.
