Jim Henson’s constant creativity began in the early 1950s and continued until his untimely death in 1990. The decades in between saw Henson breath life into scores of memorable characters.
Here are merely a handful of his creations.
Kermit the Frog
Henson’s most iconic Muppet, Kermit the Frog got his start in 1955 on WRC-TV’s Sam and Friend’s as a lizard-like creature created from a coat belonging to Henson’s mother and two ping pong ball halves for eyes.
Statler and Waldorf
These professional hecklers joined The Muppet Show in 1975 and have been jeering from the balcony ever since. The characters were named after two New York City hotels—the Statler Hilton and the Waldorf-Astoria.
Fat Blue Anything Muppet
This round-headed, blue rod puppet has been used in a multitude of Sesame Street skits over the years, perhaps most notably as Grover’s hapless restaurant customer Mr. Johnson.
Rowlf the Dog
The first true “star” of the Muppets, Rowlf was introduced in a 1962 Purina Dog Chow commercial and later gained in popularity as Jimmy Dean’s sidekick on The Jimmy Dean.
Want more Muppets? Click here!
