The Jim Henson Hour

Last updated
The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour.jpg
Genre
  • Comedy
  • Anthology
Created by Jim Henson
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12 (1 unaired)
Production
Executive producerJim Henson
ProducerMartin G. Baker
Production company Jim Henson Productions
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseApril 14, 1989 (1989-04-14) –
August 7, 1993 (1993-08-07)

The Jim Henson Hour is an American television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the Muppet characters.

Contents

Nine of the twelve episodes produced aired on NBC before the program was canceled due to low ratings. Two episodes later aired on Nickelodeon in 1992 and 1993, and the final episode "Food" never aired in the United States, but was broadcast in the UK. After The Jim Henson Hour, the Muppets did not have another prime-time TV show until Muppets Tonight (1996–98), six years after Jim Henson's death.

Format

The Jim Henson Hour was modeled after the Walt Disney Presents specials, in which every week Disney would show off the latest innovations and creations of his production company. At the beginning of each episode, Jim Henson would enter an abstractly-decorated set (alongside the Thought Lion from his series The StoryTeller ) and introduce the evening's show. Beyond that, the series never had a set structure. The room where Henson and the Thought Lion performed their introduction was a computer-generated environment.

Three of the twelve installments were hour-long mini-movies:

Other shows like "Secrets of the Muppets" went behind the scenes at Henson studios, showing how the Muppets are built and operated.

Ordinarily, however, the hour was split into two thirty-minute segments. These shows would always start with a modernized variation of The Muppet Show , titled MuppeTelevision. That would often lead into more serious and sometimes darker content, such as a rerun of The StoryTeller. Occasionally, a light-hearted story or more Muppet situations would close out the hour in the second half.

The first episode produced — Sesame Street… 20 Years & Still Counting — was aired as a stand-alone special. Henson's series officially premiered a week later.

MuppeTelevision

MuppeTelevision regularly occupied the first half of The Jim Henson Hour. It was an updated version of the classic series The Muppet Show , the new twist being that the Muppets were now running an entire cable television network rather than a single variety show. The Muppets broadcast their network's programming from a unique control room called "Muppet Central". Regulars included previous characters Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, and Link Hogthrob in addition to new characters Digit, Leon the Lizard, Lindbergh the Kiwi, Vicki, Clifford, Jacques Roach, and a computer-generated Muppet named Waldo C. Graphic. Waldo was created for the series through a collaboration between Jim Henson's Creature Shop and Pacific Data Images. [1] Also appearing as a series regular was Bean Bunny, who had previously starred in the television special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic (1986). After The Jim Henson Hour ended, Waldo would go on to have a main role in the theme park film Muppet*Vision 3D (1991), and Clifford and Bean Bunny would continue to make appearances in various Muppet productions.

Muppet characters Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy appeared intermittently on the series, due to scheduling conflicts with performer Frank Oz's directing career. Miss Piggy received her own thirty-minute special for one episode, in Miss Piggy's Hollywood she and Gonzo attempt to interview unwilling celebrities.

The house band for MuppeTelevision was called Solid Foam, taking the place of the Electric Mayhem band that had appeared in most previous Muppet projects. The band members included, Digit on keyboard, Flash on saxophone and vocals, Clifford on bass guitar and vocals, Beard on guitar and vocals and an unnamed female drummer.

Electric Mayhem regulars Zoot and Animal eventually made appearances with Solid Foam in the episode "Food." Dr. Teeth also appeared in the background of a few of Solid Foam's music videos.

MuppeTelevision would get interrupted on some occasions by an illegal TV station called Gorilla Television run by new characters Ubu, Chip, and Zondra. After The Jim Henson Hour ended, Chip would go on to make minor appearances in various Muppet productions.

As with The Muppet Show formula, every episode had a celebrity guest star: Louie Anderson, Ted Danson, Smokey Robinson, Buster Poindexter, and k.d. lang appeared on the series.

Episodes

No.TitlePerformersOriginal air dateProd.
code		 Viewers
(millions)
1"Outer Space/The Heartless Giant"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Rob Mills
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Dan Redican
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
April 14, 1989 (1989-04-14)10612.6 [2]

  • Intro – Jim Henson states that this show is out of this world.
  • MuppeTelevision – Digit gets satellite feed from other planets, and winds up breaking down. It is up to Kermit, Lindbergh, and Waldo to go inside Digit's brain to fix the problem. Louie Anderson guest stars.
    • Musical Dance – "Neutron Dance" by The Extremes
    • My Dinner with Codzilla – Louie Anderson has a dinner date with Codzilla.
    • Miss Galaxy Pageant – An alien pageant hosted by Marty the Earthling (played by Chris Langham) as he interviews Zsa Zsa Porkmustard from Koozebane and Jo Beth Garfdoohoo from the Crab Nebula. Jo Beth Garfdoohoo ends up winning the competition by eating the judges.
    • War and Peace – Part one, war. Part two, peace.
    • Bootsie and Brad – Bootsie becomes an astronaut and Brad is worried because due to her many outfits and variations, Bootsie hardly has any time for him.
    • The Adventures of Space Guy – A sketch starring Louie Anderson as Space Guy as he and his crew of lobsters face off against Bean Bunny and his crew of Bunnies from the planet Cutetron.
    • Closing Number – The Muppets perform "Chattanooga Choo Choo" with the Teppums.
  • The StoryTeller in "The Heartless Giant"
  • Closing – Henson talks about the guards that were seen in "The Heartless Giant".

Note: These are the first appearances of Waldo C. Graphic, Vicki, Leon the Lizard, Clifford, Lindbergh, Brad and Bootsie, and the Extremes.

2"Oceans/Lighthouse Island"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Rob Mills
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
April 21, 1989 (1989-04-21)1099.6 [3]

  • MuppeTelevision – Kermit tries to run the show with several water-related issues interrupting. Ted Danson guest stars.
    • Musical Number – A fish sings "Splish Splash."
    • Guest Spot – Ted Danson stars in a sketch where he is on a cruise ship run by pirates.
    • Merlin M.D. – Rowlf the Dog plays Merlin as he helps a man who has a fish through his head.
    • Trailer – A trailer detailing "Karate Squid 3."
    • Musical Number – "Maneater" by The Extremes
    • The Underwater Life of Jacques Roach – Jacques Roach pilots a submarine with its crew consisting of rats and sheep.
    • Fable – Clifford tells an environmental fable where Ted Danson stars as a fish becoming a human.
  • Lighthouse Island – A boy named Zeb Norman (portrayed by Chris Makepeace) comes to a small strange town to look for a gift for his fiancée Rosalie (portrayed by Carolyn Dunn). He finds a pair of silver slippers in a local antique/curio shop run by a witch named Clara Buford (portrayed by Helen Burns) who drags Zeb into going with her to Hog Island to obtain a mysterious pearl that was stolen from her rival Fred (portrayed by Jerry Nelson). Also starring Margaret Moore as a fortune teller, John Dunsworth as Sam, Marty Reno as Jake, Bruce Armstrong as Carl, and Gord Robertson as the performer of a polar bear
  • Closing – Henson shows off a whale puppet and shows the viewer how small it is depending how you see it.

Note: This is the first appearance of Jacques Roach.

3"Power/The Soldier and Death"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Rob Mills
  • Frank Oz
  • Dan Redican
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
April 28, 1989 (1989-04-28)1089.5 [4]

  • Intro: Jim Henson finds the StoryTeller's Dog in the Thought Lion's place as the dog tells Jim that Kermit got him a job in front of the Public Library.
  • MuppeTelevision – Gonzo and Leon convince Kermit to take a vacation so that they can have a chance at running the show. Willard Scott, Jane Pauley, and The Nylons guest star.
    • Musical Number – "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Nylons
    • Monster Telethon – A telethon that is run by the Muppet Monsters.
    • The Time Channel – The Timecaster tells the different time forecasts until he is interrupted by Beautiful Day Monster and some other Muppet Monsters from the telethon asking if he has given any money.
    • Mrs. Goldfarb – A soap opera sketch featuring Franklin telling Darlene that he has called Mrs. Goldfarb. It is crashed by the Muppet Monsters asking if they have given any money.
    • Fozzie Bear – Fozzie attempts to become a Weather Bear on The Today Show by replacing Willard Scott.
    • Bootsie and Brad – Bootsie runs for president with Brad as her vice-president.
    • The Hat Sharpener – A story about a king who did not know how to rule a kingdom and worked as a hat sharpener.
    • Closing Number – "Sweet Vacation" by Kermit the Frog and the cast.
  • The StoryTeller in "The Soldier and Death"
  • Closing – Henson notices that the Thought Lion has a library card and notes that everyone should have one.

Note: This is one of the first of the few episodes to feature Frank Oz. First appearance of the Solid Foam band.

4"Dog City"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Camille Bonora
  • Ricky Boyd
  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Rob Mills
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Dan Redican
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
May 5, 1989 (1989-05-05)1058.8 [5]

  • Intro – Inspired by C.M. Coolidge's painting of dogs playing poker, Jim Henson states that he has made a movie inspired by it called "Dog City" and shows a trailer for it which is narrated by Jerry Nelson.
  • MuppeTelevision – Kermit announces that it is "Muppet Night at the Movies" as they try to find the film to broadcast on the All Dog Network (ADN).
    • Trailers – Bean Bunny shows two different trailers for his movie. The first one is "Bean Bunny and the Cuteness Thief" where Bean Bunny is stalked by Evil McBad (portrayed by the Wolf). The second one is "Beanbo" (a parody of Rambo ).
    • Dog City Behind the Scenes – ADN shows some behind the scenes features of "Dog City" narrated by Rover Cleveland and featuring Lyle the Dog as ADN's anchorman. One of the scenes shown is that there are cats that are hired as stunt men that wear dog costumes.
  • Dog City – Rowlf the Dog hosts a 1930s gangster-type story in which a dog named Ace Yu travels to Dog City to investigate his uncle's murder. While there, he meets a homeless dog named Collien, and gets in trouble with a gangster named Bugsy Them.
  • Closing – Henson is shown with his character Bugsy Them as Bugsy states that he did not like the ending of "Dog City."

Note: Henson won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Variety Music Program for this episode.

5"First Show/Miss Piggy's Hollywood"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Camille Bonora
  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Rob Mills
  • Dan Redican
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
  • Frank Oz
May 14, 1989 (1989-05-14)1018.4 [6]

  • Intro – Jim Henson wishes the viewers a Happy Mother's Day and talks about the second half of the show detailing "Miss Piggy's Hollywood."
  • MuppeTelevision – Kermit struggles to keep the ratings up. Meanwhile, Digit experiences several malfunctions. Bobby McFerrin guest stars.
    • Graffiti Muppets – Bobby McFerrin performs with some Graffiti Muppets as Statler and Waldorf look on.
    • Documentary – A documentary about the tranquility of nature turns into a war film as caterpillars and butterflies try to destroy each other.
    • Hurting Something – A yuppie drama from another planet starring Anthony. It is a parody of Thirtysomething .
    • Gorilla Television – Chip, Zondra, and Ubu hack the MuppetTelevision broadcast to feature Marc Weiner and his puppet Rocco. Unlike Ubu, Chip, and Zondra, Marc is shown to appreciate Henson's show. Ubu and Chip end up angering Weiner's puppet Rocco when Weiner's hypnosis on him was interrupted.
    • Muppet News Flash – Bobby McFerrin reads the news while The Muppet Newsman provides interpretations for the unhip.
    • Response-O-Matic – Link Hogthrob is at the mercy of the Response-O-Matic.
    • Closing Number – Bean Bunny and the cast sing "La Bamba".
  • Miss Piggy's Hollywood – Miss Piggy hosts a tour of Hollywood, with 'help' from Gonzo. However, Piggy quickly learns that Hollywood is not quite what she thought it would be. Meanwhile, Fozzie auditions at The Comedy Store which is attended by Statler and Waldorf.
  • Closing – Henson demonstrates how a dog-type Graffiti Muppet works in front of the Thought Lion.

Notes:

  • This is the first episode of the series to be produced and taped.
  • This is the first appearance of Anthony, Fern, Zondra, Ubu, and Chip.
  • Airing on Mother's Day, this was the first episode to air in a new Sunday night timeslot. According to the May 17, 1989 issue of Star-News, this episode was the lowest rated TV program among the three major networks the week it aired.
  • The footage of Miss Piggy phoning Muppet Central from a phone booth was taped in the parking lot of VTR Productions. Steve Whitmire performed Piggy while Frank Oz did post-production dubbing.
6"Monster Maker"
N/A
July 9, 1989 (1989-07-09)1107.2 [7]

  • Intro – Jim Henson talks about the Creature Shop, showing one of the devils from The StoryTeller as an example of what the Creature Shop can make.
  • Monster Maker – Based on the novel by Nicholas Fisk, a teenage boy named Matt Banting (played by Kieran O'Brien) wants to work for a famous creature and effects man named Chancey Bellows (played by Harry Dean Stanton). Matt winds up getting more than he bargained for when one of the creatures, the dragon-like Ultragorgon (voiced by Michael Gambon), supposedly comes to life and takes Matt under its wing. Henson's son Brian makes a cameo performing the Slerks. Also starring George Costigan as Matt's father, Amanda Dickinson as Matt's mother, Alison Steadman as Perriwinkle, Grant Bardsley as Ben, Bill Moody as Reg, Matthew Scurfield as Vaughn, and Jonathan Coy as a teacher.
  • Closing – Henson mentions that although the creatures look real, they are not actually alive. Henson states that when the viewers see the credits, it will state that it took eight puppeteers (consisting of Martin Anthony, Tony Ashton, Michael Bayliss, Marcus Clarke, Sue Dacre, David Greenaway, Christopher Leith, and Henson's son Brian) to operate the Ultragorgon where he also mentioned that Brian operated the Ultragorgon's head from the Ultragorgon's neck compartment. Henson also brings out Kermit the Frog who comments that he liked the special.
7"Fitness/The Song of the Cloud Forest"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Richard Hunt
  • Rib Mills
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
July 16, 1989 (1989-07-16)1076.7 [8]

  • Intro – Jim Henson reminds the Thought Lion that he was supposed to be wearing a pith helmet. Henson also remarks that whenever they go to a fancy restaurant, the Thought Lion refuses to wear a black tie.
  • MuppeTelevision – Kermit wants the show to be all about being healthy and fit, but does not have much luck with all the Muppets getting sick. Digit gets a cold, while Gonzo's nose "goes off", and Link thinks that he has Canadian Snout Fever. Smokey Robinson guest stars.
    • Exercise Video – An exercise video starring Bean Bunny.
    • Musical Number – "Just to See Her" by Smokey Robinson and Solid Foam
    • Merlin M.D. – Rowlf the Dog plays Merlin as he helps a man who has a sword through his head.
    • Muppet Labs – Dr. Bunsen Honeydew demonstrates the new Exercise Shoes with Beaker trying them out.
    • The Swedish Chef – The Swedish Chef attempts to make cake and is constantly interrupted by Jacques Roach.
    • Story – A story about a couple that lets some animals stay in their house.
    • Closing Number – "Jump (for My Love)" by Smokey Robinson featuring Gonzo, Sweetums, Timmy Monster, Doglion, Link Hogthrob, Bean Bunny, The Swedish Chef, Digit, Vicki, Leon, Clifford, Beard, Flash, Jacques Roach, and the Chickens. Statler and Waldorf watch the musical number on their television.
  • The Song of the Cloud Forest – In this story that takes place in the rainforest, a golden toad named Milton (performed by Dave Goelz) worries that he may be the last of his species alive and may never find a mate to love until he meets another golden toad named Ruth (performed by Camille Bonora) and has an encounter with the Uprights (their term for humans) named Jack and Louise (portrayed by Jerry Nelson and Fran Brill) who are looking for a golden toad. While Bonora also performed Blanche the Chameleon, Nelson performed Ralph Robin, and Carmen Cuestas voiced a quetzal, the rest of the puppeteers consist of Steve Whitmire as Wilf the red howler monkey, Kevin Clash as Nick the Anaconda and a caiman, Ricky Boyd as Aart the Armadillo. Additional puppeteer work was done by Laine Cooke, Paul Hartis, Rick Lyon, Brian Muehl, and David Rudman.
  • Closing – Henson states that golden toads are endangered and that their homes are disappearing which happens to matter to Henson and the Thought Lion.

Note: According to the July 18, 1989 issue of the Kentucky New Era, this episode was the lowest rated program among all four networks.

8"Videotape/The True Bride"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Richard Hunt
  • Rob Mills
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Steve Whitmire
  • Frank Oz
July 23, 1989 (1989-07-23)1026.6 [9]

  • Intro – Jim Henson introduces a clip from "The True Bride" where the Thought Lion speaks in. When Henson asks the Thought Lion if he will ever speak again, the Thought Lion says that he doubts it.
  • MuppeTelevision – In order to be in two places at once, Gonzo decides to prerecord himself. Buster Poindexter guest stars.
    • Music Video – "The Music Keeps on Rolling Along" by Solid Foam
    • Guest Spot – Buster Poindexter is with the Solid Foam as Beard and Clifford state how they admire him.
    • Bootsie and Brad – Talking Teddy and Sergeant Killing Death Machine visit Bootsie and Brad's tea party.
    • Fozzie Bear – Meanwhile, Fozzie spends the night in a creepy motel room and sees how kids playing basketball at night are using their heads as basketballs.
    • Closing Number – "All Night Party" by Buster Poindexter
  • The StoryTeller in "The True Bride"
  • Closing – Acknowledging the fact that The Thought Lion actually talked in "The StoryTeller," Henson asks the Thought Lion why he does not talk anymore. The Thought Lion says that he does not have anything further to say.
9"Garbage/Sapsorrow"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Rob Mills
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Dan Redican
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Sandra Shamas
  • Steve Whitmire
July 30, 1989 (1989-07-30)1047.4 [10]

  • Intro – Jim Henson sees the Thought Lion eating chips and tells him that he will spoil his appetite. Henson learns from Kermit that the control room is covered in garbage.
  • MuppeTelevision – Kermit tries to run the show with bags of talking garbage continuously bothering him. k.d. lang guest stars.
    • Bootsie and Brad
    • Musical Number – "(Waltz Me) Once Again Around That Dance Floor" by k.d. lang and the Muppets
    • Musical Number – "I Love Trash" by k.d. lang
    • How the Nightingale Got Its Voice – Kermit tells a story on how a nightingale got its voice.
    • Observing Humans – Billy the Bear and a Raccoon observe a human family in their backyard.
    • Closing Number – "On the Road Again" by the Garbage
  • The StoryTeller in "Sapsorrow".
  • Closing – Henson demonstrates the performance of a garbage puppet which was made from a real garbage bag.

Note: This was the last episode to air on NBC.

10"Secrets of the Muppets"
  • Dave Goelz
  • Steve Whitmire
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Kevin Clash
  • Fran Brill

And

  • Jim Henson

With

  • Rob Mills
  • Gordon Robertson
  • Bob Stutt
  • Brian Henson (uncredited)
November 29, 1992 (1992-11-29)112N/A

Accompanied by a Cairn Terrier named Jojo, Jim Henson gives us a behind the scenes look at the Muppets and other projects. Upon learning this from Kermit, the other Muppets at MuppeTelevision try to deal with the fact that Henson is revealing all of their "secrets". He starts off by telling Jojo that she was built by Ed Christie with her mechanical riggings created by Tom Newby. Henson also tells Jojo that she was modeled after a real dog named Bamboo (who is also used for full body shots of Jojo). Henson then talks about the room that he is in which is actually a blue screen set.

He then gives Jojo a tour of The Muppet Workshop as he demonstrates the operation of a puppet sandwich. Henson and Jojo meet Jane Gootnik who is preparing to reconstruct Gonzo since the principal Muppets tend to get a lot of use.

Then he gives Jojo a tour of the Creature Shop in London where they see characters from Labyrinth , The StoryTeller , and Monster Maker .

Back on the set, he shows a behind the scene footage of The Song of the Cloud Forest, how the Doozers and Gorgs from Fraggle Rock are operated, and how the Muppets ride bicycles. The Muppets then start to get worried when it comes to the puppeteers as Henson starts out by showing Jojo that she is performed by Camille Bonora.

Then he goes to Pacific Data Images and demonstrates to Jojo how Waldo C. Graphic is operated and turned into a computer graphic.

When it comes to the puppeteers for the Muppets of MuppeTelevision, Kermit states that the one under him is Henson, the puppeteer for Beard is Jerry Nelson, the puppeteer for Gonzo is Dave Goelz, the puppeteer for Vicki is Fran Brill, the puppeteer for Bean Bunny is Steve Whitmire, and the puppeteer for Leon is Kevin Clash.

In the final scene, Jojo asks about how the Thought Lion works and goes near it. The Thought Lion roars scaring Jojo as Henson calms her down.

Note: This was originally aired as a stand-alone special on Nickelodeon in 1992.
11"Living with Dinosaurs"
N/A
December 30, 1989 (1989-12-30) (UK)
August 7, 1993 (US)		111N/A

  • Intro: Henson introduces the viewers to the special Living with Dinosaurs.
  • Living with Dinosaurs: A young, socially awkward boy named Dom (portrayed by Gregory Chisholm) tries to deal with a new school, an unemployed stepfather, a pregnant mother, and asthma. The boy finds comfort in his favorite stuffed toy, a dinosaur named Dog (performed and voiced by Brian Henson and assisted by Sue Dacre and David Greenaway). Also starring Michael Maloney as Lee, Juliet Stevenson as Vicky, Patrick Malahide as Uncle Aaron, Darren Bastable as Victor, Gwyneth Strong as a teacher, Myron McKay as a friend, Byron Spiers as Case, and Pippa Ford-Jones as a girl.
  • Closing: Henson shows everyone the Dog the Dinosaur puppet.

Note: Originally aired in the UK as a stand-alone special, "Living with Dinosaurs" was later reformatted as an episode of The Jim Henson Hour. However, NBC canceled the series before the reformatted version could air. The stand-alone version debuted in the US on Nickelodeon in 1993.

12"Food/The Three Ravens"
  • Jim Henson

With

  • Camille Bonora
  • Fran Brill
  • Kevin Clash
  • Dave Goelz
  • Jerry Nelson
  • Rob Mills
  • Dan Redican
  • Steve Whitmire
Unaired (Unaired)103N/A

  • Intro – Jim Henson warns the audience that tonight's episode might make you hungry.
  • MupppeTelevision – Kermit has trouble keeping the show running because the entire staff is waiting for their lunch to be delivered.
    • Music Video – "The Food Chain Song"
    • Where Do Eggplants Come From – A stock boy tells an old woman where eggplants come from.
    • Luncheon With Link – Link Hogthrob hosts a food review show.
    • Let's Eat – An advertisement for food songs.
    • Hurting Something – Anthony and Fern snack on the Screaming No-Nos.
    • Gorilla Television – Chip, Zondra, and Ubu have a television consumer named Vivian Eggloff (portrayed by Camille Bonora) in bondage in order to demonstrate how a person is a slave to media.
    • The Swedish Chef – The Swedish Chef once again ends up in a duel with Jacques Roach.
    • Closing Number – "You and Me" by Solid Foam and the cast
  • The StoryTeller in "The Three Ravens".
  • Closing – Henson talks about the Screaming No-Nos and mentioned that they were made from wind-up toys.

Note: this episode's MuppeTelevision segment is the only one to not feature a guest star. In this episode, the Solid Foam band has Electric Mayhem members Zoot and Animal in place of Solid Foam's usual members Flash and the unnamed Female Drummer.

Cast

Muppet performers

Special guest stars

Cancellation and "lost" episodes

The show frequently acknowledged its own low ratings, with segments offering satirical takes on what viewers would rather watch—violent movies, ridiculous stunts, etc. In the end, the show produced twelve episodes, three of which did not make it to air before cancellation.

In 1992, children's cable network Nickelodeon aired Secrets of the Muppets, one of the lost episodes. They followed with the previously unaired Living with Dinosaurs segment, as a standalone special in 1993. The Jim Henson and Muppets segments in that episode have never aired. The final hour, consisting of the MuppeTelevision installment "Food" and The StoryTeller episode "The Three Ravens", has never aired, though "The Three Ravens" segment has aired in the UK as part of The StoryTeller series.

In Canada, the MuppeTelevision segments have run as a separate series called The Jim Henson Show. All of the feature drama segments, except for "Miss Piggy's Hollywood", have been run as standalone specials in the US and other countries, and have been released on home video. The StoryTeller segments have run with that series.

Unused episode ideas

In addition to the abandoned hour-long episodes of The StoryTeller, Lead-Free TV and picture-book specials, Jim Henson had many ideas for potential episodes or features that were never produced. These ideas included: The Saga of Fraggle Rock (a Fraggle Rock origin story), Inside John (a variation on Henson's Limbo concept in which the various parts of a seventeen-year-old boy's brain try to wrest control of him throughout a typical day) and ASTRO G.N.E.W.T.S. (a special that would have blended puppets with animation, computer graphics, and video effects). [11] Other stories were proposed by Henson involving enchanted bowling balls, extraterrestrial mailmen, outer-space adventures, and a detective story with Kermit and the other Muppets. [12] Henson also considered adapting Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and the works of A. A. Milne. [11] Also proposed was "an hour-long musical special featuring The Electric Mayhem in Mexico". [13]

Ownership

After the sale of The Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House to The Walt Disney Company in 2004, the rights to various portions of the show have been split between Disney and The Jim Henson Company. The Walt Disney Company owns all of the MuppeTelevision segments (including the 15-minute episode shown with Dog City), Miss Piggy's Hollywood, and The Secrets of the Muppets, while The Jim Henson Company retains ownership of the rest of the series.

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Frank Oz is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and actor. He is best known for his involvement with Jim Henson and George Lucas through The Muppets, Sesame Street, and Star Wars, as well as his directorial work in feature films and theater.

<i>Muppet Babies</i> (1984 TV series) 1984 American TV series or program

Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, commonly known by the shortened title Muppet Babies, is an American animated television series produced by Marvel Productions and Henson Associates. The show portrays toddler versions of the Muppets living together in a nursery under the care of a woman known as Nanny, involving the concepts of the power of imagination and creative problem-solving. The show's main target group is for children aged 2–5. The idea of presenting the Muppets as children appeared in a dream sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), released two months before Muppet Babies debuted. The idea was a success, and it transformed into a spin-off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowlf the Dog</span> Muppet character

Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Known most notably as the resident pianist on the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show, Rowlf is a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. Laid-back and wisecracking, his humor is characterized as deadpan and as such, he is one of few Muppets who is rarely flustered by the show's prevalent mayhem. Henson's closest collaborators and family members have claimed Rowlf to be the Muppet character most similar to Henson's real-life personality.

<i>A Muppet Family Christmas</i> 1987 Christmas television special featuring the Muppets

A Muppet Family Christmas is a Christmas musical television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired on December 16, 1987, on the ABC television network in the United States. Its teleplay was conceived by longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl, and directed by Peter Harris and Eric Till. This television special was filmed at 9 Channel Nine Court in Toronto, Ontario. The special features various Muppets from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies. It also stars Gerry Parkes as Doc from the North American wraparound segments of Fraggle Rock, and Henson as himself in a cameo appearance at the end. In the plot, the Muppets surprise Fozzie Bear's mother with a Christmas visit to her farmhouse, unaware of her planned getaway to Malibu.

<i>Muppet*Vision 3D</i> Attraction at Disneys Hollywood Studios

Muppet*Vision 3D is a 3D film attraction located at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. The attraction also formerly operated at Disney California Adventure. Directed by Jim Henson, the attraction consists of a pre-show which then leads into Kermit the Frog guiding park guests on a tour through Muppet Studios, while the Muppets prepare their sketch acts to demonstrate their new breakthrough in 3D film technology. The show, however, completely unravels when Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's experimental 3D sprite, Waldo, causes mayhem during the next portion of the show.

The Muppets at Walt Disney World is a television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The special aired on NBC as part of The Magical World of Disney on May 6, 1990, ten days prior to Henson's death. It was the last Muppet project completed by Henson.

<i>Little Muppet Monsters</i> 1985 television series

Little Muppet Monsters is a Saturday morning television series featuring the Muppets that aired three episodes on CBS in 1985. The first season of Muppet Babies did so well in the ratings, that CBS decided to expand the series from a half-hour to an hour, pairing Muppet Babies with Little Muppet Monsters. They called the hour-long package Muppets, Babies and Monsters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Prell</span> American puppeteer and animator (born 1959)

Karen Leigh Prell is an American puppeteer and animator. She is the performer of Red Fraggle in Fraggle Rock.

The Tale of the Bunny Picnic is a 1986 Easter television special directed by Jim Henson and David G. Hillier. In the United States it was shown annually on HBO in the spring, usually during Easter time. It was later released on VHS in 1993. The film focuses on the Muppet character Bean Bunny, who makes his first appearance in this special, and would later appear on additional projects featuring Jim Henson's Muppets. It was screened twice in the United Kingdom, first on March 29, 1986 on BBC One, then again on December 13, 1986.

Michael Kingsbury Frith is a British artist and television producer. He is the former executive vice-president and creative director of The Jim Henson Company. His contributions to Muppet projects have been extensive and varied.

<i>The Muppet Show</i> (comics)

The Muppet Show is a comic book series based on the variety television series of the same title created by Jim Henson and featuring The Muppets. The series was written and drawn by Roger Langridge and published by Boom! Kids, an imprint of Boom! Studios. In 2011, the Boom! license with Disney Publishing Worldwide expired. Disney's own comic book publishing subsidiary, Marvel Comics, renamed the series Muppets and published four issues in 2012.

The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence is the second of two pilots for The Muppet Show, airing on ABC on March 19, 1975. The other pilot, The Muppets Valentine Show, aired in 1974.

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years is a one-hour special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It was shot in Toronto, Ontario in 1985 and aired January 21, 1986 on CBS.

The Muppets Go Hollywood is a one-hour television special that promoted The Muppet Movie, the first theatrical film in The Muppets franchise. It first aired May 16, 1979 on CBS, six weeks before the American release of The Muppet Movie.

The Muppets Go to the Movies is a one-hour television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired May 20, 1981 on ABC as promotion for The Great Muppet Caper, which was released in the United States a month later.

<i>The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson</i> American television special

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson is a one-hour musical special that aired on CBS on November 21, 1990. The program was a tribute to Muppet creator Jim Henson, who had died earlier in 1990 due to toxic shock syndrome caused by a streptococcus infection, and featured characters from The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and Sesame Street.

References

  1. ↑ Failes, Ian (August 24, 2019). "Re-visiting Waldo". beforesandafters.com. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  2. ↑ "CBS squeaks by into second". Life. USA Today . April 19, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306176608.
  3. ↑ "Sitcom rewards ABC's faith". Life. USA Today . April 26, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306174966.
  4. ↑ "We loved CBS' 'Lucy' tribute". Life. USA Today . May 3, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306197470.
  5. ↑ "Bright spots for No. 3 ABC". Life. USA Today . May 10, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306210811.
  6. ↑ "NBC sweeps top 11 spots". Life. USA Today . May 17, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306203436.
  7. ↑ "Fox gets a boost from 'Video'". Life. USA Today . July 12, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306223263.
  8. ↑ "'All-Star Game' is a smash". Life. USA Today . July 19, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306215429.
  9. ↑ "Fox finally finds a top spot". Life. USA Today . July 26, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306211572.
  10. ↑ "Fox in 'Married' bliss Sunday". Life. USA Today . August 2, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest   306234816.
  11. 1 2 Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (page 413)
  12. ↑ "The Jim Henson Hour Pitch Reel"
  13. ↑ Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones, page 410.
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