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Jim Henson

Jim Henson

Director & actor · born 24 September 1936 · Greenville, Mississippi, USA

James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, actor, animator, creative producer, and director who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating Fraggle Rock (1983–1987) and as the director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986), as well as creating the puppets for Sesame Street (1969).

Born in Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in both Leland, Mississippi, and University Park, Maryland, Henson began developing puppets in high school. He created Sam and Friends (1955–1961), a short-form comedy television program on WRC-TV, while he was a freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park, in collaboration with fellow student Jane Nebel. Henson and Nebel co-founded Muppets, Inc. – now The Jim Henson Company – in 1958, and married less than a year later in 1959. Henson graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in home economics.

Where to start: Labyrinth (1986).

As director 41

As actor 102

TV shows 12

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Jim Henson movie?

By viewer score, Labyrinth (1986) at 7.3/10.

What are Jim Henson’s most popular movies?

Labyrinth, Labyrinth, The Muppets.

How many movies has Jim Henson made?

143 films on TMDB, 41 as director, 102 as actor.

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