Director
Jim Henson
146 movies as actor · 42 as director
Born Sep 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990 (aged 53)From Greenville, Mississippi, USAAlso known as James Maury Henson
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.
In 1969, Henson joined the children's television program Sesame Street (1969–present) where he helped to develop Muppet characters for the series. He and his creative team also appeared on the first season of the sketch comedy show Saturday …
Known for
Labyrinth
1986 · Adventure, Family
The Muppets
2011 · Comedy, Family
The Dark Crystal
1982 · Adventure, Family
Muppets Most Wanted
2014 · Comedy, Adventure
The Muppet Movie
1979 · Family, Comedy
The Muppets Take Manhattan
1984 · Romance, Comedy
The Great Muppet Caper
1981 · Comedy, Crime
Into the Night
1985 · Thriller, Comedy
A Muppet Family Christmas
1987 · Family, Comedy
Follow That Bird
1985 · Family, Comedy
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1977 · Family, Comedy
Jim Henson Idea Man
2024 · Documentary
Movies directed by Jim Henson
Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland
Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland
2009
Muppet History 101
Muppet History 101
2004
Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments
Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments
2004
The Song of the Cloud Forest
1989
Dog City
1989
The Best of Ernie and Bert
1988
Labyrinth
1986
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic
1986
Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets
1983
Fraggle Rock: Live by the Rule of the Rock
1983
The World of 'The Dark Crystal'
1983
The Dark Crystal
1982
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show
1982
The Great Muppet Caper
1981
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1977
Muppet Picker Upper
1975
The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
1972
The King of Eight
1971
Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Prince
1971
The Queen of Six
1971
Number Twelve Rocks
1971
Doll House
1970
Sam the Snake
1969
Hey Cinderella!
1969
The Cube
1969
The Wizard of Id
1969
Wheels That Go
1967
The Paperwork Explosion
1967
Ripples
1967
Bufferin: Memories
1967
Limbo: The Organized Mind
1966
The Idea Man
1966
I'm Nobody
1966
Rowlf the Salesman
1966
The Reindeer
1965
Alexander the Grape
1965
Run, Run
1965
Time Piece
1965
Robot
1963
Shearing Animation
1962
Drums West
1961
Cat and Mouse
1960
Jim Henson as actor
Sesame Street 1986 Wrap Party
Ernie / Himself
The World Of Puppetry with Bruce Schwartz
Self
The Muppet Script
2025 · Self (archive footage)
Joan Rivers at the BBC
2024 · Self (archive footage)
Jim Henson Idea Man
2024 · Self (archive footage)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting
2019 · Ernie / Kermit the Frog / Various Characters
In Their Own Words: Jim Henson
2015 · Self (archive footage)
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
2015 · Self
Jim Henson: Behind the Seams
Jim Henson: Behind the Seams
2014
Muppets Most Wanted
2014 · Kermit The Frog (archival recordings) (uncredited)
The Muppets
2011 · Kermit the Frog (archive voice) (uncredited)
Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story
Jim Henson: His Sesame Street Story
2009
Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland
Jim Henson's Tales from Muppetland
2009
Reflections of 'The Dark Crystal'
2007 · Self
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol
2006 · Ernie (voice) (archive footage)
Muppet History 101
Muppet History 101
2004
Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments
Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments
2004
Muppet Music Moments
Muppet Music Moments
2004 · Self
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
2004 · Kermit the Frog
Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On!
2004 · Ernie / Kermit the Frog / Mah Na Mah Na / Fat Blue / The Baker / King of 8 (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sesame Street: Cookie Monster's Best Bites
2004 · Guy Smiley (voice, archive footage)
Muppets Magic from 'The Ed Sullivan Show!'
2003 · Muppet Performer
Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Word Play
2002 · Kermit the Frog / Bip Bippadotta / Lavender Anything Muppet in Fat Cat (voice) (archive footage)
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 3
2001 · Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob
Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Singing, Drawing & More!
2000 · Ernie (archive)
The Very Best of the Muppet Show
1999 · Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / The Swedish Chef
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 2
1999 · Kermit the Frog / Waldorf / Rowlf / The Swedish Chef
The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street
1998 · Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street: Elmo Says BOO!
1997 · Ernie / Harvey Monster (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street: Quiet Time
1997 · Ernie ("Naptime") / Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage)
Sesame Street: Do the Alphabet
1996 · Ernie (voice)
Sesame Street: Imagine That!
1996 · Ernie (voice) (archive footage)
Orson Welles: The One-Man Band
1995
The World of Jim Henson
1994 · Self / Kermit the Frog / Rowlf (archive footage)
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
1994 · Kermit the Frog / Ernie (archive footage)
Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years: A Musical Celebration!
1993 · Ernie
Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration
1993 · Ernie / Kermit the Frog / Guy Smiley (archive footage) (voice)
A Classic Christmas from The Ed Sullivan Show
1992 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Getting Ready to Read
1992 · Kermit / Ernie / Bip Bippadotta (voice)
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
1990 · Self / Various Muppets (archive footage)
Jim Henson: In Performance
Jim Henson: In Performance
1990
Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music
1990 · Self / Kermit the Frog (voice)
The Muppets at Walt Disney World
1990 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Link Hogthrob (voice)
Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!
1990 · Ernie / Singer / Kermit the Frog (archive footage) (segment "One Banana") (voice)
The Earth Day Special
1990 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Sesame Street: Monster Hits!
1990 · Harvey Monster (voice)
50 Years of Television: A Golden Celebration
1989 · Kermit the Frog
An Evening with Jim Henson and Frank Oz
1989 · Self
Miss Piggy's Hollywood
1989 · Waldorf
Dog City
1989 · Self / Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Bugsy Them (voice)
Sesame Street: 20 Years & Still Counting! 1969-1989
1989 · Self – Kermit the Frog / Ernie
Free to Be... a Family
1988 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Wow, You're A Cartoonist!
1988 · Kermit The Frog
Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie
1988 · Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)
The Best of Ernie and Bert
1988 · Ernie
Muppet Studios Presents: You're the Dire
Muppet Studios Presents: You're the Director
1988 · Kermit the Frog / Swedish Chef / Rowlf the Dog / Link Hogthrob (voice)
Jim Henson: Sing-Along, Dance-Along, Do-Along
1988 · Rowlf the Dog (voice)
Hey, You're as Funny as Fozzie Bear
1988 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
A Muppet Family Christmas
1987 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Ernie / Self
Down at Fraggle Rock
1987 · Cantus the Minstrel / Convincing John / Self / Host
Muppet Breakaway
Muppet Breakaway
1987 · Leo (voice)
Muppet Coffee Break
Muppet Coffee Break
1987 · Leo (voice)
Sesame Street: Sing Along
1987
Inside the Labyrinth
1986 · Self
The Christmas Toy
1986 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Labyrinth
1986 · Goblins (uncredited)
Sesame Street: Learning About Letters
1986 · Ernie/Kermit the Frog/King Peter the Persnickety (voice)
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic
1986 · Dog (voice)
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
1986 · Kermit the Frog / Ernie / Dr. Teeth / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Mahna Mahna / Harry the Hipster / Self
Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories
1986 · Ernie / The King (Bedtime Stories & Songs) (voice)
Sesame Street: Learning About Numbers
1986 · Ernie / Kermit the Frog / King of 8 (voice) (uncredited)
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with th
Muppet Video: Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets
1985 · Rowlf (voice)
Follow That Bird
1985 · Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)
Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff
1985 · Kermit the Frog
Muppet Treasures
1985 · Kermit The Frog / The Swedish Chef / Waldorf / Link Hogthrob / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / The Newsman
The Muppet Revue
1985 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Muppet Video: The Kermit and Piggy Story
1985 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Night of 100 Stars II
1985 · Kermit the Frog
Into the Night
1985 · Man on Phone
Children's Songs and Stories with the Muppets
1985 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
The Bells of Fraggle Rock
1984 · Cantus the Minstrel (voice)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
1984 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Ernie / Granny / Horse & Carriage Rider / Link Hogthrob / The Newsman (voice)
Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppets
1984 · Self
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
1983 · Self
Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
1983 · Ernie (voice)
Big Bird in China
1983 · Ernie (voice)
Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets
1983 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Waldorf / Zeke (voice)
The World of 'The Dark Crystal'
1983 · Self
Muppet Breakthrough
Muppet Breakthrough
1983 · Leo
The Dark Crystal
1982 · Jen / High Priest, Ritual Master
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show
1982 · Kermit The Frog (voice)
I Love Liberty
1982 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Of Muppets & Men
1981 · Self
Muppet Side Splitter
1981 · Leo (voice)
The Great Muppet Caper
1981 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / The Muppet Newsman / Zeke / Man in Dubonnet Club
The Muppets Go to the Movies
1981 · Kermit / Rowlf / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef / Waldorf (voice)
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
1979 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Waldorf / Dr. Teeth / The Swedish Chef (voice)
The Muppet Movie
1979 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Doc Hopper's Men / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef (voice)
The Muppets Go Hollywood
1979 · Self / Kermit / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldof / Swedish Chef / Pig
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street
1979 · Ernie / Kermit the Frog (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Orson Welles Show
1979 · Self / Kermit the Frog (voice)
Meal Break
1979 · Leo / Spaghetti
Grump Critic
1979 · Leo
Let's Have the Dam Break
1979 · Leo
Muppet Breaker Upper
Muppet Breaker Upper
1979 · Leo
Muppet Gimme a Break
Muppet Gimme a Break
1979 · Leo / Pasta in "Meal Break"
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
1978 · Kermit the Frog / Ernie (voice)
Hip Hip Parade!
1978 · Kermit the Frog
Mickey's 50
1978 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
Julie Andrews: One Step Into Spring
1978 · Kermit The Frog / Rowlf the Dog / Dr. Teeth
The Vent Event
The Vent Event
1978 · Kermit the Frog
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy S
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
1977 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1977 · Kermit the Frog / Harrison Fox / Harvey / Snake (voice)
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
The Royal Variety Performance 1977
1977
Kagayake! Gorō Mapetto Geba Geba 90-pun!
1976 · Kermit the Frog
The Muppet Show Pitch Reel
The Muppet Show Pitch Reel
1976 · Leo / Kermit the Frog (voice)
Sesame Street- Do you know where Ernie lives?
1975 · Self
Julie: My Favourite Things
1975 · Kermit the Frog / Dr. Teeth
Muppet Picker Upper
1975 · Kermit the Frog / Leo (voice)
The Muppet Introduction
1975 · Kermit the Frog
Just a Few Announcements
1975 · Kermit the Frog
Out to Lunch
1974 · Kermit / Ernie / Guy Smiley / Person with Cue Card (voice)
Julie on Sesame Street
1973 · Ernie/ Kermit the Frog (voice)
Keep U.S. Beautiful
Keep U.S. Beautiful
1973 · Muppets
The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
1972 · Kermit the Frog / Mean Floyd / Rat (voice)
The King of Eight
1971 · The King of Eight
Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Prince
1971 · Kermit / Garth / King Rupert (voice)
Pure Goldie
1971 · Kermit the Frog (voice)
The Great Santa Claus Switch
1970 · Fred / Lothar (voice)
The Muppets on Puppets
1970 · Self / Rowlf the Dog / Kermit the Frog / Various Characters
This Way to Sesame Street
1969 · Ernie/Kermit
Sam the Snake
1969 · Sam the Snake
Sesame Street Pitch Reel
1969 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Grump / Conrad Love / The Spook
Hey Cinderella!
1969 · Kermit The Frog / King Goshposh / Rufus (voice)
The Cube
1969 · Gorilla (voice)
The Wizard of Id
1969 · The Wizard / The Spook (voice)
The Paperwork Explosion
1967
Limbo: The Organized Mind
1966 · Limbo (voice)
The Idea Man
1966 · Limbo
I'm Nobody
1966 · Limbo (voice)
Rowlf the Salesman
1966 · Rowlf the Dog
The Reindeer
1965 · Dasher / Prancer (voice)
Alexander the Grape
1965 · Freddy the Fierce (voice)
Time Piece
1965 · Man
Tales of the Tinkerdee
1962 · Kermit the Frog / King Goshposh / Charlie the Ogre (voice)
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