Jim Henson

Died a few days before the weekend he was going to sell his company to Disney, for a reported $150 million.

Attended the University of Maryland, College Park

Attended Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland.

Named Kermit the Frog after a childhood friend from Mississippi.

Shares same birthday (September 24) with Steve Whitmire , fellow muppeteer who took over Kermit the Frog after Hensons death.

Father of Brian Henson , Lisa Henson , Heather Henson , Cheryl Henson and John Henson.

Founded the "UNIMA Citations of Excellence" in 1973 to provide a peer-judged award for the art of puppetry in North America. In 1966, Jim Henson had previously founded (with other American puppeteers) the USA chapter of the Union Internationale de la Marionette (UNIMA) - the worlds oldest international theatre arts organization, and served as the USA Chapters founding chaiman.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze was dedicated to his memory.

One of the main reasons why Henson preferred to use Kermit the Frog for his signature character was that he was the lightest in weight of the regular puppets and therefore one of the most comfortable for use for extended periods of time.

Created the original Kermit the Frog out of his mothers old coat and a ping-pong ball. In the beginning Kermit was not a frog, but a lizard-like character. He gradually evolved, and first appeared as Kermit The Frog in Hey Cinderella! and has remained so ever since.

Died the same day as Sammy Davis Jr..

Had been ill with walking pneumonia for several days before his death but never told anybody, not even his family, because, true to his character, he didnt want to be a burden to anybody. By the time he finally sought medical help, it was too late to do anything.

Was a good friend of George Lucas , who originally offered him the role of Yoda in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back . He declined and suggested Frank Oz for the part.

His funeral at St. John the Divine in New York was attended by over 1,000 people and Muppets, including Frank Oz , George Lucas , Richard Curtis , Kermit the Frog , and Lord Lew Grade.

Harry Belafonte sang the much beloved song "Turn the World Around" from "The Muppet Show" at Jims funeral. It was reported to be his favorite.

Was pictured on a USA 37 commemorative stamp issued 28 September 2005, which was issued on a single souvenir sheet honoring "Jim Henson, the man behind the Muppets". The souvenir sheet contained 10 additional 37 stamps featuring the following Muppet characters: Kermit the Frog ; Fozzie Bear; Sam the Eagle; Miss Piggy ; Steve Whitmire & Dave Goelz ; The Swedish Chef; Animal; Dave Goelz & Beaker; Rowlf; and Dave Goelz & Camilla.

Before his career in puppetry, he would experiment with 8mm and 16mm film, often making animation.

First met Jerry Juhl at a Puppeteers Of America convention.

First met David Lazer when he had been contracted to make a few short puppet films for them. Lazer worked at IBM.

A Jim Henson retrospective was held from September 1990 to February 1991 at Londons Museum of the Moving Image.

In his early TV shows, he didnt always perform voices, but lip-synched to records of the day.

His first television character was called Pierre, the French Rat. It began life as a comic strip drawn by Henson for a high-school publication in 1954.

On a trip to Europe, he saw puppet theater being taken seriously by adults. He returned to the United States convinced he could create a puppet TV show that would appeal to adults.

"Lydia The Tattooed Lady" was one of his all-time favorite songs. The Muppets performed this song at his memorial service. Henson himself drew the tattoos on the Lydia, the female tattooed Muppet used in episode 2 of "The Muppet Show" .

The Wizard of Oz was one of his favorite films.

Arrived at his high school graduation in a new Rolls Royce Silver Cloud which he had bought with money hed already earned with his puppets on his local NBC station. Remained a lover of expensive, luxury cars, whose collection would include a "Kermit-green" Lotus.

His earliest puppetry influences were Kukla , Fran Allison and Ollie , Bil Baird , and Edgar Bergen.

Once said his earliest artistic influence was his grandmother, Dear. She taught him to value and appreciate everything he saw around him.

Had a hit single singing "Rubber Duckie" as Ernie. "Rubber Duckie" entered the Billboard Top 40 chart for pop/rock in August 1970 and stayed on the chart for seven weeks, peaking at number 16. The famous rubber-duck-squeaking solo in the original version of the song (for the very first "Sesame Street album") is squeaked by the songs writer, Jeff Moss. When the "Sesame Street" cast appeared in concert with the Boston Pops Orchestra , the rubber duck was considered a percussion instrument. Apparently unwilling to pay musicians to play a second instrument, duck squeaking was limited to the percussion section when the cast sang this song with the Pops .

1961: Met Frank Oz in Asilomar, California.

Hensons final televised appearance was on "The Arsenio Hall Show" , just 12 days before his death.

Biography in "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives," Volume Two, 1986-1990, pp. 413-415. New York: Scribners/Simon & Schuster, 1999.

According to an interview with Frank Oz , Jim wanted to direct and produce a film version of "Beauty and the Beast" in the late 1980s, with Tom Cruise playing the handsome prince who would turned into a beast. The storyboard was very similar to Disneys movie, even with the servants turned into magical objects, when the Walt Disney Company announced its intention of doing an animated version of the fairy tale, he decided not to go through with the production.

Upon his death it was said that Rowlf the Dog would never be used again, for this was Hensons signature character. As a memorial of sorts Rowlf is seen in a few shots of both Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets from Space both times performed by Bill Barretta. However, out of respect for Henson, Rowlf did not speak. It was not until The Muppets that the character had dialogue (spoken by Barretta).

His original name for the Muppets was the Anything People.

He legally separated from his wife Jane in 1986, but they never divorced. The two remained good friends.

Was a lifelong fan of science fiction.

Apart from his family and puppets, his greatest passion in life was music.

Henson based his early Muppet designs on the drawings in "Pogo" by Walt Kelly.

Hensons alma mater, University of Maryland, commissioned a life-size statue of Henson and Kermit the Frog, which was dedicated on September 24, 2003.

Was raised on and heavily influenced by the early TV shows of comics Milton Berle , Sid Caesar and Ernie Kovacs.

A memorial service for Henson was held at Londons St Pauls Cathedral following his death. At the entrance to the church was a plinth, on top of which sat Kermit the Frog, around his neck was a sign saying: "Ive lost my voice".

In 1979s The Muppet Movie , in which Kermit sang "The Rainbow Connection" while perched on a log in the middle of a swamp, required Henson to perform from a specially designed diving bell underwater.

Shared his birthday with Steve Whitmire , his successor as the voice of Kermit the Frog.

Jim once appeared on a radio show and brought Kermit the Frog with him. The sound person, without thinking, pinned a lapel mic to Kermits collar.

I believe that life is basically a process of growth - that we go,through many lives, choosing situations and problems that we will learn,through.

I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality,and that everything works out for the best. I know I drive some people,crazy with what seems to be ridiculous optimism, but it has always,worked out for me.

I spend a few minutes in meditation and prayer each morning. I find that,this really helps me to start the day with a good frame of reference.

I think there are lots of ways of leading very good lives and growing,spiritually. This process of growth goes on whether we believe in it or,not.

Simple is Good.

I love my work, I enjoy it. I have a terrific group of people who work,with me.

[about Kermit] He can say things I hold back.

Only time can heal your broken heart. Just as only time can heal his broken arms and legs.

My hope still is to leave the world a bit better than when I got here.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.

Watch out for each other. Love everyone and forgive everyone, including yourself. Forgive your anger. Forgive your guilt. Your shame. Your sadness. Embrace and open up your love, your joy, your truth, and most especially your heart.

Life is meant to be fun, and joyous, and fulfilling.

When single shines the triple sun,What was sundered and undoneShall be whole, the two made oneBy Gelfling hand, or else by none.

I think if you study--if you learn too much of what others have done, you may tend to take the same direction as everybody else.

I think there are lots of ways of leading very good lives and growing spiritually. This process of growth goes on whether we believe it or not.

When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.

When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.

At the University of Maryland, my first year I started off planning to major in art because I was interested in theatre design, stage design or television design.

I was very interested in theatre, mostly in stage design. I did a little bit of acting.