The Puppet Pioneers

Jim and Jane Henson

Dec 28, 2024

Today’s Living Art Meaningfully: The Art Couple Saturday is brought to you by the letter ‘J.’

Picture a college art studio and a small, dimly lit television station in Washington, D.C., buzzing with energy and optimism. Jane, intrigued by Jim's quiet brilliance, eagerly joins him in bringing his zany ideas to life. They bond over long hours crafting puppets, testing movements and laughing at their own creations—finding joy in experimentation. Their shared belief in the power of art to spark imagination sets the stage for the cultural phenomenon the Muppets would become.

Hi-ho! Kermit the Frog here. You know, people often ask me, “Kermit, where did you come from? How did you become the green guy we all know and love today?” Well, it’s quite a tale and it all starts with the letter ‘J’ for my mom and dad—Jane and Jim Henson. They were a match made in puppet heaven. Let me tell you their story the way they lovingly told it to me when I was just a wee itty-bitty tadpole.

A Frog’s Origin Story

This is the story of how two people with big dreams and bigger hearts create a little green frog like me. Then they create a whole world to share, live, learn and play in. It all starts in 1954 at the University of Maryland. My mom and dad are both students there. While most people might think they’ll grow up to be teachers or doctors, Jim Henson has a very different idea. He’s fascinated by puppets and how they can make people laugh, cry and think. He begins experimenting with bringing puppets to life in ways no one has ever seen before.

Dad has an opportunity to start a little local TV show called ‘Sam and Friends’ but he needs someone to help who can match his creativity and energy. In comes Jane Nebel, a bright, talented and imaginative student who happens to share Dad’s love for art and storytelling. It’s his first television series, premiering when he is only 18 years old in May of 1955. All you Muppet fans may not be familiar with this weekday program, but it usually ran for five minutes twice a day, airing in Washington, D.C. on the local NBC channel, WRC-TV. Beginning in 1958 it’s also on WBAL-TV in Baltimore. ‘Sam and Friends’ successfully runs for six and a half years until December 1961.

Jane and Jim actually get married in 1959, in the middle of ‘Sam and Friends.’ It’s where their love story began: Crafting puppets, laughing over scripts, inspiring one another’s ideas and dreaming up ways to make people’s hearts sing. The moment they start working together is magic. Everything seems possible. Through their experimentation they invent a new form of puppetry for television which becomes foundational, because the same style of sketches and parodies will continue to be performed and evolve through the next decades. From their love, ‘Sam and Friends’ becomes truly groundbreaking—like a frog ahead of its own time, it leaps beyond everyone else!

The Hippie Spirit

Now, this was the late 1950s, right? The world is changing. People are starting to think differently, dream bigger and look for new ways to express themselves. TV is still a new frontier; my parents are becoming pioneers. On ‘Sam and Friends’ they create all kinds of quirky characters who lip-sync to popular songs or act out little comedy sketches. My mom and dad perform these characters together, working tirelessly to make each one unique and full of life.

Because at this time puppetry is still seen as a children’s art form, people don’t quite understand what my parents are trying to do. But Jim and Jane really believe in their dream. While they aren’t quite ‘hippies’ yet—it’s still too early— they are the kind of people who believe in peace, love and making the world a better place. You might say they are hippies in training! They want their creations to bring people together, to remind everyone in this giant, crazy world we all belong to one big family.

Speaking of family, during this time while Dad is the dreamer, Mom is the glue holding it all together. She performs, sews costumes, builds puppets… always supporting Dad’s big ideas while starting and raising a human family, too. Eventually she steps back to focus on being a mom to my siblings (I’m the oldest, you know) Brian, Lisa, Cheryl, John, and Heather. But her influence is always there, she always remains our foundation.

This is the spirit I’m made from, the one which created the Muppet family we all know and love today.

The Birth of the Muppets

So getting back to my story— my parents have some wild ideas! They want puppets to do more than sit on strings and talk in silly voices. They want us to come alive—really alive! That’s where I come in, eventually. But first, they have to figure out how to make each of their creations smile, frown and be as expressive as humans (or frogs, for that matter.)

They try something new—using foam rubber for the puppet heads instead of wood. It sounds simple now, but back then this was like discovering fire! Suddenly, puppets can be as silly and emotional as real people. One day, my dad decides a name for these new creations: ‘Muppets’ are part puppet, part marionette and completely original. My parents create something that never existed before. Their characters aren’t just funny—they have heart and connect with people on a deeper level. This becomes the foundation of everything the Muppets will become.

Eventually, after lots of late nights, cups of coffee and (so I’ve heard) some wild sock puppet experiments, I was born! Well, not right away. My dad first introduces a frog character—someone green, humble and with big dreams—on ‘Sam and Friends.’ That little green guy made from an old raincoat eventually becomes me, Kermit the Frog! They tell me once I showed up on that little TV show in Washington, D.C. before long, I began regularly singing, dancing and cracking silly jokes. Imagine?! A frog telling jokes?

Our Muppet family grew from these humble beginnings. Each one of us has brought something special to the table, but at the heart of it all has been the love my parents shared.

A Family for The Spirit of the Times

Now the world around them is changing, too. The 1960s bring the real hippie movement—peace, love and creativity along with a sense of rebellion against the ordinary. Even though they’re not chanting at protests, my parents are probably wearing tie-dye and sharing the rebellious free spirit of the new decade! They want to create something to bring people together, something celebrating diversity, kindness and imagination. You can see it in the way the Muppets look, the way we celebrate friendship, family and finding joy in the little things.

By the late 1960s people are starting to think about new ways to educate kids, especially kids in inner cities who don’t always have access to great schools. A visionary woman named Joan Ganz Cooney has a great idea: “What if we use television to teach children?” Joan is not a puppeteer or a frog, but she is a genius. She’s not just teaching any old thing, but actually planning to teach children how to read, count and understand the world around them. She joins forces with child psychologist Lloyd Morrisett to create a television show combining education with entertainment. Boy, do they dream big! They want the show to appeal to kids and parents alike, with lessons that really stick and characters no one can forget.

Joan and Lloyd know they needed something special to make their show stand out—something magical. That’s where my dad, Jim Henson comes in. By now, he is already pretty famous in the puppet world thanks to his work on ‘Sam and Friends.’ The kinds of new puppets he and my mom are making have changed the industry standard. When Joan invites him to join the project he goes all in: He and my mom love the idea of using television to inspire kids.

My Dad builds his team, of course including my mom Jane, along with a brilliant puppeteer named Frank Oz. They start creating characters to bring the lessons of ‘Sesame Street’ to life. That’s how Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie—and, of course, me—really came to be fully ideated! I wasn’t new to the scene, but ‘Sesame Street’ gave me a whole new purpose in my frog-life: Teaching kids how to love learning.

While my dad and his team are busy bringing more of us Muppets to life, Joan and her crew design the show’s look and feel. They want Sesame Street to be like a real neighborhood—one where everyone belongs. That’s why they add people like Gordon, Susan, Bob and Maria. These aren’t just actors; they are our neighbors, friends and teachers, showing kids what it means to be part of a caring community.

And let’s not forget the music! My first real break in the business. From the theme song, “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?”—to songs about the alphabet, counting and sharing, the music becomes one of the show’s most powerful tools. There’s nothing like a good song to make learning more fun. And of course—once I get my solo, “It’s not Easy Being Green” the whole world opens up to me.

A Meaningful Revolution

When ‘Sesame Street’ premiered in 1969, it wasn’t just a show—it was a revolution. This was the first time a children’s program focused on educating young viewers while reflecting the diversity of the world around them. Kids everywhere fell in love with the colorful characters, catchy songs and heartfelt lessons. Parents loved it too because it wasn’t just fun—it was meaningful.

What makes ‘Sesame Street’ so special, even today? It’s not just about ABCs and 123s. It’s about kindness, understanding and celebrating our differences. It teaches kids how to be good neighbors—just like the ones we find living on Sesame Street. Let me tell you, being a part of that mission continues to be one of the greatest honors of my little green life.

As a result of ‘Sesame Street,’ our popularity continues to grow, so my family just keeps growing too! First comes Rowlf the Dog, then Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and Gonzo— because we are getting ready for ‘The Muppet Show’ to go primetime! Can you believe it?! A FROG PRIMETIME! Finally the world has accepted Muppets aren’t just for kids. Mom and Dad’s big dream has been realized. Through it all, I’m continually amazed by how they have been able to love us equally. Even if Miss Piggy does occasionally take a little more attention than the rest of us, she’s the love of my life so that’s just fine with me!

A Legacy of Love

My parents didn’t just create a family of puppets—they created a family for everyone. The Muppets became a way for people to laugh, dream and feel connected, no matter who they were or where they came from. It’s all thanks to the love and partnership between Jim and Jane Henson. They showed the world when you dream big, work together and fill your creations with heart, you can make something truly magical.

So, there you have it—the story of how my mom and dad met and fell in love. What makes me the proudest frog in the pond? My parents didn’t just create characters—they started a family bigger than they ever imagined, one that wraps its arms around the whole world. The Muppets aren’t just about making people laugh; we are about bringing people together. And let me tell you, it isn’t only my parents who made this family grow. Together we’ve learned the best things in life come from sharing love, creativity and imagination: Every puppeteer, writer, musician and fan has become part of the magic and legacy of our whole Muppet family.