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The Muppets

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This article is about the puppet characters and the related media franchise. For the 2011 film, seeThe Muppets(film).For the 2015 television series, seeThe Muppets(TV series).
"Muppet" redirects here. For other uses, seeMuppet (disambiguation).

The Muppets
Logo since 2022
Created byJim Henson
Original workSam and Friends(1955)
The Muppets Valentine Show(1974)
Owner
Years1955–present
Print publications
Book(s)Books and comics
Films and television
Film(s)Film list
Television seriesTelevision list
Web series
Games
Video game(s)Video game list
Audio
Soundtrack(s)Discography
Miscellaneous
Theme park attraction(s)

The Muppetsare an Americanensemble castofpuppetcharacters known for anabsurdist,surrealist,burlesque,andself-referentialstyle ofvariety-sketch comedy.Created byJim Hensonin 1955, they are the focus of amedia franchisethat encompasseschildren's films,television, music, and other media associated with the characters. Owned bythe Jim Henson Companyfor nearly five decades, the characters and franchise were acquired bythe Walt Disney Companyin 2004.

The Muppets originated in the short-form television seriesSam and Friends,which aired onWRC-TVand in syndication from 1955 to 1961. Following appearances on late-night talk shows and in advertising during the 1960s, the Muppets began appearing on thePBSchildren's television programSesame Street(1969–present) during their formative years in the early-mid 1970s and attainedcelebrity statusand international recognition throughThe Muppet Show(1976–1981), their flagship sketch comedy television series that received fourPrimetime Emmy Awardwins and 21 nominations during its five-year run.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, the Muppets diversified into theatrical films, includingThe Muppet Movie(1979);The Great Muppet Caper(1981); andThe Muppets Take Manhattan(1984). Additionally, new Muppet characters were created forFraggle Rock(1983–1987). Disney began involvement with the Muppets in the late 1980s, during which Henson entered negotiations to sell The Jim Henson Company.

The Muppets continued their media presence on television with series such asThe Jim Henson Hour(1989) andMuppets Tonight(1996–98), both of which were similar in format toThe Muppet Show,as well as the animated spin-offMuppet Babies(1984–91); three theatrical films:The Muppet Christmas Carol(1992),Muppet Treasure Island(1996) andMuppets from Space(1999), and the television filmIt's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie(2002).

Disney acquired the Muppets from the Henson family in February 2004. The acquisition did not include theSesame StreetorFraggle Rockcharacters.[1][2][3]Under Disney, subsequent projects have included the television filmThe Muppets' Wizard of Oz(2005), two theatrical films:The Muppets(2011) andMuppets Most Wanted(2014), aprimetime series(2015–2016), and most recently, the Halloween specialMuppets Haunted Mansion(2021) and the streaming television seriesThe Muppets Mayhem(2023).

Throughout their nearly seven-decade existence, the Muppets have been regarded as a staple of the entertainment industry andpopular culturein the United States and English-speaking areas around the world. They have been recognized by various cultural institutions and organizations, including theAmerican Film Institute,theHollywood Walk of Fame,theLibrary of Congress,and both Academies ofMotion Picture Arts and SciencesandTelevision Arts and Sciences.

History

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1950s–1960s: Beginnings

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Jim Henson in 1989
Sesame Streetlamp post

The Muppets were created by puppeteerJim Hensonin the 1950s; Henson claimed, but later recanted, that he coined the termMuppetas aportmanteauof the wordsmarionetteandpuppet.[4]Among Henson's earliest creations wasKermit the Frog,who became his most recognizable character. Originally conceived for anadultaudience,[5]the Muppets were introduced in 1955 inSam and Friends,a short-form television series produced forWRC-TVinWashington, D.C.[6]Developed by Henson and his future wife,Jane Nebel,the series was the first form of puppet media not to incorporate a physicalproscenium archtypical of such works, relying instead on the natural framing of thetelevision setthrough which it was viewed.[7]

During the 1960s, the characters—in particular, Kermit andRowlf the Dog—appeared in skits on severallate-night talk showsand on television commercials, includingThe Ed Sullivan Show.Rowlf became the first Muppet character to appear regularly on network television when he began appearing withJimmy DeanonThe Jimmy Dean Show.In 1966,Joan Ganz CooneyandLloyd Morrisettbegan developing a children'seducational televisionprogram and approached Henson to design a cast of Muppet characters during this stage. Produced by theChildren's Television Workshop,the program debuted asSesame Streetin 1969 onNET,and laterPBS.

Henson and his creative team became closely involved withSesame Streetduring the years that followed; Henson waived his performance fee in exchange for retaining ownership rights to the Muppet characters created for the program.Sesame Streetgarnered a positive response, and the Muppets' involvement in the series was said to be a vital component of its increasing popularity, providing an "effective and pleasurable viewing" method of presentation for its educational curriculum.[8][9]

1970s:The Muppet Showand foray into film

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In the early 1970s, the Muppets continued their presence in television, primarily appearing inThe Land of Gorchsegments during the first season ofSaturday Night Live.As his involvement withSesame Streetcontinued, Henson began developing a network television series focusing on the Muppets;[10]as opposed toSesame Street,however, this series would be aimed at a more adult audience and focus largely onsketch comedy.Twotelevision pilots,The Muppets Valentine ShowandThe Muppet Show: Sex and Violence,aired onABCin 1974 and 1975, respectively.

After ABC passed on the pilots and other networks in the United States expressed little interest in the project, British producerLew Gradeapproached Henson and agreed to co-produce the series forAssociated Television.Debuting in 1976,The Muppet Showintroduced new characters such asMiss Piggy,Fozzie Bear,andGonzo,alongside existing characters such as Kermit and Rowlf. Aired infirst-run syndicationin the United States,The Muppet Showbecame increasingly popular due to itssketch-varietyformat, unique form ofvaudeville-style humor, and prolific roster ofguest stars.[11]It was nominated for twenty-onePrimetime Emmy Awardsduring its run, winning four, includingOutstanding Variety Seriesin 1978. The success ofThe Muppet ShowallowedHenson Associatesto diversify into theatrical films, the first of which,The Muppet Movie,was released in 1979.[12]

1980s–1990s: Subsequent projects

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FollowingThe Muppet MoviewereThe Great Muppet CaperandThe Muppets Take Manhattan,released in 1981 and 1984, respectively. Collectively, the three films received fourAcademy Awardnominations.The Muppet Showended its five-season run in 1981. In 1983, Henson debutedFraggle Rock,which aired onHBOin the United States until 1987.[13]

In 1989, Henson entered negotiations withMichael EisnerandThe Walt Disney Company,in which the latter would acquire Jim Henson Productions and, in turn, the Muppets. Disney expressed interest in purchasing the company for $150 million.[14]Eisner was also interested in acquiring theSesame StreetMuppet characters, but Henson declined that proposal, considering it a "non-starter" for the deal.[15]An "agreement in principle"for the acquisition was publicly announced by Disney and Henson at theDisney-MGM Studiostheme park inWalt Disney World Resorton August 28, 1989, along with plans for Muppets-themed attractions to debut at that park andDisneylandthe following year.[16]In anticipation of the acquisition, the television specialThe Muppets at Walt Disney Worldpremiered on May 6, 1990.[17]

However, the proposed merger was cancelled after Henson's death on May 16, 1990.[18]Nevertheless, Disney initiated alicensingagreement with Jim Henson Productions to continue developing Muppets attractions and the use of the characters within the Disney theme parks.[19]The following year,Muppet*Vision 3Ddebuted at Disney–MGM Studios, the only attraction successfully developed from the original plans. Disney also co-produced the fourth and fifth Muppets films,The Muppet Christmas Carol(1992) andMuppet Treasure Island(1996), with Jim Henson Productions.[20]The characters subsequently starred inMuppets Tonight,which aired on ABC from 1996 to 1998; and a sixth film,Muppets from Space,released byColumbia Picturesin 1999.

2000s: Disney acquisition

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In 2000,The Jim Henson Companywas sold toEM.TV & Merchandising AGfor $680 million.[21]However, EM.TV's stock collapsed and the Henson family re-acquired the company in 2003, with the exception of theSesame Streetcharacters, which were in the interim sold toSesame Workshop.[20]

Fourteen years after initial negotiations began, Disney acquired the Muppetsintellectual propertyfrom the Henson company for $75 million on February 17, 2004. The acquisition consisted of a majority of the Muppet film and television library, as well as theBear in the Big Blue Housetelevision series.[1][2][3][22]Exceptions included theSesame Streetcharacters;[23]theFraggle Rockcharacters,which were retained by Henson;[12]thedistribution rightsto four films:The Muppets Take Manhattan,Muppets from Space,andKermit's Swamp Years,which were retained bySony Pictures Entertainment;andIt's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie,retained byNBCUniversal Television Distribution.[22]Following the acquisition, Disney formedThe Muppets Studio(originally The Muppets Holding Company), a wholly owned subsidiary responsible for managing the characters and franchise. As a result, the term "Muppet" became a legaltrademarkof Disney; under license from Disney, Sesame Workshop continues to use the term for their characters, as well as archival footage of Kermit the Frog.

Henson retained the rights to several productions featuring the Disney-owned Muppet characters, includingEmmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas;The Christmas Toy;Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting;Henson's Place;Billy Bunny's Animal Songs;the originalDog Cityspecial; andDonna's Day.While some of these have since been released uncut, most current releases ofEmmet Otter's Jug-Band ChristmasandThe Christmas Toyomit the appearances by Kermit the Frog. The 2015ABC Familyairing, the 2017 DVD and the 2018 Blu-ray releases ofEmmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmasand theAmazon Prime Videorelease ofThe Christmas Toyreinstate Kermit's scenes.

After the acquisition was complete, Disney gradually began reintroducing the franchise to the mainstream,synergisticallypromoting the Muppets across different parts of the company.[20][24]The Muppets made appearances onDisney Channeland starred in the ABC television film,The Muppets' Wizard of Oz(2005).[20]A television special,A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa,premiered onNBCon December 17, 2008.[25]As a method of regaining a wider audience, Disney produced a series of vignettes forYouTubeandDisney.com.[20]Acover versionofQueen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"was among these projects and immediately wentviral,ultimately amassing 90 million views and winning twoWebby Awards.[26]In 2010, the Muppets starred inThe Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora,which co-starredCat Coraand showcased cooking demonstrations.[27]That same year, Disney used the Muppets to promote theirvolunteerism programat the company's theme parks.[28]A Halloween special featuring the Muppets was developed during that time and expected to air on ABC that October, but was canceled.[29]

2010s–present: Renewed success; current projects

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SongwriterBret McKenziewon theAcademy Award for Best Original Songin 2012 for "Man or Muppet"fromThe Muppets,winning the firstOscarfor the franchise.
A statue of Kermit at BrickCon 2013
Kermit statue,BrickCon,2013

In 2011, the Muppets were featured in an eponymous seventh filmThe Muppets,intended to serve as a "creativereboot"for the characters.[30]Walt Disney Pictureshad been furthering development on a Muppets film since 2008, when it considered adapting an unused screenplay byJerry Juhl.Directed byJames Bobin,written byJason SegelandNicholas Stoller,and starring Segel,Amy Adams,Chris Cooper,andRashida Jones,The Muppetswas a critical and commercial success, becoming thehighest-grossing puppet film of all timeand winning theAcademy Award for Best Original SongforBret McKenzie's "Man or Muppet".[31]During the film's publicity campaign, the Muppets appeared in promotional advertisements and marketing efforts by Disney and were also featured in a promotional video forGoogle+.[32]In March 2012, the Muppets received a collective star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[33]That year, the Muppets hosted aJust for Laughscomedy gala inMontreal.[34]

Following the release ofThe Muppets,Disney announced an eighth film in 2012, with Bobin and Stoller returning to direct and write, respectively.[35]Muppets Most Wantedwas released in 2014 and starredRicky Gervais,Tina Fey,andTy Burrell.[36][37]The film received positive reviews but was a commercial disappointment at the box office.[38]

Disney Theatrical Productionsannounced in 2013 that a live show based on the Muppets was in active development and that a 15-minute show had been conducted byThomas Schumacherto see how the technical components would work.[39]Muppet Moments,an interstitial television series, premiered onDisney Juniorin April 2015. The short-form series features conversations between the Muppets and young children.[40]

After the release ofMuppets Most Wanted,Disney was interested in expanding the Muppets' presence across other media, particularly in television.[41]Discussions for a newprimetime seriesbegan internally within The Muppets Studio.[30]By April 2015,Bill Pradywas commissioned to write a script for a pilot with the working titleMuppets 2015.[42]In May 2015, ABC commissionedan eponymous series,co-developed by Prady andBob Kushelland directed byRandall Einhorn.[43][44]Developed as aparodyof othermockumentary-style series such asThe Office,Modern Family,andParks and Recreation,The Muppetsportrayed the everyday personal and professional lives of the Muppets inLos Angelesas they produced alate-night talk showhosted by Miss Piggy.[38]The ABC series portrayed the characters in more adult situations than previous incarnations, including depictions of alcohol consumption, sexual innuendos, and mild profanity.[45]The series premiered on September 22, 2015, in the United States,[46]and received mixed reviews, with critics praising the show's adult humor but criticizing the writing and characterization.[12][47]The Muppetswas canceled after one season, which concluded on March 1, 2016.[48]

On September 24, 2016, The Muppets were featured in a benefit concert called "Puppets for Puppetry," hosted by theJim Henson Companyfor theCenter for Puppetry Arts.[1]This concert honored PuppeteerDave Goelzand celebrated the 30th anniversary ofLabyrinth.Musical guestsGerard WayandRay ToroofMy Chemical Romance,along withJarrod Alexander,Matt Gorney,andJamie Muhoberacperformed a tribute toLabyrinthwith a medley of songs including "Underground"and"As the World Falls Down".

In September 2017, the Muppets performed a live concert series at theHollywood Bowl,hosted byBobby Moynihan.[49]This performance was followed by a second event in July 2018 at London'sO2 Arena,their first outside of the United States.[50]

In February 2018, Disney announced that astreaming televisionreboot series was in development forDisney+.[51]The project, known asMuppets Live Another Day,was intended as alimited-run seriesset in the 1980s after the events ofThe Muppets Take Manhattanand depicted Kermit recruiting the Muppets to locateRowlf the Dogafter his disappearance.[52]The series was intended to be directed byJason Moore;written byJosh Gad,Adam HorowitzandEddy Kitsis;produced byABC Signature StudiosandThe Muppets Studio,and feature original music byRobert LopezandKristen Anderson-Lopez.[52]After an executive change at The Muppets Studio that prompted a different creative direction for the Muppets, Disney canceled development on the project in September 2019.[53][54]A second Disney+ series,Muppets Now,a short-formimprovisational comedyseries, was announced in August 2019 and was released on July 31, 2020.[55][56]Muppets Haunted Mansion,a Halloween special based on the Disney attractionof the same name,was released on October 8, 2021.[57]

A third Disney+ seriesThe Muppets Mayhem,was ordered in March 2022. The series was developed and written byAdam F. Goldberg,Bill Barrettaand Jeff Yorkes and starredDr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem,alongsideLilly SinghandTahj Mowry.[58][59]

Characters

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Main article:List of Muppets
Kermit the Frogis Henson's most famous Muppet creation

The principal characters ofThe Muppet Showand subsequent media includeKermit the Frog,Miss Piggy,Fozzie Bear,Gonzo,Rowlf the Dog,Scooter,Rizzo the Rat,Pepe the King Prawn,Dr. Bunsen Honeydew,Beaker,Statler and Waldorf,The Swedish Chef,Sam Eagle,Walter,andThe Electric Mayhem,consisting ofDr. Teeth(vocals, keyboards),Animal(drums),Floyd Pepper(bass, vocals),Janice(guitar, vocals),Zoot(saxophone), andLips(trumpet).

As well asThe Muppet Show,the characters are popular for their appearances onSesame StreetandFraggle Rock;and also feature inSam and Friends,The Jimmy Dean Show,The Jim Henson Hour,Muppets Tonight,Bear in the Big Blue House,Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony,The Muppets,andThe Muppets Mayhem.An adult-oriented segment,The Land of Gorch,was a regular feature in the first season ofSaturday Night Live.Guest stars onSaturday Night Liveoccasionally include both the Muppets andSesame Streetcharacters, as well as Muppet likenesses of real people; these likenesses appear recurrently in early episodes ofThe Muppet Showand onSesame Street,and appear occasionally on other series such as30 Rock.

Following Disney's acquisition of the Muppets, puppets created by The Jim Henson Company are no longer referred to as Muppets. Puppets created byJim Henson's Creature Shop,including those inLabyrinthandThe Dark Crystal,have never been considered Muppets,[60]as they are generally more complex in design and performance than regular Muppets. At Henson's suggestion, theStar WarscharacterYodawas originally performed byFrank Oz,[61]and has been loosely described as a Muppet in media and reference works; he is not, however, and Henson otherwise had no involvement in the character's conception.[62][63]

Cast performers

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Main cast of Muppet performers in 2012: (from left to right) Peter Linz, Bill Barretta, Matt Vogel, Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, David Rudman and Dave Goelz
Performer Principal characters
Matt Vogel Kermit the Frog, Camilla, Sweetums, Uncle Deadly, Lew Zealand, Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, Pops and Dr. Julius Strangepork
Eric Jacobson Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam Eagle, Marvin Suggs and The Newsman
Dave Goelz Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Beauregard, Waldorf and Chip
Bill Barretta Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear, Rowlf the Dog, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth and Johnny Fiama
David Rudman Scooter, Janice and Beaker
Peter Linz Walter, Statler, Link Hogthrob, Lips, Robin the Frog, Foo-Foo and Joe the Legal Weasel

At the start of the Muppets' formation, Jim and Jane Henson were the group's only performers. In 1961, Jane retired to focus on raising their children. Seeking additional performers, Jim came into contact withFrank Ozthat year. Although interested, Oz initially declined due to his youth and commitment to high school, and instead suggestedJerry Juhl,who worked with Oz at the Vagabond Puppet Theater inOakland, California.Upon graduating, Oz subsequently joined in August 1963, which then consisted of Henson, Juhl, and Muppet designerDon Sahlin.By the timeThe Muppet Showbegan, the primary cast of performers grew to consist of Henson; Oz;Dave Goelz;Jerry Nelson;Richard Hunt;and later,Steve Whitmire,while Juhl became head writer for the series. FromThe Muppet Showonward,Kevin Clash;Kathryn Mullen;Louise Gold;Karen Prell;Fran Brill,Caroll Spinney;andBrian Hensonperformed several minor characters and assisted the main performers with puppeteering. Many of these puppeteers performed characters acrossThe Muppet Show,Sesame Street,Fraggle Rock,and other Henson-related projects.

Henson, Hunt, and Nelson continued performing until their deaths in 1990, 1992, and 2012, respectively.[64]Goelz, Whitmire, andBill Barretta,who joined the main cast of performers in the mid-1990s, assumed Henson's characters, with Whitmire cast in the role of Beaker and Nelson cast in the role of Statler, both previously performed by Hunt. The remainder of Hunt's characters were left without a stable performer untilDavid Rudmanwas cast in those roles in the 2000s. Oz continued performing until his retirement from puppeteering in 2000;Eric Jacobsonwas cast as his characters beginning in 2002.[30]At Nelson's behest,Matt Vogelgradually began performing his characters in 2008.Peter Linzjoined the main cast in 2011, debuting the role ofWalterinThe Muppets.[65]

Whitmire wasdismissedfrom the cast in 2016, with Vogel cast as Kermit the Frog in 2017, and most of Whitmire's other characters were assumed by the remainder of the cast, primarily by Linz.[66]The Muppets are currently performed by a core cast of six principal puppeteers: Goelz, Barretta, Jacobson, Vogel, Rudman, and Linz,[64][30]with the occasional ensemble of "additional" Muppet performers that includesJulianne Buescher,Tyler Bunch,Alice Dinnean,Bruce Lanoil,Leslie Carrara-Rudolph,Drew Massey,Mike Quinn,andMichelan Sisti.

Design and performance

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Reproductions of the Wilkins and Wontkins Muppets originally created by Jim Henson in 1957; these early characters feature the basic design features that would become typical of Muppet characters

From 1962 to 1978,Don Sahlinwas the primary designer and builder of the Muppets and was described by Henson as “the man most responsible for the look of the Muppets.”[67]Sahlin's designs are often recognizable for theirspheroidheads partially bisected to create large mouths; several characters designed by Sahlin includeRowlf the Dog,Bert and Ernie,Grover,andCookie Monster.

The majority of the Muppets are designed ashand puppets,with several characters utilizingrods.Common design elements of the Muppets include flexible faces with wide mouths and large protruding eyes. Most of the Muppets are molded or carved out of various types of foam and covered with any felt-like material. The characters may represent humans;anthropomorphiccharacters; realistic animals; animate inanimate objects; robots; extraterrestrial or mythical creatures; or other forms of abstract characters.

The Muppets are distinguished fromventriloquistdummies, which are usually animated only in the head and face, in that their arms or other features are also animated. They are also generally made of softer material. They are presented as being independent of the puppeteer, officially known as a "Muppet performer", who is usually hidden behind a set or outside of the camera frame. Using the camera frame to this advantage was an innovation of the Muppets. Prior to this, a stage was used to mask the performers, as would be the case in a live performance. Sometimes, they are seen full-bodied; in most cases, invisible strings are used to manipulate these puppets, with vocals added at a later point.[68]Performers often usedolliesto mimic walking.[69]

Since 2006, Disney has contractedPuppet Heapto produce and maintain newer models of the Muppets.[65]During most performances, the performer holds the character above their head or in front of their body, with one hand operating the head and mouth and the other manipulating the hands and arms, either with two separate control rods or – in the case of "live-hand" Muppets – wearing the hands similarly to gloves. One consequence of this design is that most of the Muppets areleft-handed,with the performer using their right hand to operate the head while operating the arm with their left hand.

For more complex Muppets, several performers may operate a single character, with the performer controlling the mouth usually voicing the character. As technology has advanced, the Jim Henson team and other performers have developed several means to operate the Muppets for film and television; these include the use of suspended rigs, internal motors,remote manipulators,and computer enhanced and superimposed images. Creative use of different technologies has allowed for scenes in which the Muppets appear to exhibit complex movements wholly independently of the performer.

In his book,Street Gang,author Michael Davis wrote that the characters tend to develop "organically", alluding to the performers taking up to a year to develop their characters and voices. They are also "test-driven, passed around from one Henson troupe member to another in the hope of finding the perfect human-Muppet match".[70]When interacting with them, children believed that Muppets were living beings, even when the performers were present.[71]

Media

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Filmography and television

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Main article:List ofThe Muppetsproductions

Discography

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Main article:The Muppetsdiscography

On September 17, 2002,Rhino RecordsreleasedThe Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More,a compilation album of music fromThe Muppet Showand subsequent film releases. WithJohn Denver,John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Togetherwas produced and released in 1979.

Under Disney ownership, The Muppets album releases have been released byWalt Disney Records;including new album releases and albumreissues,such asThe Muppet Christmas Carolin 2005 andThe Muppet Moviein 2013. Legal music publishing rights to Muppet songs are administered by Fuzzy Muppet Songs and Mad Muppet Melodies, imprints ofDisney Music Publishing.

Theme parks

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Muppet*Vision 3Dhas operated atDisney's Hollywood Studiossince 1991

Similar to other Disney characters, the Muppets appear at theWalt Disney Parks and Resorts,having first appeared atWalt Disney Worldin 1990. Their first featured attraction,Here Come the Muppets,was a live stage show that opened shortly after Jim Henson's death and ran atDisney's Hollywood Studios(known at that time as Disney-MGM Studios) for a year.[72]Muppet*Vision 3D,a4D filmattraction that also usesaudio-animatroniccharacters, opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 16, 1991, exactly one year after Henson's death.[73]It is notable as Henson's final directorial effort. Muppet*Vision 3D subsequently opened atDisney California Adventure,on February 8, 2001; this version closed in 2014.

The Muppets also were featured inThe Muppets Present...Great Moments in American Historyat theMagic Kingdomfrom 2016 to 2020; and theMuppet Mobile LabatEpcotsince 2007.[74][75]The latter attraction is a free-roving vehicle with audio-animatronics ofBunsen HoneydewandBeaker.As part of Disney's Living Character Initiative, it premiered at Epcot[76]and was later previewed at Disney California Adventure andHong Kong Disneyland.[77][78]

In 2010, the Muppets were the face of the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day"charity campaign. Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Sweetums appeared in daily parades atDisneylandand Magic Kingdom.[28]The Muppets appeared in television and print ads for the campaign and were featured prominently on the campaign's Web site.[79]

Disney has released numerouscollector pinsfeaturing the Muppets since 2004. These include Limited Edition pins,Hidden Mickeypin collections, mystery pin sets, 2008 pin sets promotingThe Muppets,cast lanyard pins, and assorted individual rack pins. Over 100 pins displaying the characters have been released overall.[80]

Publishing

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Jim Henson's Muppetscomic strip title logo that appears in the Sunday strips[clarification needed]

Among other print media, the Muppets have featured incomicssince the 1970s. An eponymouscomic stripbyGuy and Brad Gilchristfirst ran on September 21, 1981, in over 500 daily newspapers, six months afterThe Muppet Showended its five-year run. By the end of its run in 1986, the comic strip was seen in over 660 newspapers worldwide. Many of the strips were compiled in various book collections.[81]Special strips were also created in color, exclusively for issues ofMuppet Magazine.

Muppet Magazinewas published from 1983 to 1989. The magazine was presented as being run by the Muppets themselves and included such features as celebrity interviews and comic stories.[82]

The only Muppets film adapted as acomic bookwasThe Muppets Take Manhattan.Thecomic book serieswas adapted byMarvel Comicsin 1984, as the 68-page story inMarvel Super Specialissue #32. The adaptation was later re-printed into three limited series issues, released under Marvel'sStar Comicsimprint (November 1984 – January 1985).

In the wake ofMuppet Babies'success, Star Comics adapted the series into abi-monthly title,of which 26 issues were produced.[83]

The final issue ofDisney Adventures,released in 2007, included a one-page strip byRoger Langridge.In 2009,Boom! Studiosbegan publishing aseries of comic booksbased onThe Muppet Show,written and illustrated by Langridge. After two mini-series, an ongoing series,The Muppet Show Comic Book,was published for eleven issues. Additionally, Boom! Studios published fairy tale adaptations centered on the Muppets. In 2012, the Langridge series was transferred to Marvel Comics, which released an omnibus edition in 2013.[84]

Video games

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The first video game in the franchise wasMuppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival,which was released in 1989 byHi Tech Expressionsfor theApple II,Commodore 64andMS-DOS,the following year it was ported by theNintendo Entertainment System(NES) in 1990.[85]In 1996,Activisionand in association withJim Henson Interactivereleased the CD-ROM game,Muppet Treasure Island(on which thefilm of the same namewas based) forWindows 95.Later in 1996,StarwavereleasedThe Muppet CD-ROM: Muppets Inside,the second CD-ROM game was advertised for a January release,[86]and available in stores beginning in March.[87]In April 2000,Take-Two Interactivereleased theplatform gameunder the titleJim Henson's Muppetsfor theGame Boy Color.[88]In October 2000,Midway Gamesreleased the twoMuppetvideo games,Muppet RaceManiaandMuppet Monster Adventurefor thePlayStationconsole.[89]On April 18, 2002,TDK Mediactiveacquired the rights toThe Muppetsgames,[90]and released two video games,The Muppets: On with the Show!(2002) andSpy Muppets: License to Croak(2003) for theGame Boy AdvanceandMuppets Party Cruise(2003) for thePlayStation 2andGameCubeconsoles.[91]In 2014, Virtual Toys releasedThe Muppets Movie AdventuresforPS Vita.[92]The mobile gameDisney Magic Kingdoms,developed byGameloft,includes characters and attractions based onThe Muppetsfranchise during limited time contents.[93]

[edit]
The Muppets performing withCeeLo GreenatRockefeller Centerin 2012

The Muppets' prevalence in popular culture is such that the characters have become regarded as celebrities in their own right.[94]The Muppets have a collective star on theHollywood Walk of Fame,with Kermit having been previously individually inducted in 2002.[33]The characters have appeared at theAcademy AwardsandEmmy Awards;[95][96]madecameo appearancesin films includingRocky III,[97]An American Werewolf in London,[98]andMr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium;[99]and have been interviewed on the news magazine60 Minutes.

Kermit was interviewed byJon StewartonThe Daily Show;[100]was a guest host onThe Tonight Show,Jimmy Kimmel Live!,Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,America's Funniest Home Videos,and anApril Fools' Dayedition ofLarry King Live;[101]and has served asGrand Marshalof theTournament of Roses Parade.[102]The characters also appeared onThe Cosby ShowandThe Torkelsons,[103]among other sitcoms. The music video forWeezer's "Keep Fishin'"is aesthetically based onThe Muppet Showand consists of the band interacting with the characters.

On September 28, 2005, theUnited States Postal Servicereleased aJim Henson and the Muppetspostage stamp series.[104]The Muppets also appeared onDick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eveon December 31, 2007, in which Kermit and other characters presented segments following advertising breaks. After one such segment, with Kermit inTimes Square,co-hostRyan Seacrestthanked "Kerms" for his assistance.[105]Miss Piggy has appeared as a guest onThe Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,and Kermit appeared onHollywood Squaresand as one of the celebrity commentators onVH1'sI Lovedocumentary series. The Muppets, as well as the title character ofBear in the Big Blue House,have made frequent appearances onThe Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.

On July 25, 2007, theCenter for Puppetry ArtsinAtlantaannounced plans for the Jim Henson Wing, which would house up to 700 retired Muppet characters. The wing, featuring films, sketches, and other materials from the Jim Henson Company archives, was set to open in 2012 but eventually opened as a gallery within theWorlds of Puppetryexhibition at the Center in November 2015.[106][107][108]

Muppet-like characters star in the Broadway musicalAvenue Q,the concept of which is aparodyofSesame Street.ThePeter JacksonfilmMeet the Feebles,a satire on the television industry, is largely reminiscent ofThe Muppet Show.A Kermit the Frogstuffed toyrigged to spray fake vomit was a recurring joke onLate Night with Conan O'Brien,and the Muppets were frequently preempted at the beginning of episodes ofYou Can't Do That on Television.The sitcom seriesGreg the Bunnycentered on sentient hand puppets working on a Muppet-like children's show. Among other examples, television series such asThe Simpsons,Family Guy,The West Wing,andRobot Chickenhave referenced the Muppets.

The term "muppet"is commonly used inIreland,Britain,andAustralasiato refer to a stupid or ineffectual person.[109]

References

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Works cited

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