Jim Henson (Sept. 4, 1936–May 16, 1990) was a truly amazing puppeteer and filmmaker that came to influence people around the world with his art. He performed with puppets all throughout his childhood and on through high school, leading to the start of the Jim Henson Company in 1958. His puppets appeared in advertisements, TV shows, and major films. At the age of 53, Jim passed away due to pneumonia, but his family has since carried on his name. The company has kept his spirit alive helping new puppeteers find their way for 60 years now. As young Robin the Frog, Kermit’s nephew, said in a Muppets tribute to Henson shortly after his passing, “This Jim Henson may be gone, but maybe he’s still here too, inside us, believing in us.”

Sam & Friends

This was Jim’s first TV show, and it aired for 5 minutes twice a day for 6 years. While a humanoid puppet named Sam was the title character, the enduring star was a puppet named Kermit, who was not yet a frog at the time.

Sesame Street

This very well may have been Henson’s greatest achievements, being one of the longest running shows in history with over 4,400 episodes. Sesame Street pioneered a new kind of children’s show, one that sought to be rich and educational rather than mindless entertainment. It could tackle difficult topics like death or the birth of a younger sibling, right up alongside pop culture parodies. It could do sketch comedy, and it could do musical numbers. All of this reflected the world as children might have seen it.

The Muppets

After being developed in Sam and Friends and appearing in Sesame Street, The Muppets Show started in 1976 and aired for 5 years, gaining these puppets celebrity-status. They’ve had a constant presence in TV and film since their creation all the way through the 90’s.

The Dark Crystal (1982)

With its complex animatronics and new-age influence, The Dark Crystal was considered groundbreaking. This was a powerful piece for Henson, being his first major film that was not about The Muppets and showing exploration into much darker themes.

Labyrinth (1986)

Working with big names such as George Lucas and Terry Jones, Labyrinth was another journey into Jim’s darker side. He wanted to “make the idea of taking responsibility for one’s life–which is one of the neat realizations a teenager experiences–a central thought of the film.” At the time, Labyrinth’s poor performance, both critically and at the box office, was a real blow to Henson. He couldn’t understand it and would talk to his son Brian saying, “What did we do wrong?” He would not direct another film, both due to this discouragement and his eventual death 4 years later.

Time Piece (1965)

This short film was made almost entirely by Henson in 1965, and it is notably his only project that does not include puppetry. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1966.