LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: On September 5, 1976, the initial version of the puppet-centric program Called 'The Muppet Show' made its debut, featuring 'Cabaret' actor Joel Grey as a guest star.
In the following five years, 'The Muppet Show' was broadcast in over 100 nations and was recognized as the most widely watched, family-friendly program, globally during that period.
What was 'The Muppet Show'?
'The Muppet Show' was a popular television variety show. It featured a cast of puppet characters known as the "Muppets," who became pop culture iconics like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and the Swedish Chef.
Their voice actors like Jim Henson, who voiced Kermit, and Frank Oz, who performed Miss Piggy's French-laden speech became famous too.
The show was a blend of comedy sketches, musical performances, and celebrity guest appearances.
The Muppets, operated and voiced by puppeteers, interacted with both each other and the human guest stars, often leading to humorous and chaotic situations.
The show had a vaudeville-style format with a backstage setting, where viewers could see the Muppets preparing for the show and dealing with their unique personalities and quirks.
What was 'The Muppet Show' known for?
'The Muppet Show' was known for its witty humor, memorable characters, and catchy musical numbers. It ran from 1976 to 1981 and gained a large fan following.
The show's popularity led to several Muppet movies and spin-off projects, solidifying the Muppets as enduring and beloved figures in popular culture.
Who created 'The Muppet Show'?
'The Muppet Show' was created by Jim Henson.
Henson was a puppeteer, filmmaker, and television producer known for his innovative work with puppetry and for creating the Muppet characters, from Kermit the Frog to Miss Piggy, and many others.
The Muppets became some of the most recognized and beloved characters in the world of entertainment, because of Henson's creative vision and talent.
How was 'The Muppet Show' was created?
According to Britannica.com, Jim Henson and his future wife, Jane Nebel, developed a puppet show called 'Sam and Friends' for a Washington, DC, TV station.
While at the University of Maryland, this short program lasted only five minutes, introduced the first few Muppet characters, including Kermit.
Henson coined the term "Muppets" to describe the fusion of marionettes and puppets he used.
Typically, these characters were crafted from sculpted foam rubber, plastic, and various fabrics. For 'The Muppet Show', most of the Muppets were operated as hand puppets, with their operators also providing their voices.
After graduating in 1960, Henson and his team created commercials and brief segments for various TV shows.
In 1969, the Muppets made their debut on 'Sesame Street', a program by the Children's Television Workshop, catapulting Henson and his anthropomorphic creatures to nationwide fame.
However, Henson aimed to demonstrate that Muppets appealed not only to children but also to adults.
The global rapid rise of 'The Muppet Show'
After several failed attempts to produce 'The Muppet Show' in the United States, Henson secured support from London-based television producer Lew Grade.
The show premiered in 1976, quickly amassing a global audience. Each week, Kermit the Frog, portrayed the frazzled producer of the fictitious show within the show.
A different celebrity guest-starred in each episode, with luminaries such as Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Gene Kelly, and Gladys Knight appearing during the series' five-season run.
The immense popularity of 'The Muppet Show' led to a series of movies, including 'The Muppet Movie' (1979), 'The Great Muppet Caper' (1981), and 'The Muppets Take Manhattan' (1984), as well as a range of related media like books, magazines, records, commercials, and merchandise.
Following the conclusion of 'The Muppet Show' in 1981, other Muppet-related series followed, including 'Fraggle Rock' (1983–87), a puppet show featuring subterranean creatures, and Jim Henson's 'Muppet Babies' (1984–91), a morning cartoon program.
Before his passing in 1990, Henson was in negotiations with Disney to sell the rights to the Muppets, a deal that was finalized in 2004, transferring the trademarks and copyrights of most of the iconic characters to Disney.
Subsequent projects included the feature film 'Muppets Most Wanted' (2014) and 'The Muppets' (2015–16), a television series purportedly depicting the behind-the-scenes antics of Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and their companions.
