RIP Jack Burns (1933 - 2020)

Jack Burns, The Muppet Show's original head writer and co-writer of The Muppet Movie has died. 

Burns started his career as one half of a comedy duo with George Carlin, then later partnered with future Muppet Show guest star Avery Schreiber. 

He appeared on The Andy Griffith Show (briefly replacing the departed Don Knotts) and The Partridge Family. Burns was as the head writer for the first season of Hee Haw, and was a writer, announcer and performer on the ABC sketch series Fridays where he and Michael Richards were involved in a staged on-air fight with Andy Kaufman.

Muppet fans will know his name best though as the head writer and producer on the first season of The Muppet Show and the cowriter The Muppet Movie with Jerry Juhl.

Below is the exceeded recap of the movie from the UK release:

Jack Burns appeared in pilot for the proposed Jim Henson series Puppetman which you can watch below:

He is also credited with writing the Muppet Show Playhouse Video compilations Country Music With the Muppets and Fozzie's Muppet Scrapbook.

Burns was nominated for two Primetime Emmys for his work on The Muppet Show - outstanding comedy-variety or music series and outstanding writing, and a Hugo Award for best dramatic presentation for The Muppet Movie.

Jack Burns was 86.