Muppet Stuff Video: Celebrating Jim Henson’s Birthday — Part 2!

The celebration continues! In this second installment of our Jim Henson birthday adventure, we dive even deeper into the fun, fandom, and creativity that Jim inspired in all of us. This episode features: The Muppet Vendor Swamp Meet — unique merch, fan creations, collectibles, and surprises around every corner.

Part 2 is all about the community — the fans who keep Jim Henson’s spirit alive through creativity, joy, and pure Muppet-style chaos. If you enjoyed this birthday celebration, hit like, subscribe, and stay tuned for more Henson-inspired adventures and stay tuned for Part 3!

More Info:

The Jim Henson Legacy

Museum of the Moving Image: Celebrating Jim Henson’s Birthday 2025

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube Channel.

Muppet Stuff Video: Celebrating Jim Henson’s Birthday — Part 1!

Join me on a special Jim Henson–themed adventure through New York City as we honor the legacy of one of the greatest creative minds of all time.

In this first part of the celebration, we explore: 

• A walking tour through NYC highlighting iconic spots connected to Jim Henson and his work. 
  
  
• Inside the historic Henson Carriage House, where creativity and puppetry history come alive. 
  
  
• Screenings at the Museum of the Moving Image, featuring the fan-voted 70 Greatest Henson Moments — from The Muppets to Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and beyond! 
  
  
• Plus even more surprises for Henson fans.

Whether you grew up with the Muppets or are discovering Henson’s magic for the first time, this video is a heartfelt tribute to his vision, creativity, and sense of joy. 

More Info:

The Jim Henson Legacy

Museum of the Moving Image: Celebrating Jim Henson’s Birthday 2025

Unfortunately, during the making of this video it was revealed that Rob Lake Magic Featuring Special guests The Muppets would close early. You can read our review of the show here: 

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube Channel.

Happy Birthday, Jim Henson!

Happy Birthday, Jim Henson!

 

This weekend I was honored to be a part of a weekend long celebration of your creativity, humility, and genius.

We toured your favorite spots throughout Manhattan, including your memorial bench and model boat pond in Central Park, the former locals of the Creature Shop and Henson offices, and the Carriage House. 

We were joined by your daughter Heather, and the many people keeping your legacy alive including banjo extraordinaire Lucas Ross and magician Rob Lake - who's finally getting The Muppets on Broadway. 

There was Muppet karaoke, cosplay (that's people dressed-up as their favorite characters), Sing-a-long's...

New and vintage merch in the gift shop. 

A collectible "Swamp Meet" with vendors and artists selling and trading items. 

Screening of fan-favorite clips celebrating the 70th anniversary of your work.

A costume contest.

And of course puppets!

And what would a birthday party be without cake!

It was a fantastic weekend that I'm sure everyone who attended won't soon forget. 

Thank you for brining us all together, 

 and Happy Birthday!

Muppet Stuff Video: Celebrating Jim Henson’s Birthday at MoMI | Swamp Meet Finds | Toy Tokyo | Labyrinth in Concert!

Join us on an unforgettable Jim Henson–themed journey through New York City and beyond! 

Join us as we head to the Museum of the Moving Image to celebrate Jim Henson’s birthday (two days early)! 

The festivities included a puppet workshop, book signings, live music, the Jane Henson Amphitheater dedication, and the first ever Henson "Swamp Meet" collectibles marketplace, teeming with rare Henson treasures. 

Next, we whisk you to Toy Tokyo, a must-visit toy store nestled in the East Village. It’s a great place to find Japanese exclusives, blind-boxes, and elusive figures.

Finally we "chilly down" with Labyrinth: In Concert, featuring the classic film accompanied by a live band with exclusive merch. It's a Jim Henson Birthday Celebration you won't want to miss.

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube Channel.

The Muppets at 70: We Still Miss You, Jim!

Another May 16th is upon us Muppet fans. A day to reflect on Jim Henson's passing and the creative legacy he left behind. 

This year, as The Muppets and the Henson Company turn 70 there are many celebrations planned to celebrate.

On June 14, The Walt Disney Family Museum is hosting a special event celebrating the Jim Henson Company's 70th anniversary.

And today Muppet fans from all over are convening at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World to say goodbye to Muppet*Vision, which is closing June 7th. 

If you can't make it or haven't seen the attraction before here's a taste of what it's like to experience it. 

While Sesame Street and The Muppet Show made the Muppets known world-wide, it was Jim's very first show, Sam and Friends, that set the tone and innovation we've come to expect from a Henson production. 

In 1986, CBS aired The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years showcasing many of the Henson Company's productions up to that point. 

Just think about everything that come out since. So as The Muppets and The Jim Henson Company turn 70, we reflect on the not just the legacy Jim left behind, but look ahead to whatever the future holds for the beloved characters he created. 

35 years later, we still miss you, Jim!

All Three Muppet Families "Together Again"!

In a surprise kept very much under wraps, all three Muppet Families appeared "together again" for the first time in years.

Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Gobo Fraggle celebrate Jim Henson's birthday in a new video released by all three major Henson companies: The Muppets (Disney), The Jim Henson Company, and Sesame Street. 

This marks the first time all three Muppet families have been on screen together since The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson in 1990.

Happy Birthday, Jim!

Muppet Stuff Video: Get Ready to Celebrate Jim Henson's Birthday!

As we get ready to celebrate Jim Henson birthday at the eagerly anticipated event at Museum of the Moving Image Sunday, check out our video from last year, showcasing Rowlf on The Jimmy Dean Show.

Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube Channel.

More info on Museum of the Moving Image.

Tickets and info about this year's event: https://muppet-stuff.blogspot.com/2024/08/jim-hensons-imagination-illustrated.html

Hope to see you there!

"Jim Henson Idea Man" Wins Outstanding Documentary Emmy!

Ron Howard's Jim Henson Idea Man won 4 Emmys over the weekend.

The Disney+ produced documentary won Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program, Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (original dramatic score), Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program, and the top price Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

In a statement, Howard commented, “Jim Henson was a creative genius and artistic pioneer, and we set out to make an ambitious, comprehensive documentary worthy of this incredibly imaginative storyteller. It has been a thrill to revisit his work, and to see new audiences discover him and just how much his innovations in television still have an impact today. It’s been an amazing journey for this film. A heartfelt congratulations to the entire team!”

In addition to the Emmys won on Saturday, Jim Henson Idea Man won a juried award for Outstanding Motion Capture, last month.

Congratulations to Ron Howard and the entire team behind Jim Henson Idea Man.

Celebrate Jim Henson's Birthday at the Museum of the Moving Image!

On Sept 22, Museum of the Moving Image in Queens is hosting a day full of events to celebrate what would have been Jim Henson's 88th birthday. 

The day begins with Heather Henson and ToughPigs' Joe Hennes who'll host a musical walking tour through Jim and Jane Henson’s New York City.

Following the tour is a special screening titled "Jim Henson’s Imagination Illustrated: Exploring the Archives of a Creative Mind." 

Join Karen Falk, Archives Director of The Jim Henson Company and Vice President of The Jim Henson Legacy, as she discusses her book, Jim Henson’s Imagination Illustrated. 

This presentation explores Henson’s story through the lens of his “Red Book” journal and personal and production material drawn from his archives, as well as rare video clips illustrating his creative thinking and the arc of his visionary career.

Following the presentation, Jim Henson Legacy President Craig Shemin will lead Henson trivia with giveaways.

There will also be a banjo performance by musician and Kermit collaborator Lucas Ross. 

If that wasn't enough, following the screening there will be a "Swamp Meet" full of Henson fans with "muppet stuff" for sale and trade. We are incredibly grateful to help put this part of the day together and we're working to get some incredible vendors/ fellow fans lined up.

You can purchase your tickets for the Jim Henson VIP Walking Tour with Heather Henson and
Jim Henson’s Imagination Illustrated: Exploring the Archives of a Creative Mind, using the links above and from MOMI. 

The "Swamp Meet" is free and your opportunity to take home a piece of Jim Henson history!

If you're interested in becoming a vendor, please e-mail list@jimhensonlegacy.org for more information. Vendor tables are free, but must be reserved in advance - there are a limited number available on a first-come first served basis.

We hope you can make it to New York Sept 22 to celebrate Jim Henson's Birthday!

"Saturday Night" Poster Reveals More Muppets!

The poster for Jason Reitman's upcoming film about the first night of SNL, Saturday Night has been revealed and with it a look at another Muppet that will appear in the film.

If you look closely, you can spot not only Jim Henson, but King Ploobis and Queen Peuta as well. 

We'll see if any other Land of Gorch characters or Muppet performers so up when Saturday Night arrives in theatres October 11.

"Saturday Night" Trailer!

Yesterday, we got our first look at as Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson in Jason Reitman's upcoming film Saturday Night, and today the first trailer including Braun's Henson.

You can watch the trailer below:

Saturday Night will be released October 11. 

"Saturday Night" First Look: Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson!

Saturday Night, Jason Reitman's upcoming film about the premiere of Saturday Night Live, is a only  few months away and Vanity Fair has a first look at the cast and scenes from the film. 

Of note to us Muppet fans is an image of Nicholas Braun playing Jim Henson, "who isn’t sure his kind of puppetry is the right fit for SNL. "  Braun also plays Any Kaufman in the film. 

You'll note a puppet of King Ploobus from the Land of Gorch sketches next to him. It looks like a recreation of the puppet (the original is currently on display at he Museum of the Moving Image). I'm sure we'll find out soon if the Henson company made it and if the other Gorch characters appear. 

The Original King Ploobus

In the Vanity Fair interview. Reitman says “What was so unusual about this show (SNL) was not only that it was live, but the format was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. You had sketch comedy, you had two musical guests, you had a live band, you had stand-up comedians, you had Andy Kaufman, you had the Muppets, you had a film by Albert Brooks….”

And we'll see it all unfold in real time when Saturday Night is released this fall. 

Thanks to Lorna Mitchell for the heads up. 

Disney+ Henson Documentary Get's Title / Release Window!

In 2022,we found out Ron Howard was directing a documentary on Jim Henson for Disney+. We know now the title and it's release window thanks to a re-release of Karen Falk's book. 

Simon & Schuster is releasing a new version of Henson archivist, Falk's 2012 book “Jim Henson’s Imagination Illustrated" on August 27th 2024, with new a foreword by Ron Howar

As you can see, the updated cover features a promotion sticker for the Disney+ Original Documentary, “Jim Henson: Idea Man.”

While Disney hasn’t officially announced the release date for “Jim Henson: Idea Man”, with the new version of the book due out in August it's a safe bet the documentary will be released on Disney+ sometime between now and then.

The upcoming documentary promises to be the definitive portrait of Henson, produced with the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family, and will present a fascinating and intimate look at Jim’s illustrious career creating treasured characters and revolutionizing television and film.

With never-before-seen personal archives, the film will give audiences an exciting first-person view into the life of one of the world’s most inspiring and iconoclastic creators through exclusive home movies, photographs, sketches and Henson’s personal diaries.

This new documentary is being produced “with the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family,” according to a release, “and will present a fascinating and intimate look at Jim’s illustrious career creating treasured characters and revolutionizing television and film. With never-before-seen personal archives, the film will give audiences an exciting first-person view into the life of one of the world’s most inspiring and iconoclastic creators through exclusive home movies, photographs, sketches and Henson’s personal diaries.”

No official release date has been announced, but it won’t be too long until “Jim Henson: Idea Man.” is released on Disney+

Henson Doc Update and a Sam and Friends Follow-Up!

At the "Jim Henson Tele-visionary" screening at the Museum of the Moving Image this weekend, Henson Legacy President Craig Shemin revealed a few pieces of news.

Ron Howard Henson Doc Coming Soon!

The Ron Howard directed Jim Henson documentary is almost finished. The clips used are being reviewed for licensing approvals.

Disney will be premier the film at festivals once that's done with a plan to have it on Disney+ by the end of the year.

A Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson’s First Television Show Follow-up Book!

Craig is working on a follow up to his Sam and Friends book that will include scripts from the show. 

Since many episodes from the series itself is lost and Disney/Henson have no plans to officially release what's is available from the show on any format, for now ,this is the only way to experience some of this early Henson shorts.

No release date was announced but we may se it released by the end of the year as well. 

More Screening and Events!

Craig also revealed that February's screening as the museum will be Valentine themed, and March's will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Muppets Most Wanted. 

There also discussions about expanding the Henson-related events at the museum as well, but we'll keep you posted as more details are announced.