JIM HENSON'S CONTRIBUTION and LEGACY by ThEME

Pioneer, innovator, creative genius. Jim Henson may be best known for imagining, building and giving unique and distinctive personalities to puppets that include Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie and the world-renowned red sensation Elmo. His willingness to experiment in the then-new media of television, humor and children's programming together with his willingness to adapt his creations to meet the demands of the consumer, while staying true to his vision, solidified his legacy as an entrepreneur and has had a most profound impact on society by bringing positive images, role models and methods of learning to children that remain effective well after his untimely death in 1990.

When he set out to bring to life a green frog puppet with his own voice and hand gestures, it is highly unlikely that Jim Henson imagined he would one day have a foundation, production company, a museum dedicated to his life's work and a workshop that would be responsible for some of cinema's most popular characters- on and off the big screen.

One would never know by his humble character that Henson was an Emmy award-winning producer and Oscar-nominated film director. Throughout his time in Hollywood, surrounded by stars and fame, Henson did not sacrifice his personal integrity or marginalize the wholesome quality of his programming on his wildly successful journey.

The Muppets characters did not remain static after Jim's initial success. He continued to innovate new stories and personalities for network and cable television shows (The Muppets, Fraggle Rock), animated cartoons, merchandise phenomenons and a series of major motion picture successes starring Kermit and his pals. Henson's impact on children's educational programming via Sesame Street has spanned more than four decades, and it is still one of the most popular youth development productions to date.