Existing comment:
Jim Henson, 1936-1990
Creator of the irrepressible Muppets, Jim Henson was still in high school when he began fashioning puppets for a Washington, D.C., children's television show in the 1950s. Henson experimented with various techniques to achieve better animation in his characters, including the use of rods instead of strings to manipulate their arms and legs. He also pioneered the use of fabric-covered foam rubber instead of carved wood for his figures' construction. Henson's Muppets first reached a national TV audience in the 1960s, with numerous variety show appearances, but it was their featured role on the educational children's program Sesame Street (launched in 1969) that made them a popular phenomenon. Although the Muppet cast included a host of memorable characters such as Miss Piggy, Big Bird, and the Cookie Monster, Henson was most closely identified with the lovable and chipper Kermit the Frog, for whom he provided both voice and animation.
Yousuf Karsh, 1980 |