Jim Henson Essay -- Essays Papers

Jim Henson Jim Henson once said, â€Å"Follow your enthusiasm. It’s something I’ve always believed in. Find those parts of your life you enjoy the most. Do what you enjoy doing† (qtd. in Fionaurora). Jim did just that. He loved puppetry and made many others love it too. The creator and a performer of the Muppets, Henson is known worldwide for his creations, which include shows like Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, and characters such as Grover, Elmo, Big Bird, the Swedish Chef, Bert and Ernie, and Miss Piggy to name a few. Jim’s most famous character was Kermit the Frog. Kermit remains the Muppet with which Henson is most closely associated. Through television and feature films, Henson developed the art of puppetry to new heights of popularity and storytelling capabilities, especially the ability to create sympathetic and emotional characters that are humorous at the same time. Jim Henson’s countless movies and television shows were loved by audien ces young and old, and they continue to have an impact on people nearly ten years after his sudden death. James Maury Henson was born September 24, 1936, at King’s Daughters Hospital in Greenville, Mississippi. Jim was the second son of Paul Ransom and Elizabeth Marcella Henson. He grew up in nearby Leland, where his father, an agricultural research biologist, worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His father was busy working and his mother was more concerned with Jim’s brother Paul. As a result of this he was somewhat neglected. Jim turned to his grandmother, who he called Dear. She helped him develop his love of art and performing (â€Å"Biography†). He also enjoyed exploring the countryside near his house. He spent much of his time with friends by a little stream called Deer Creek. â€Å"Kermit always said he came from a small swamp in Mississi(WRITTEN BY ERIC G.*)ppi. Actually it wasn’t a swamp, it was a creek—Deer Creek† (St. Pierre 15). One of his childhood friends, nicknamed â€Å"Kermit,† would later become the n ame of Henson's most celebrated creation. When he was in fifth grade, his family moved to Maryland. At the age of fourteen, Jim’s life was changed forever after the Henson’s got their first television. He was fascinated. He once said, â€Å"I loved the idea that what you saw was taking place somewhere else at the same time" (qtd. in Collins). Jim loved puppet shows like Kukula... ...for his work that taught and entertained at the same tim(ERIC G.)e. His shows Sesame Street and The Muppet Show are two of the most watched shows ever. Jim Henson has touched three generations with his artistry and will continue to for many years to come. Bibliography: Andres, Natalie. â€Å"A Man of Great Imagination.† Jim Henson. 1997. Online. Internet. 3 Jan. 2000. Available http://www.avana.net/~bandres/Nat/jim_henson.html â€Å"Biography of Jim Henson.† Henson.com. 2000. Online. Internet. 3 Jan. 2000. Available http://www.henson.com/creators/biography/index.html Collins, James. â€Å"Time 100: Artists & Entertainers: Jim Henson.† Time.com. 1999. Online. Internet. 2 Jan. 2000. Available http://pathfinder.com/time/time100/artists/profile/henson.html Fionaurora. â€Å"Jim Henson Biography.† Fionaurora’s Jim Henson Page. 1998. Online. Internet. 29 Dec. 1999. Available http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/3108/henson.html Mc Farlin, Jim. â€Å"Jim Henson.† Detroit News. 17 May 1990, 1A. Roush, Matt. â€Å"Like Deaths in the Family.† USA Today. 17 May 1990: 1A. St. Pierre, Stephanie. Jim Henson, Creator of the Muppets. NY: Dell Publishing, 1991.