We’ve already recorded an episode on The Muppets, but Jim Henson was such a neat guy we delved into him even further. Learn all about the man behind the Muppets who was so much more than just a master puppeteer in this episode.
AI Summary
# Jim Henson: Beyond the Muppets
This episode dives deep into the life and career of Jim Henson, the creative genius behind the Muppets and so much more. While most people know him as the puppeteer who created beloved characters like Kermit and Big Bird, Josh and Chuck explore how Henson was actually a pioneering filmmaker and innovator who constantly pushed the boundaries of television, puppetry, and storytelling. From his experimental short films and groundbreaking work on Sesame Street to darker projects like The Dark Crystal and ambitious TV shows, this episode paints a portrait of a genuinely good-hearted Renaissance man who revolutionized entertainment while maintaining his artistic integrity throughout his career.
Movies Discussed
30 Rock
"It's set, the whole thing set backstage at a variety show. It's such a great idea...it's basically like 30 Rock or 30 Rock was the Muppet show. — Making a comparison between The Muppet Show's backstage setting and the later TV series 30 Rock."
— Josh
A Clockwork Orange
"I really liked him in Clockwork Orange. Yeah. Good. — Discussion of Malcolm McDowell's role in A Clockwork Orange."
— Chuck
Adams Apples: The Family Ties
"Adams Family pinball. And then I learned in this article that is the top selling game of all time from 1991. — Chuck discusses a pinball machine based on The Addams Family that became the best-selling pinball game of all time."
— Chuck
Almost Famous
"Ben Fong Torres, who is in Almost Famous, he had a quote. — Josh references Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong Torres who appeared in Almost Famous."
— Josh
Back to School
"I've talked to at least a couple of people who have not seen Back to School. — Josh mentions that many people haven't seen this classic Rodney Dangerfield film."
— Josh
Between the Sheets
"At the end of the 80s, he had two TV shows on the Jim Henson Hour and Storyteller, the Storyteller. — Discussing Jim Henson's 1988 series that featured human and puppet interaction."
— Chuck
Caddyshack
"His huge, huge breakthrough came in Caddyshack, right? — Discussion of Rodney Dangerfield's breakthrough film role directed by Harold Ramis."
— Chuck
Camelot
"When I was like 13, I saw Richard Harris do Camelot at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. — Chuck references seeing the Camelot musical performed live at a theater."
— Chuck
Deadliest Catch
"There was one on Deadliest Catch, but I think they've never scientifically recorded from beginning to end. — Referenced as source of documentary evidence of rogue waves being filmed."
— Chuck
Dirty Dancing
"I think dirty dancing, that kind of scene. Very much so, yeah. — Comparison of the Catskills resort setting to the similar setting in Dirty Dancing."
— Josh
Doctor Who
"the language, apparently, that Time Lords and Doctor Who of the Time Lords — Chuck references Doctor Who when discussing a fan gift with Gallifreyan language writing."
— Chuck
Dog City
"One of the little mini movies was called Dog City, which was great. It was narrated by Rolf. — Describing a film noir gangster puppet movie that aired on The Jim Henson Hour and later became its own series."
— Josh
Dominique A, le rock fragile
"He got into some more serious themes with his next great show, Fragile Rock. Yeah. In 1983. — Discussing one of Jim Henson's HBO original series that explored themes of acceptance and different groups living together."
— Josh
Easy Money
"In 1983, he wrote a movie called Easy Money. Has anybody seen that? — Josh introduces Dangerfield's film that he wrote, starring Joe Pesci."
— Josh
Excalibur
"I've seen Excalibur, cause I had Showtime when I was a kid. It was a big, hot movie when you were 12. — Josh mentions watching Excalibur as a child and notes it still holds up well."
— Josh
Grease
"There's a great podcast episode...from the great Andy Daly that centered around Sean Anna. — Referenced indirectly through an Andy Daly podcast about trying out for Grease and related 1950s culture."
— Josh
Happy Days
"the Fonz all drunk. Penny Loeffers, did he get drunk? No, that was the joke. — Referenced as an example of squeaky clean 1950s nostalgia programming about soda fountains and the Fonz character."
— Chuck
Idiocracy
"What about idiocracy? They accidentally salted the soil using Gatorade. — Chuck references the movie Idiocracy as an example of accidentally salting soil, which prevents plant growth."
— Chuck
Interstellar
"Isn't that what Interstellar's about, that new movie? — Chuck references the film as an example of a movie dealing with finding habitable planets for human survival."
— Chuck
Knight Rider
"Thinking about how cool David Hasselhoff is. Yeah, actually, I didn't watch Night Rider. I didn't either. — Mentioned in nostalgic memory of visiting a pharmacy in the 1980s and not being interested in the show."
— Chuck
Labyrinth
"Then he went on to make the movie The Labyrinth. With Bowie, right? — Discussing Jim Henson's fantasy film starring David Bowie and a young Jennifer Connolly."
— Chuck
Laverne & Shirley
"Did you know that that's what Laverne and Shirley spun off of? — Mentioned as a spin-off from Happy Days in the discussion of 1970s television."
— Josh
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
"I'm Diane Keaton. Look for Mr. Goodbar and have a drink and go meet a man. — Josh references the movie while doing a 1970s woman impression to illustrate the sexual revolution era and women going to bars."
— Josh
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the best of the Arthurian legend movie adaptations. — Josh argues this is the superior Arthurian legend film adaptation."
— Josh
Mork & Mindy
"The Mork and Mindy. And Joni Lepstracci. Well, sure. Yeah. But Mork and Mindy was set in the 70s. — Discussed in relation to Happy Days spin-offs and confusion about whether it was set in the 1970s or 1980s."
— Chuck
Muppet Babies
"The other show that he came out with in the eighties, in the mid eighties, that I was big time into was Muppet Babies. — Josh mentioning a cartoon series featuring Muppet characters as babies that he watched as a teenager."
— Josh
Natural Born Killers
"Oliver Stone called him up one day and said, I have this role for you in a movie called Natural Born Killers. — Oliver Stone cast Dangerfield in a dark, dramatic role in Natural Born Killers."
— Josh
Planet of the Apes
"Rodney McDowell was. He was in Planet of the Apes. — Discussion of actor Rodney McDowell's role in Planet of the Apes."
— Josh
Platoon
"It was behind Top Gun, Platoon, Karate Kid 2, Star Trek 4. — Back to School was the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1986, behind these films."
— Chuck
Rover Dangerfield
"He produced and wrote the movie Rover Dangerfield, the animated classic about a dog who gets no respect. — Dangerfield created this animated film about a dog experiencing a lack of respect."
— Josh
Saturday Night Live
"He dabbled on Saturday Night Live in season one. Lorne Michaels got him a deal to perform some sketches. — Discussing Jim Henson's early television appearances where he performed Muppet sketches on SNL."
— Josh
Sesame Street
"He was invited to be on the pilot of a show created by the children's television workshop called Sesame Street. — Discussing Jim Henson's major career turning point when he was hired to create characters for Sesame Street."
— Josh
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
"Was it Snow White? Yeah, yeah, with the poison apple. — Josh and Chuck discuss the recurring symbolic use of poison apples in stories, mentioning Snow White."
— Josh
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
"It was behind Top Gun, Platoon, Karate Kid 2, Star Trek 4. — Back to School was the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1986, behind these films."
— Chuck
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
"Well, they built only two games. Right, and I think each one had a few thousand production run. But there was Star Wars Episode 1. — Chuck mentions a Star Wars Episode I pinball machine that was created as part of the Pinball 2000 hybrid gaming experiment."
— Chuck
The Brady Bunch
"Do you remember when Davy Jones guested on the Brady Bunch, Marshall was trying to get him to play the prom? — Used as example of awkward lip-syncing and fadeout performance in 1970s music."
— Josh
The Carol Burnett Show
"They need to have a good old fashioned variety show again...like the Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton and Kelburnette, all the Vandrel sisters. — Referencing variety shows from television history while discussing the format of The Muppet Show."
— Josh
The Dark Crystal
"He followed the Muppet in 1982. He made The Dark Crystal. — Explaining Jim Henson's darker fantasy film made entirely with puppets, co-directed with Frank Oz."
— Chuck
The Jim Henson Hour
"At the end of the 80s, he had two TV shows on the Jim Henson Hour and Storyteller. — Mentioning Jim Henson's late 1980s television series that pushed creative boundaries."
— Josh
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The Jimmy Dean Show
"Rolf the dog started out on Purina commercials and was later a sidekick on the Jimmy Dean show in 1963. — Explaining how Rolf, one of Jim Henson's early Muppet creations, appeared on the Jimmy Dean variety show."
— Chuck
The Jungle Book
"I was all about the Jungle Book. This sort of came out about the same time. — Josh mentions he was more interested in The Jungle Book than The Sword in the Stone."
— Josh
The Karate Kid Part II
"It was behind Top Gun, Platoon, Karate Kid 2, Star Trek 4. — Back to School was the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1986, behind these films."
— Chuck
The Killing
"He was actually cast first by Stanley Kubrick in 1956 for the movie The Killer. Yeah, The Killing. — Discussion of Rodney Dangerfield's early film roles, where he played an Onlooker in Kubrick's The Killing."
— Chuck
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
"an amazing illustration of Steve Zissou from the Life Aquatic, looking pensively toward the horizon — Chuck describes a fan-made illustration gift of Steve Zissou character from the Wes Anderson film."
— Chuck
The Mike Douglas Show
"The Floating Face, which was a sketch that was on The Tonight Show and the Mike Douglas Show in the 60s. — Mentioning Jim Henson's experimental surreal sketches that appeared on talk shows."
— Chuck
The Muppet Movie
"But he got into the movies with the Muppet Movie, which was a big hit. It's so good. — Discussing Jim Henson's transition into feature films with this successful Muppet movie."
— Josh
The Muppet Show
"His big break came in 1975. He had, he wanted to make the Muppet show. — Explaining how Jim Henson created his breakthrough television show with British producer Lord Lou Grade."
— Chuck
The Projectionist
"He was in another movie. What was that I'm going to call The Projectionist? — Reference to an early Dangerfield film where he played a movie projectionist boss."
— Josh
The Scout
"The role was originally intended for him and Sam Tennison, and he didn't do it for unknown reasons, and it ended up going to Albert Brooks and Brendan Frazier. — Dangerfield was originally supposed to be in The Scout but the role went to other actors."
— Chuck
The Simpsons
"He was on The Simpsons, I think, a couple of times, wouldn't he? — Rodney Dangerfield appeared on The Simpsons, playing Mr. Burns' illegitimate son Herb."
— Chuck
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
"when I'm done with you, they're going to need a compost mordom. That was Treehouse of Horror — Josh quotes Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror episode while discussing lawn care."
— Josh
The Sword in the Stone
"T.H. White wrote the Once and Future King and that was the basis of The Sword in the Stone. — Chuck explains that Disney's The Sword in the Stone was based on T.H. White's novel."
— Chuck
The Three Stooges
"if you've ever seen an episode of The Three Stooges. We've got one. You don't have one of those? — Referenced as an example of soda siphon comedy routines from the Three Stooges."
— Josh
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
"Kermit the Frog would be a guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. — Explaining how Jim Henson used appearances on Johnny Carson's show to make puppets seem like real beings."
— Chuck
Three's Company
"Have you ever seen Threes Company? Remember the Regal Beagle? — Josh references Three's Company as an example of a Fern Bar, specifically mentioning the Regal Beagle as the bar setting in the show."
— Josh
Tilt
"There is. That's about a specific moment in history in pinball. I haven't seen that one, but it sounds pretty good too. — Chuck mentions a documentary called Tilt about pinball history, specifically about the Pinball 2000 era."
— Chuck
Tommy
"From Tommy, from the Who's Tommy. Yeah. The Pinball Wizard and Tommy, both kind of rebellious. — Chuck references Tommy and The Who's famous song 'Pinball Wizard' to illustrate how pinball became associated with rebellious youth culture."
— Chuck
Top Gun
"It was behind Top Gun, Platoon, Karate Kid 2, Star Trek 4. — Back to School was the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1986, behind these films."
— Chuck
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