The Muppets are a group of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque and self-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Having been created in 1955 by Jim Henson, they are the namesake for the Disney media franchise that encompasses films, television series, music recordings, print publications, and other media associated with The Muppet Show characters.Henson once stated that the term "Muppet" had been created as a portmanteau of the words "marionette" and "puppet", but also claimed that it was actually a word he had coined. The Muppets debuted on the television program Sam and Friends, which aired locally on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. from 1955 to 1961. After appearing on skits in several late night talk shows and advertising commercials during the 1960s, Henson's Muppets began appearing on Sesame Street when that show debuted in 1969. The Muppets then became the stars of multiple television series and films, including; The Muppet Show (1976–1981), The Muppet Movie (1979), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), and The Jim Henson Hour (1989). After Henson's death in 1990, The Muppets continued their presence in television and cinema with Muppets Tonight (1996–98), a series continuation of The Muppet Show, and three films, The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Muppets from Space (1999); the former two were co-produced with Disney, who sought to acquire the characters since the late 1980s. In 2004, The Walt Disney Company purchased the rights to The Muppets (except for the Sesame Street characters, which were sold separately to Sesame Workshop, as well as Fraggle Rock and other characters retained by The Jim Henson Company), and later formed The Muppets Studio; a division created specifically for managing The Muppets franchise.Disney re-branded the franchise beginning in 2008, in anticipation of the seventh film, The Muppets. The film, written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller and directed by James Bobin, was released by Walt Disney Pictures on November 23, 2011, and met with critical acclaim and commercial success. An eighth film, Muppets Most Wanted, was released on March 21, 2014.
The Muppets were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 20, 2012.
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Muppets Most Wanted
2014
performer: "We're Doing a Sequel", "The Muppet Show Theme", "Interrogation Song", "Something So Right", "Together Again"
Some Jerk with a Camera
2011-2012
TV Series documentary performer - 2 episodes
The Muppets
2011
performer: "The Muppet Show Theme", "Rainbow Connection", "Life's a Happy Song Finale"
The Muppet Show Theme
2011
Video short performer: "Muppet Show Theme Song"
Pastor Mike Online
2011
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
2009
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Jay Leno Show
2009
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Live from Studio Five
2009
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody
2009
Video short performer: "Bohemian Rhapsody Muppets Version"
Filthy Gorgeous: The Trannyshack Story
2005
Documentary performer: "The Muppet Show Theme"
Muppets Magic from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
2003
Video performer: "Octopus's Garden" - uncredited
Muppets Tonight
1996
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Die Hausmeisterin
1992
TV Series performer - 1 episode
A Muppet Family Christmas
1987
TV Movie performer: "We Need a Little Christmas", "Together at Christmas"
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
1986
TV Movie performer: "There's No Business Like Show Business", "The Muppet Show Theme", "Can You Tell Me How To Get To Sesame Street"
The Muppet Show
1980
TV Series performer - 1 episode
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
1979
TV Movie performer: "The Twelve Days Of Christmas", "Deck The Halls", "Carol For A Christmas Tree", "It's In Every One Of Us", "Silent Night/Stille Nacht", "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
1978
TV Movie performer: "True Blue Miracle"
Top of the Pops
1977
TV Series 1 episode
Saturday Night Live
1976
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Muppets Valentine Show
1974
TV Movie performer: "Love Is...", "Miss Mousey", "We Got Love"
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Saturday Night Live
1975-2011
TV Series
Various
The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour
2004
TV Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1965
TV Series
The Muppets
Costume Designer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Muppets.
2015
TV Series 7 episodes
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Muppets.
2015
TV Series assistant to bill barretta - 3 episodes
mental_floss: The List Show
2015
TV Series documentary short image & footage licensing - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
2014
TV Series
Themselves
Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular
2013
TV Special
Themselves
All I Need Is Love
2012
Video short
Themselves
The X Factor
2011
TV Series
Themselves - Special Guests
Talk Stoop with Cat Greenleaf
2011
TV Series
Group
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards
2011
TV Special
Themselves - Performers
Great Performances
2009
TV Series
Themselves
50 Years of Television: A Golden Celebration
1989
TV Movie documentary
Themselves - Hosts
Something Spectacular with Steve Allen
1981
TV Movie
Themselves
Bob Hope's Salute to the 75th Anniversary of the World Series
1978
TV Special
Themselves
Good Morning America
1977
TV Series
Themselves
The 29th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1977
TV Special
Themselves - Presenter
Peggy Fleming with Holiday on Ice at Madison Square Garden