Sept. 24, 1936: James Maury Henson is born in Greenville, Mississippi.
Spring 1954: Jim makes his first puppets.
1954: Henson and his creations made their debut on "The Junior Good Morning Show" in Washington, D.C. Jim meets Jane Nobel in a puppetry class at teh University of Maryland.
1955: "Sam and Friends" first airs on WRC-TV, Washington, D.C.'s NBC affiliate. The show airs live as five-minute shows at 6:25 pm and 11:25 pm nightly through December 15, 1961. Jane Nebel joins "Sam and Friends."
1957: Henson and his creations start to make commercials, starting with Wilkins Coffee and moving on to Royal Crown Cola, Purina Dog Chow and La Choy Chow Mein. Kermit the Frog makes his television debut, singing "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" to a purple monster named Yorick on Steve Allen's "Tonight Show."
1958: Jim graduates from the University of Maryland and spends the summer in Europe. Jim produces "Hansel and Gretel" upon his return from Europe. The Muppets appear on "The Jack Paar Show."
1959: "Sam and Friends" wins an Emmy Award for Best Local Entertainment Program. Jane Nebel and Jim Henson marry.
1960: The Muppets appear for the first time on the "Today" show, hosted by Dave Garroway. Lisa Henson is born.
1961: Jerry Juhl joins the company. The Muppets begin regular appearances on the "Today" show. One appearance prompts a call from the William Morris Agency; Bernie Brillstein becomes agent for the Muppets. Cheryl Henson is born.
December 15, 1961: "Sam and Friends" airs its last episode.
1963: The Muppets and the Henson family move to New York, opening a small office on 53rd Street. Don Sahlin officiallyl joins the company. Brian Henson is born.
August 1963: Frank Oz - the voice of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster and many others - joins Jim Henson's crew.
1963-66: Rowlf the Dog makes regular appearances on "The Jimmy Dean Show," a big-league variety hour on ABC.
1964: Jim makes a short film, "Timepiece."
1965: "Timepiece" has first screening at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and "Timepiece" receives an Academy Award nomination. The first meeting films are developed by Jim Henson and David Lazer for IBM. The pilot episode for "Hey Cinderella" is taped. The Muppets make an appearance on "Perry Como Christmas Show." Jerry Nelson works with Jim for the first time on "The Jimmy Dean Show" and tour. John Henson is born.
1966: Ed Sullivan introduces them as Jim Jensen and the Moffits in the first of many appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" lasting until 1971. They also make regular appearances on "The Mike Douglas Show" and "The Hollywood Palace."
1967: Incorporation of Cyclia Enterprises. This project is abandoned in 1970. Rowlf the Dog becomes mascot and salesdog.
1968: The film "Youth '68" begins taping to air on NBC Experiment in Television. "Muppets on Puppets" TV special taped to air on PBS. "Hey Cinderella" filmed in Toronto.
1969: "The Cube" is taped, to air on NBC Experiment Television.
November 11, 1969: The Muppets begin a long-running relationship with PBS' "Sesame Street."
1970: "The Great Santa Claus Switch" is taped. The first "Sesame Street" album, "Sesame Street Original" is recorded. Heather Henson is born.
1971: The Muppets have guest appearances on "The Flip Wilson Show," "Pure Goldie" (Goldie Hawn special), "Tom Jones...at Fantasy Fair," and a Dick Cavett special. "The Frog Prince" is taped in Toronto. Muppets are featured in Nancy Sinatra's Las Vegas nightclub act and TV special.
1972: "The Muppet Musicians of Bremen" is taped in Toronto. Richard Hunt joins the company. The Muppet appear in the "Perry Como Christmas Show."
1973: Julie Andrews on "Sesame Street" taped at ATV Studios in London. "Muppet Valentine Special" (with Mia Farrow) taped at ABC in New York.
1974: Dave Goelz joins the company. The Muppets make guest appearances on "The Tonight Show," "The Pat Collins Show," "What's My Line?" (Jim Henson as Mystery Guest), and the "Herb Alpert Special" (first appearance of Miss Piggy). Henson wins an Emmy for "outstanding achievement in the field of children's programming."
1975: The first Muppet Meeting films taped. The Muppets make guest appearances on the "Cher TV Special," "The Mike Douglas Show," "The Julie Andrews Special," "My Favorite Things" (ABC Afterschool Special), "The Andy William Special," "The Tonight Show," "A.M. America," and "The Peter Alexander Show." Jim Henson and Lord Lew Grade form an agreement to produce 24 episodes of "The Muppet Show." The first Bert & Ernie are placed in the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute. Michael K. Frith joins the company.
1975-76: Muppets like King Ploobis, Scred and the Mighty Favog appear on "Saturday Night Live."
September 1976: "The Muppet Show" debuts in syndication financed by British businessman Lord Lew Grade. "The Muppet Show Fan Club" is started.
March 1977: "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" debuts on cable.
1977: Rita Moreno wins an Emmy for her appearance on "The Muppet Show." Jim Henson and Brian Froud agree to work together on what will become "The Dark Crystal." New York City town house is purchased.
1978: Steve Whitmire joins the company. "The Muppet Show Book" is published. Jim and his daughter, Cheryl, are snowed in at Kennedy International Airport where they write the story of "The Dark Crystal." "The Muppet Movie" begins filming in Los Angeles. Development of Yoda for "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back." "The Muppet Show" recieves an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series.
November 1978: The helium-filled likeness of Kermit the Frog makes it first appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
1979: "The Muppet Movie" premieres. 1B Downshire Hill, Hampstead, London, is purchased. This building becomes the headquarters for the development of "The Dark Crystal" and will eventually become the home of Jim Henson's Creature Shop. "The Tonight Show" is hosted by Kermit the Frog. "The Muppets Go Hollywood" special airs on CBS. The episode "60 Minutes: Backstage at The Muppet Show" airs on CBS. The "Art of the Muppets" exhibit opens at Lincoln Center. Miss Piggy's first calendar is published. "John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together" special taped and album recorded.
1980: "The Muppet Show" ends production. The Muppets perform at UNIMA Puppet Festival, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. Prototype Sesame Place play park opens near Philadelphia. The first arena show, "Sesame Street Live" begins touring. "The Great Muppet Caper" begins filming. Muppet Stuff retail store opens in New York City.
1981: "The Great Muppet Caper" movie premieres. The Muppets comic strip is syndicated. "Of Muppets and Men," a TV special on the making of "The Muppet Show," is produced in London. UNIMA special "Here Come the Puppets" airs. "The Muppets Go To the Movies" special is taped in London. "The Dark Crystal" begins filming. The first creative meeting about "Fraggle Rock" takes place in London. "Pigs in Space" taped for NASA space shuttle. "Miss Piggy's Guide to Life" is published.
Jan. 10, 1982: "Fraggle Rock" debuts on HBO, introducing the world to Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs.
1982: Jim Henson directs the movie "The Dark Crystal." "The Dark Crystal" premieres. Henson Foundation established to promote, develop, and encourage public interest in the art of puppetry. "Miss Piggy's Treasury of Art Masterpieces from the Kermitage Collection" is published. "The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show" TV special airs on ABC.
1983: Muppet Magazine's premiere issue is published. "John Denver and the Muppets: A Rocky Mountain Holiday" TV special airs on ABC. "Big Bird in China," CTW special airs on NBC. "The World of the Dark Crystal" documentary airs on PBS. "The Muppets Take Manhattan" is filmed in Queens, New York. "Jim Henson Presents: The World of Puppetry" begins taping. National Wildlife Federation Public Service Announcements are taped in Central Park with Kermit and Fozzie. "Don't Eat the Pictures," CTW special, taped.
1984: "The Muppets Take Manhattan" movie premieres in the United States. The animated TV show "Muppet Babies" debuts. "Dreamchild" characters built at Jim Henson's Creature Shop, London. The "Sesame Street" movie, "Follow That Bird" is filmed in Toronto. "The Muppet Show on Tour" arena begins touring. "The Bells of Fraggle Rock" Christmas special airs on HBO. Oral-B Muppet toothbrushes are introduced.
1985: Principal photography begins on "Labyrinth." The "Sesame Street" movie "Follow That Bird" premieres. "Little Muppet Monsters" is taped. "The Muppets-A Celebration of 30 Years" is taped in Toronto. Fraggle float appears in Gumbel's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.
1986: "Labrinth" opens. "Inside the Labyrinth" documentary is produced. "Fraggle Rock" ends production. "The Tale of the Bunny Picnic" is taped in London. Keven Clash joins the company. The pilot for "Jim Henson's The Storyteller," "Hans My Hedgehog," is filmed in London. "The Christmas Toy" is filmed in Toronto
Dece. 6, 1986: "Kraft Presents - Jim Henson's The Christmas Toy" first appears on ABC.
1987: "The Storyteller, "Hans My Hedgehog" and "Fearnot," air on NBC. The "Puppetman" pilot is taped in Los Angeles. "Down at Fraggle Rock" documentary airs on CBC in Canada. Animals are built by Jim Henson's Creature Shop in London for the film "The Bear." Jim conducts TV/Muppet workshop in Charleville-Mezieres, France, at the Institute International de la Marionette. Animated "Fraggle Rock" debuts on NBC Saturday mornings. The Muppets appear on Ted Koppel's "Nightline: A National Town Meeting on Wall Street and the Economy." Jim is inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. "A Muppet Family Christmas" airs on ABC.
1988: "The Witches" is filmed in Norway under the direction of Nicholas Roeg. Shooting begins on "The Jim Henson Hour" pilot in Toronto. "The Ghost of Faffner Hall" begins production in Newcastle, England.
1989: "Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting" airs on NBC. "The Ghost of Faffner Hall" premieres on HBO. "The Jim Henson Hour" premieres on NBC. The merger agreement between The Walt Disney Company and Henson Associates, Inc., is announced. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are built by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. "Fraggle Rock" becomes the first American TV show to air in the U.S.S.R.
May 16, 1990: Jim Henson dies of a massive bacterial infection.
1990: "Here Come the Muppets" opens at Walt Disney World's Disney MGM Studios Theme Park. Nicholas Roeg's "The Witches" opens. "The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson" airs on CBS. "Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories" air on the Disney Channel. Henson Associates, Inc., and The Walt Disney Company agree to end merger negotiations.
