Jane Henson

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Jane Ann Henson , born Nebel (born June 16, 1934 in St. Albans , Queens , New York City , † April 2, 2013 in Greenwich , Connecticut ) was an American puppeteer . With her husband Jim Henson , she created the characters that later became world famous through The Muppet Show .

Live and act

Jane Henson was born in New York's St. Albans neighborhood , the daughter of astrologer Adalbert Nebel (stage name Dal Lee) and his wife Winifred Johnson Nebel. There she grew up with her older siblings Margareta and Brereton.

In 1954, while studying fine arts at the University of Maryland , she met Jim Henson, two years her junior, in a puppet show. When Jim Henson got the offer for his own puppet show from the broadcaster WRC-TV ( NBC 4) in Washington, DC , he asked her to work as a puppeteer and designer.

Together they produced the five-minute show Sam and Friends , which aired twice a day before The Huntley-Brinkley Report and The Tonight Show starring Steve Allen . This forerunner of the Muppet Show, which featured a character similar to Kermit the Frog , soon grew in popularity with television viewers and made guest appearances in various variety shows . Together with Jim Henson, Jane Henson created not only Kermit but also later doll classics such as Miss Piggy . She had a significant influence on the development of the Muppet Show and is often referred to in the media as the mother of the Muppets .

In 1955, Henson graduated and continued to work at WRC-TV. She also attended the Catholic University of America in Washington and continued her art studies. In May 1959 she married Jim Henson at her parents' house in Salisbury . From the following year onwards, the couple had two daughters and two sons within five years, followed by another daughter in 1970. Her children include the award-winning television producer, director and puppeteer Brian Henson (* 1963). While Jane Henson was raising the children, she no longer worked as a puppeteer, but was responsible for hiring new employees and made an appearance on Sesame Street .

After the family moved to Greenwich , Connecticut , Henson worked as an assistant in art class at the Mead School for Human Development. She also took part in the realization of various projects for the Jim Henson Company, such as the traveling exhibition The Art of The Muppets , The Muppet Show on Tour and live stage shows on Sesame Street. She was on the board of directors of the Jim Henson Foundation, founded in 1982, which awarded grants to American puppeteers. She has worked with various theater and puppetry organizations, including the Eugene O'Neill Theater Cente in Waterford , where she co-founded and sponsored The National Puppetry Conference .

In 1986, Henson and her husband separated, who died four years later. In 1992, Henson founded The Jim Henson Legacy to manage and preserve her husband's artistic legacy.

Jane Henson died at her Connecticut home at the age of 78 after an extended period of cancer.

Filmography

  • 1955-1961: Sam and Friends
  • 1962: Tales of the Tinkerdee
  • 1965: Wilson's Meats Meeting Film (short film)
  • 1969: Sesame Street ( Sesame Street , TV series)
  • 1973: Julie on Sesame Street
  • 1974: The Muppets Valentine Show
  • 1975: The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence
  • 1976: The Muppet Show ( The Muppet Show , TV Series)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Jane Nebel Henson 1934–2013  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. reuters.com, accessed April 5, 2013.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.reuters.com  
  2. ↑ Jane Nebel in the household of Adalbert Nebel, "United States Census, 1940" familysearch.org, accessed April 5, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Mother of the Muppets", Jane Henson died. In: Focus April 3, 2012, accessed April 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ a b c Muppets designer Jane Henson dies. In: The Guardian April 3, 2013, accessed April 5, 2013.
  5. ^ Muppets co-creator Jane Henson dies. In: The Telegraph April 3, 2013, accessed April 5, 2013.
personal data
SURNAME Henson, Jane
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Henson, Jane Ann; Nebel, Jane Ann (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American puppeteer
DATE OF BIRTH June 16, 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH St. Albans , Queens , New York City
DATE OF DEATH 2nd April 2013
Place of death Greenwich , Connecticut