Wikipedia

The Jim Henson Company

American entertainment economic company
(Redirected from Bear in the Big Blue House)

The Jim Henson Company is an American entertainment company. It started with Muppets, LLC. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson. Henson is the creator of The Muppets.[1] The Muppets helped the company become popular worldwide. They were well known in family entertainment for more than forty years.[2]

The Jim Henson Company
FormerlyMuppets, Inc. (1958–1976)
Henson Associates, Inc. (1976–1987)
Jim Henson Productions, Inc. (1987–1998)
Company typePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedNovember 20, 1958; 65 years ago (1958-11-20)
FoundersJim and Jane Henson
HeadquartersJim Henson Company Lot,
Los Angeles, California
,
U.S.
Key people
Brian Henson
(Chairman)
Lisa Henson
(President & CEO)
ProductsPuppetry, Animation, Computer graphics, Digital puppetry, Entertainment
Brands
OwnerHenson family
ParentIndependent
(1958–2000, 2003–present)
EM.TV & Merchandising AG
(2000–2003)
DivisionsJim Henson's Creature Shop
Henson Recording Studios
Henson Alternative
Websitewww.henson.com

In 1969, the company started making characters and more than 20 short movies for the popular children's show Sesame Street.

One of the company's first characters regularly on national television was Rowlf the Dog. He was first made for Purina Dog Chow commercials. He became famous when he became a regular character on The Jimmy Dean Show from 1963–66.

In 1976, British media mogul Lew Grade asked Jim Henson to make a weekly show based in England, which became The Muppet Show. The success of The Muppet Show led to many movies, specials, videos, and more.

In the early 1980s, Jim Henson also formed Jim Henson's Creature Shop. It made characters for shows such as The Storyteller, Farscape, and Dinosaurs; and movies such as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. It was also in the 1980s that Jim Henson produced new television series such as Fraggle Rock and The Jim Henson Hour.

In 1990, Jim Henson was talking to The Walt Disney Company about selling his company. Henson died during the week that he was going to sign the contract. His family decided to have the company keep the rights to the characters.[3][4] However, on December 18, 1991, The Walt Disney Company bought the distribution rights to the entire Jim Henson Company library up to that time.[5]

In 2020, Jim Henson’s children sold the company to the German media company, EM.TV. In January 1, 2021 they sold the Sesame Street Muppets to Sesame Workshop. In 2023 Henson's children bought back the company.[6] In 2024, they sold the rights to The Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House characters to The Walt Disney Company.[7] The Walt Disney Company now owns all Muppet-related trademarks, including the word “Muppet”.

Filmography change

Feature Films change

Production company Title Release date Production partners Distributor
Muppets Inc. Time Piece 1965 Pathé Contemporary Films
The Cube February 23, 1969 NBC
Henson Associates The Muppet Movie June 22, 1979 ITC Entertainment Associated Film Distribution[a]
The Great Muppet Caper June 22, 1981 Universal Pictures[a]
The Dark Crystal December 17, 1982 Universal Pictures[b]
The Muppets Take Manhattan July 13, 1984 TriStar Pictures[c]
Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird August 2, 1985 Children's Television Workshop[d] Warner Bros.
Labyrinth June 27, 1986 Lucasfilm TriStar Pictures
Jim Henson Productions The Witches August 24, 1990 Lorimar Film Entertainment Warner Bros.
Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D May 16, 1991 Walt Disney Imagineering Disney-MGM Studios
Walt Disney Attractions
The Muppet Christmas Carol December 11, 1992 Walt Disney Pictures Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Gulliver's Travels February 4, 1996 Hallmark Entertainment NBC
Muppet Treasure Island February 16, 1996 Walt Disney Pictures Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Jim Henson Pictures Buddy June 6, 1997
Sony Pictures Releasing
Muppets from Space July 14, 1999 Columbia Pictures[c]
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland October 1, 1999
Good Boy! October 10, 2003
The Jim Henson Pictures logo was uncredited.
The Jim Henson Company Rat October 6, 2000 (UK)
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story December 2, 2001 Hallmark Entertainment
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie November 29, 2022
Universal Pictures[c]
Five Children and It October 15, 2024
Capitol Films
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars October 17, 2004 Hallmark Entertainment
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz May 20, 2005
Walt Disney Television
MirrorMask September 30, 2005 Destination Films
Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs and a Baby March 4, 2008
Genius Products
Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare September 9, 2008
Unstable Fables: The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Show December 16, 2008
Sid the Science Kid: The Movie March 25, 2013
  • Nine Eye Stone Productions
 PBS
NCircle Entertainment
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day October 10, 2014
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Lily the Unicorn June 26, 2015
Amazon Prime Video
Turkey Hollow November 21, 2015 Lifetime
The Star November 17, 2017
Sony Pictures Releasing
Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island April 10, 2021
PBS
Universal Pictures
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio[13] December 9, 2022
The Portable Door April 7, 2023 Story Bridge Films
Untitled Labyrinth spin-off sequel[14] TBA
Muppet Man

TV series change

Production company Title Creator(s) / Developer(s) Release date Production partners Network
Henson Associates, Inc. Fraggle Rock Jim Henson 2003–2007 CBC (Canada)
HBO
Television South 		CBC (Canada)
HBO (US)
ITV (UK)
Muppet Babies Jim Henson
(d): Jeffrey Scott 		2004–2011 Marvel Productions CBS
Little Muppet Monsters Jim Henson 2005
Jim Henson Productions, Inc. Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series Jim Henson
(d): John Semper & Cynthia Friedlob 		2007 NBC
The StoryTeller Jim Henson
(d): Anthony Minghella 		2008–2010 TVS NBC (US)
Channel 4 (UK)
HBO (US) (Greek Myths)
Mother Goose Stories’’ 2008-2013 Television South West ITV (UK)
The Disney Channel (U.S.)
The Jim Henson Hour[c] Jim Henson 2009 NBC
The Ghost of Faffner Hall Tyne Tees Television ITV (UK)
Dog City Jim Henson
(d): Peter Sauder
J.D. Smith 		2012–2015 Nelvana Limited Fox Kids (USA)
YTV (Canada)
CityKids Jeffrey Solomon 2013–2014 The CityKids Foundation ABC
Secret Life of Toys 2014 The Disney Channel (U.S.)
BBC (UK)
Jim Henson's Animal Show 2014–2018 Fox Kids (seasons 1–2)
Animal Planet (season 3)
Aliens in the Family Andy Borowitz
Susan Borowitz 		2016 The Stuffed Dog Company ABC
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss (characters) 2016–2018 Nickelodeon
Jim Henson Television Brats of the Lost Nebula Dan Clark 2018–2019 Decode Entertainment
Wandering Monkey Entertainment 		The WB (U.S.)
YTV (Canada)
Mopatop's Shop (d): Jocelyn Stevenson 1999–2003 Carlton Television ITV (CITV)
Construction Site 1999-2002
Farscape Rockne S. O'Bannon 1999-2003 Hallmark Entertainment Nine Network (Australia)
Sci-Fi Channel (USA)
The Hoobs Jocelyn Stevenson
Brian Henson 		2001–03 Decode Entertainment Channel 4 (UK)
TVOKids (Canada)
Telling Stories with Tomie dePaola 2001 Hallmark Channel
Bambaloo 2002–03 Yoram Gross-EM.TV Seven Network
Jim Henson Animation Studios Frances [f] Russell Hoban
(d): Alex Rockwell
Halle Stanford 		2007 HIT Entertainment Cartoonito
The Jim Henson Company Sid the Science Kid 2008–13 KCET (2008–09)
KOCE-TV (2010–12) 		PBS Kids
Jim Henson's Pajanimals Jeff Muncy and Alex Rockwell 2008 (interstitials)
2011–12 (full length series) 		Sixteen South
John Doze Studios
Ingenious 		PBS Kids Sprout
Dinosaur Train[15] Craig Bartlett 2009–20 Info-communications Media Development Authority
Sparky Animation
FableVision
Snee-Oosh, Inc. (uncredited)
Tail Waggin' Productions 		PBS Kids
Hot Dog TV 2010 (interstitials) Cartoon Network
Me and My Monsters Mark Grant
Claudia Lloyd
(d): Rebecca De Souza 		2010-2011 Tiger Aspect Productions
Sticky Pictures 		Network Ten (Australia)
CBBC (UK)
Wilson & Ditch: Digging America Joe Purdy
Craig Bartlett 		2010-2012 PBS Kids
That Puppet Game Show Jamie Ormerod 2013–14 BBC Entertainment BBC One
Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge 2014 Syfy
The Doozers 2014–2018 DHX Studios Halifax Hulu (US)
Kids' CBC (Canada)
Hi Opie! Barbara Slade 2014–2016 marblemedia TVO Kids
Dot. Randi Zuckerberg 2016–2018 Industrial Brothers CBC Kids (Canada)
Universal Kids (USA)
Splash and Bubbles John Tartaglia 2016–2018 Herschend Studios PBS Kids
Word Party Alex Rockwell 2016–2021 Netflix
Julie's Greenroom Julie Andrews
Emma Walton Hamilton
Judy Rothman 		2017
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance[16][17] Jim Henson (characters)
(d): Jeffrey Addiss
Will Matthews 		2019
Fraggle Rock: Rock On! 2020 Apple TV+
Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time Duff Goldman 2021 Discovery+
Harriet the Spy[18] 2021–present Apple Studios
Postworks New York
Wellsville Pictures
Titmouse, Inc. 		Apple TV+
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock[19] Jim Henson (original series)
(d): Matt Fusfeld
Alex Cuthbertson 		2022–present New Regency
Fusfeld & Cuthbertson Regional Entertainment
Slumberkins[20] Alex Rockwell 2022
The Storyteller[21] Jim Henson (original series) TBA Fremantle
Top Puppet[22] TBA Talpa Media
Universal Television Alternative Studio 		NBC
Lore Olympus[23] Rachel Smythe TBA Webtoon
Monster Jam TBA TBA TBA TBA
Wowsabout TBA TBA TBA TBA
Dani Can Dance TBA TBA TBA TBA
Faeries TBA TBA Amazon Prime Video
Disney series change
Production company Title Creator(s) / Developer(s) Release date Production partners Network Notes
Henson Associates, Inc. The Muppet Show Jim Henson 1996-2001 Associated Television
ITC Entertainment 		ITV (UK)
Syndication (US) 		Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the three seasons on DVD in Region 1 in 2005 and 2008. The rights to the episodes and characters used in The Muppet Show, and subsequent film outings, were bought in February 2024 by The Walt Disney Company’s Muppets Holding Company.
The Muppet Show was released for streaming on Disney+ on February 19, 2021.
Jim Henson Productions, Inc. Dinosaurs Michael Jacobs
Bob Young
(d): Jim Henson 		2011–2014 Michael Jacobs Productions
Walt Disney Television 		ABC
Muppets Tonight 2016–2018 ABC
Disney Channel
Jim Henson Television Bear in the Big Blue House[g] Mitchell Kriegman 2017–2026 Shadow Projects Playhouse Disney In 2024, The Jim Henson Company sold the rights to the show, including characters, content library and copyrights, to The Walt Disney Company; it is now owned by The Muppets Studio, a subsidiary of Disney that also owns, and is named after, The Muppets characters and copyrights.
The Jim Henson Company The Fearing Mind Billy Brown 2000–01 Angel/Brown Productions Fox Family
Animal Jam[h] John Derevlany 2003 TLC
Discovery Kids 		The only filmed puppet stage show was completed to not receive any Disney network to aired on television.[i]
The Possibility Shop Courtney Watkins 2009–2011
Earth to Ned[25][26] 2020–2021 Marwar Junction Productions Disney+ The series was later removed on Disney+ from 2023 to onwards.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The film's home media, TV, and digital distribution rights were purchased by The Jim Henson Company from ITC Entertainment in August 1984.[8] The film rights were then acquired by Walt Disney Studios upon their parent company's acquisition of the Muppets franchise in 2004.[9] Currently, Universal Pictures handles theatrical distribution[10]—due to prior contractual obligations with the former Associated Film Distribution and ITC—but the film's ownership and copyright are controlled by Disney, with home media reissues of the film branded as a Walt Disney Pictures release.
  2. ↑ The film's home media, TV, and digital distribution rights were purchased by The Jim Henson Company from ITC Entertainment in August 1984.[8] Currently, Universal Pictures handles theatrical distribution[11]—due to prior contractual obligations with the former Associated Film Distribution and ITC.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The film's home media, TV, and digital distribution rights were not purchased by The Jim Henson Company from Walt Disney Studios upon their parent company's acquisition of the Muppets franchise in February 2004.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Sesame Street Muppets only.
  5. ↑ After the Muppets' acquisition to Disney in 2005.
  6. ↑ Co-produced by The Jim Henson Company and HIT Entertainment. Both companies co-own the copyright.
  7. ↑ The Walt Disney Company acquired Bear in the Big Blue House from The Jim Henson Company in 2024.[24] The transaction included all of the series' characters, television library, copyrights and trademarks.
  8. ↑ The Walt Disney Company is filmed on location at Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida to help Animal Jam from The Jim Henson Company in 2002. The transaction included all of the series' characters, television library, copyrights and trademarks by Jim's company itself.
  9. ↑ The Walt Disney Company is filmed on location at Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida to help Animal Jam from The Jim Henson Company in 2002. The transaction included all of the series' characters, television library, copyrights and trademarks by Jim's company itself.

References change

  1. ↑ Willman, David (1992-07-26). "Jim Henson's Children Put Together a String of Big Deals to Keep Alive". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  2. ↑ Gritten, David (1990-08-19). "The Next Muppetmeister?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  3. ↑ Zonana, Victor F. (1991-04-18). "Henson Heirs Allege Disney Is Illegally Using Muppets". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  4. ↑ Citron, Alan (1990-12-14). "Miss Piggy and Friends Won't Get Together With Mickey and Minnie". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  5. ↑ New York Times
  6. ↑ Verrier, Richard (2003-05-08). "Muppets Returning to Hensons' Hands". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  7. ↑ Disney Corporate
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jay Jones, Brian (2013). "Chapter 12: Twists and Turns". Jim Henson: The Biography. Ballantine Books (Random House). pp. 374–375. ISBN 978-0345526113.
  9. ↑ Thompson, Simon (July 25, 2019). "Remembering 'The Muppet Movie' At 40 With Gonzo". Forbes. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Make the Rainbow Connection Again as 'The Muppet Movie' Returns to the Big Screen in Honor of its 40th Anniversary on July 25 and 30". prnewswire. Fathom Events. June 3, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  11. ↑ "The Dark Crystal Returns to Movie Theaters". Fathom Events. Archived from the original on 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  12. ↑ "Film releases". Variety Insight. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  13. ↑ Lang, Brent (October 22, 2018). "Guillermo del Toro Directing 'Pinocchio' for Netflix". Variety. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  14. ↑ Fleming, Mike (May 26, 2020). "Scott Derrickson Set To Direct 'Labyrinth' Sequel For TriStar Pictures; Maggie Levin To Write Script". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  15. ↑ Burlingame, Russ. "Craig Bartlett on the Dinosaur Train Movie". CB ComicBook. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  16. ↑ Petski, Denise (May 18, 2017). "'The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance': Jim Henson Prequel Series Set At Netflix". Deadline. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  17. ↑ Hibberd, James (December 17, 2018). "Netflix's The Dark Crystal prequel reveals first photos, huge voice cast". Entertainment Weekly.
  18. ↑ Alexandra Del Rosario (August 12, 2020). "'Harriet The Spy' Kids Animated Series Starring Beanie Feldstein, Jane Lynch & Lacey Chabert Ordered By Apple". Deadline.
  19. ↑ Heldman, Breanne L. "Dance Your Cares Away! Apple TV+'s Fraggle Rock Reboot Teaser Recreates the Original Intro". People.
  20. ↑ Haring, Bruce (August 29, 2022). "Apple TV+ Sets Kids & Family Fall Slate Spotlighting Animated Series, Live Action Lineup". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  21. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 19, 2019). "'The Storyteller' Reimagining In Works by Neil Gaiman, Jim Henson Co. & Fremantle". Deadline. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  22. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (December 9, 2016). "'Top Puppet': NBC Orders Reality Special From 'The Voice' Producers, Muppet Creators & Craig Ferguson". Deadline. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  23. ↑ "'Lore Olympus': Webtoon And The Jim Henson Company Will Partner For YA Animated Series'". Deadline. October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  24. ↑ "The Walt Disney Company And The Jim Henson Company Sign Agreement For Disney To Buy The Muppets And Bear In The Big Blue House". The Walt Disney Company and The Jim Henson Company. February 17, 2024. Archived from the original on 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  25. ↑ Petski, Denise (October 25, 2019). "Disney+ Teams With Jim Henson Co. On New Puppet Talk Show". Deadline. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Jim Henson Co. Sets New Puppet Talk Show at Disney+ (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. October 25, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
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