The Jim Henson Hour
Encyclopedia
The Jim Henson Hour was a short-lived television series that aired on NBC
in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company
's various puppet creations, including the popular Muppet characters. Only nine of the twelve episodes produced managed to air on NBC before the low-rated program was cancelled. Two later aired on Nickelodeon
in 1992 and 1993, and the final episode never aired in the US, but it did air in the UK in 1990.
would enter an oddly-decorated set (alongside the Thought Lion puppet from his series The Storyteller
) and introduce the evening's show. Beyond that, the series never had a set structure. The room where Jim and the Thought Lion performed their introduction was computer animated.
Three of the thirteen installments were hour-long mini-movies:
Other shows like "Secrets of the Muppets" went behind the scenes at Henson studios, showing how the Muppets are built and operated.
Ordinarily, however, the hour was split into two thirty-minute segments. These shows would always start with a modernized variation of The Muppet Show
, titled MuppeTelevision (see below). That would often lead into more serious and sometimes darker content, such as a rerun of The Storyteller
. Occasionally, a light-hearted story or more Muppet antics would close out the hour in the second half.
The first episode produced -- Sesame Street... 20 Years & Still Counting -- was aired as a lone special. Henson's series officially premiered a week later.
The show on average brought in an average household rating of just 5.29. The show ranked only 100th out of 105 programs to air that season, and was the lowest-rated program to air on the Big Three networks that season.
, the new twist being that the Muppets
were now running an entire cable television network rather than a single variety show. The Muppets broadcast their network's programming from a unique control room called "Muppet Central". Regulars included past favorites Kermit the Frog
, The Great Gonzo
and Link Hogthrob
in addition to new characters Digit, Leon the Lizard
, Lindbergh the Kiwi
, Vicki, and Waldo C. Graphic
.
Fozzie Bear
and Miss Piggy
appeared only intermittently, as their performer Frank Oz
was busy with a directorial career. Miss Piggy did get her own thirty-minute special in one show, called Miss Piggy's Hollywood, in which she and Gonzo tried to interview unwilling celebrities.
The house band for MuppeTelevision was called Solid Foam, taking the place of the psychedelic Electric Mayhem
band that had appeared in most previous Muppet projects. The band included:
Electric Mayhem regulars Zoot and Animal
did eventually creep into Solid Foam in the episode "Food." Only Clifford would sustain any existence outside of MuppeTelevision.
MuppeTelevision also tends to get interrupted on some occasions by an illegal TV station called Gorilla Television run by Ubu the Gorilla
, Chip, and Zondra.
Continuing in The Muppet Show tradition, every episode had a celebrity guest star. Louie Anderson
, Ted Danson
, Smokey Robinson
, Buster Poindexter, and k.d. lang
were among those who got a chance to appear in the show's brief run.
Episode 4 included Dog City
, which was released on DVD in 2010.
Episode 7 included The Song of the Cloud Forest
, which was released on DVD in 2010.
In 1992, children's cable network Nickelodeon
aired Secrets of the Muppets, one of the lost episodes. They followed with another unaired episode, Living with Dinosaurs, in 1993. The final hour — consisting of the MuppeTelevision installment "Food" and Storyteller
episode "The Three Ravens" — aired in the UK in 1990. This is the only episode of The Jim Henson Hour that has never aired in the US.
After The Jim Henson Hour, the Muppets would not have another prime-time TV show until Muppets Tonight
in 1996, long after the death of Jim Henson.
Today, the MuppeTelevision segments are bundled with the original Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes into a single syndication package.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
's various puppet creations, including the popular Muppet characters. Only nine of the twelve episodes produced managed to air on NBC before the low-rated program was cancelled. Two later aired on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
in 1992 and 1993, and the final episode never aired in the US, but it did air in the UK in 1990.
Format
The Jim Henson Hour was modeled after the old Walt Disney Presents specials, in which every week Disney would show off the latest innovations and creations of his production company. At the beginning of each episode, Jim HensonJim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
would enter an oddly-decorated set (alongside the Thought Lion puppet from his series The Storyteller
The Storyteller
The StoryTeller is a live-action/puppet television series. It was an American/British co-production which originally aired in 1988 and was created and produced by Jim Henson....
) and introduce the evening's show. Beyond that, the series never had a set structure. The room where Jim and the Thought Lion performed their introduction was computer animated.
Three of the thirteen installments were hour-long mini-movies:
- The faux film noirFilm noirFilm noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
"Dog City", narrated by Muppet Rowlf the DogRowlf the DogRowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson.... - "Monster Maker", in which an alienated teenager begins secretly working at a special-effects company
- "Living with Dinosaurs", in which a young boy's stuffed Dinosaur comes to life and helps him deal with a troubled family life.
Other shows like "Secrets of the Muppets" went behind the scenes at Henson studios, showing how the Muppets are built and operated.
Ordinarily, however, the hour was split into two thirty-minute segments. These shows would always start with a modernized variation of The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
, titled MuppeTelevision (see below). That would often lead into more serious and sometimes darker content, such as a rerun of The Storyteller
The Storyteller
The StoryTeller is a live-action/puppet television series. It was an American/British co-production which originally aired in 1988 and was created and produced by Jim Henson....
. Occasionally, a light-hearted story or more Muppet antics would close out the hour in the second half.
The first episode produced -- Sesame Street... 20 Years & Still Counting -- was aired as a lone special. Henson's series officially premiered a week later.
Ratings Data
All ratings data courtesy of TVTango.com's TV listings database.- Episode 1: 7.7 rating
- Episode 2: 6.2 rating
- Episode 3: 5.8 rating
- Episode 4: 5.6 rating
- Episode 5: 5.2 rating
- Episode 6: 4.6 rating
- Episode 7: 3.9 rating
- Episode 8: 4.0 rating
- Episode 9: 4.6 rating
The show on average brought in an average household rating of just 5.29. The show ranked only 100th out of 105 programs to air that season, and was the lowest-rated program to air on the Big Three networks that season.
MuppeTelevision
MuppeTelevision regularly occupied the first half of The Jim Henson Hour. It was an updated version of the classic series The Muppet ShowThe Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
, the new twist being that the Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
were now running an entire cable television network rather than a single variety show. The Muppets broadcast their network's programming from a unique control room called "Muppet Central". Regulars included past favorites Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
, The Great Gonzo
Gonzo (Muppet)
Gonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
and Link Hogthrob
Link Hogthrob
Link Hogthrob was a fictional character, a Muppet pig on The Muppet Show, performed by Jim Henson. The character was that of a stereotypical leading man, with wavy blond hair, a manly cleft chin, and a high opinion of himself, but not much between the ears....
in addition to new characters Digit, Leon the Lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
, Lindbergh the Kiwi
Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
, Vicki, and Waldo C. Graphic
Waldo C. Graphic
Waldo C. Graphic is a computer-generated puppet character who appeared in the movie Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D and the television series The Jim Henson Hour. He was performed by Steve Whitmire...
.
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
and Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
appeared only intermittently, as their performer Frank Oz
Frank Oz
Frank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
was busy with a directorial career. Miss Piggy did get her own thirty-minute special in one show, called Miss Piggy's Hollywood, in which she and Gonzo tried to interview unwilling celebrities.
The house band for MuppeTelevision was called Solid Foam, taking the place of the psychedelic Electric Mayhem
Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
band that had appeared in most previous Muppet projects. The band included:
- Digit on keyboard
- Flash on saxophone and vocals
- CliffordClifford (Muppet)Clifford is a Muppet character, performed by Kevin Clash. He is a violet-colored creature with multi-colored dreadlocks and big lips. Like many other Muppets, it is never specified what kind of creature he is, but it is speculated that he is in fact a catfish.He was created to be the bass guitar...
on bass guitar and vocals - Beard on guitar and vocals
- The Female Drummer of the Solid Foam on drums
Electric Mayhem regulars Zoot and Animal
Animal (Muppet)
Animal is the primitive man and crazed drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the fictional band from The Muppet Show. He is one of the Muppets originally created by Michael K...
did eventually creep into Solid Foam in the episode "Food." Only Clifford would sustain any existence outside of MuppeTelevision.
MuppeTelevision also tends to get interrupted on some occasions by an illegal TV station called Gorilla Television run by Ubu the Gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
, Chip, and Zondra.
Continuing in The Muppet Show tradition, every episode had a celebrity guest star. Louie Anderson
Louie Anderson
Louie Perry Anderson is an American stand-up comedian. Anderson created the cartoon series Life with Louie, has written three books, and was the initial host of the second revival of the game show Family Feud, from 1999 to 2002....
, Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Buster Poindexter, and k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
were among those who got a chance to appear in the show's brief run.
Episodes
- Science Fiction -
- Aquatic Life -
- Monster Telethon -
- Dog City -
- The Ratings Game -
- Monster MakerMonster MakerMonster Maker is 45-minute television special, adapted by Matthew Jacobs from the novel of the same name by Nicholas Fisk.Harry Dean Stanton plays an American Special Effects expert living in London, who is befriended by a young fan named Matt Banting...
- - Health and Fitness -
- Musicians -
- Garbage -
- Secret of the Muppets -
- Living with Dinosaurs -
- Food -
Episode 4 included Dog City
Dog City
Dog City is a television series that was produced by Nelvana Limited and Jim Henson Productions and aired on FOX from September 26, 1992 to January 28, 1995, and in Canada on Global in 1993, then on Teletoon until 2000. The show contained both animation by Nelvana, and puppetry by Jim Henson...
, which was released on DVD in 2010.
Episode 7 included The Song of the Cloud Forest
The Song of the Cloud Forest
The Song of the Cloud Forest is a Muppet story that was first shown as part of episode 7 of the short lived television series The Jim Henson Hour and later included on the DVD "Jim Henson's The Song of the Cloud Forest and Other Earth Stories". It was written by David Young, and featured music by...
, which was released on DVD in 2010.
Cast
- Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
- Himself - John HurtJohn HurtJohn Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
- Storyteller - Erica Lancaster - Amanda
- Jennifer Lee - Bootsie
- Andrew WilsonAndrew WilsonAndrew Wilson or Andy Wilson may refer to:*Andrew Wilson , Unificationist educator*Andrew Wilson , US actor*Andrew Wilson , Scottish landscape-painter...
- Brad
Muppet Performers
- Camille Bonora - Fern, Jojo
- Fran BrillFran BrillFrances Joan "Fran" Brill , is an American actress and puppeteer, best known for her roles on Sesame Street.Brill was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Linette and Joseph M. Brill. Her father was a physician...
- Vicki, Merlin's Assistant, Alfonso D'Bruzzo, Maxine, Solid Foam Drummer, Zondra - Kevin ClashKevin ClashKevin Jeffrey Clash is an American puppeteer and voice actor whose characters include Elmo, Baby Sinclair, Clifford, Splinter and Hoots the Owl...
- Leon the Lizard, CliffordClifford (Muppet)Clifford is a Muppet character, performed by Kevin Clash. He is a violet-colored creature with multi-colored dreadlocks and big lips. Like many other Muppets, it is never specified what kind of creature he is, but it is speculated that he is in fact a catfish.He was created to be the bass guitar...
, Codzilla, Doglion, Voice of Timmy Monster, ZootZootZoot may refer to:*Zoot , an Australian pop group active 1965-1971*Zoot, a character in the television series The Tribe*Zoot, a character in the fictional Muppet band Dr... - Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
- Digit, GonzoGONZO, stylized as GONZO, is a Japanese anime studio, owned by the company's corporate parent, the GDH group. In June 2006, it signed a long-term output deal with the anime television network, Animax, which saw Animax broadcasting all of Gonzo's anime titles across all of its networks around the world,...
, one of The Extremes, Cabbage, Doglion, Timmy Monster, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew - Brian HensonBrian HensonBrian Henson is an Academy Award-winning puppeteer, director, producer, and technician. The son of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson, Brian was born in New York City, New York....
- Storyteller's Dog, Dog the Dinosaur - Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
- Kermit the FrogKermit the FrogKermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
, Timrek the Gorf, Link HogthrobLink HogthrobLink Hogthrob was a fictional character, a Muppet pig on The Muppet Show, performed by Jim Henson. The character was that of a stereotypical leading man, with wavy blond hair, a manly cleft chin, and a high opinion of himself, but not much between the ears....
, Rowlf the DogRowlf the DogRowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson....
, Timecaster, Waldorf, The Muppet Newsman, The Swedish Chef, Doglion, Waldo C. GraphicWaldo C. GraphicWaldo C. Graphic is a computer-generated puppet character who appeared in the movie Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D and the television series The Jim Henson Hour. He was performed by Steve Whitmire...
(demonstration only), Whatnot (demonstration only) - Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
- BeakerBeaker (Muppet)Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask....
, Statler - Brian Knatchbull -
- Trish Leeper -
- Rob MillsRob MillsRob Mills is an Australian singer best known as one of the finalists from Australian Idol 2003. He was a co-host on the late-night quiz show The Mint as well as a regular singer on the game show The Singing Bee both on the Nine Network...
- SweetumsSweetumsSweetums is a very large, imposing and hairy Muppet of about eight feet. Despite appearing menacing, he is often depicted as friendly and harmless.-Description:...
, Gramps, Ubu the Gorilla (2nd Time), AnimalAnimal (Muppet)Animal is the primitive man and crazed drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the fictional band from The Muppet Show. He is one of the Muppets originally created by Michael K... - Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
- Lobster, Narrator, Jo Beth Garfdehoo, Sheep, Shark, Fish, Beard, Luncheon Counter Monster, Cow, a guy with a sword through his head, Garbage, Raccoon, Slim - Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
- Fozzie BearFozzie BearFozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
, Miss PiggyMiss PiggyMiss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002.... - Dan RedicanDan RedicanDan Redican is a Canadian comedy writer and performer and puppeteer, best known for his work with the comedy troupe, The Frantics. As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage shows, the Frantic Times radio show, Four on the Floor TV show...
- Beautiful Day Monster, Rhonda, Anthony - Gord Robertson - Lindbergh the Kiwi, Luncheon Counter Monster, Timmy Monster, Rat
- Sandra ShamasSandra ShamasSandra Shamas is a Canadian comedic actress and writer.The oldest of three children born to Lebanese immigrants, Shamas left home at age 17 and moved to Toronto, where she held a variety of jobs before a workshop at The Second City inspired her to pursue a career in performing arts...
- - Bob StuttBob StuttBob Stutt is a Canadian puppeteer/writer, who has starred in various children's television programs throughout his career.He has appeared in the following television series:* Canadian Sesame Street – Basil...
- Ubu the Gorilla (1st Time) - Karen Valleau -
- Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
- Waldo C. Graphic, Bean BunnyBean BunnyBean Bunny is one of the Muppets. His first appearance was in the HBO special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. He is performed by Steve Whitmire...
, Foo-FooFoo-FooFoo-Foo is a fictional dog in The Muppet Show. She is a white poodle owned by Muppet diva Miss Piggy. She is very tender towards her, even to the point of sickly saccharine baby talk. In the first episode of Muppets Tonight, Piggy gets jealous of Michelle Pfeiffer and sics the poodle on her during...
, one of the Extremes, Jacques Roach, Flash, Garbage, Billy the Bear, Doozer
Special Guest Stars
- Louie AndersonLouie AndersonLouie Perry Anderson is an American stand-up comedian. Anderson created the cartoon series Life with Louie, has written three books, and was the initial host of the second revival of the game show Family Feud, from 1999 to 2002....
- Himself - Justine BatemanJustine BatemanJustine Tanya Bateman is an American actress, writer, and producer. She is best known for her regular role as Mallory Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties...
- Herself - Ted DansonTed DansonEdward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
- Himself - Michael GambonMichael GambonSir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
- Ultragorgon (voice) - Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
- Himself - David JohansenDavid JohansenDavid Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
- Himself - K.d. langK.D. LangKathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
- Herself - Bobby McFerrinBobby McFerrinRobert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner.-Life:...
- Himself - Dudley MooreDudley MooreDudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
- Himself - The NylonsThe NylonsThe Nylons are an a cappella group founded in 1978 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Best known for their covers of The Turtles' "Happy Together", Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", and The Tokens' version of the traditional "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"....
- Themselves - Jane PauleyJane PauleyMargaret Jane Pauley is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975...
- Herself - Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
- Himself - Karl Rumberg - Himself
- Willard ScottWillard ScottWillard Herman Scott, Jr. is an American media personality and author best known for his television work on NBC's The Today Show and as the creator of the Ronald McDonald character.-Early years:...
- Himself - Harry Dean StantonHarry Dean StantonHarry Dean Stanton is an American actor, musician, and singer. Stanton's career has spanned over fifty years, which has seen him star in such films as Paris, Texas, Kelly's Heroes, Dillinger, Alien, Repo Man, The Last Temptation of Christ, Wild at Heart, The Green Mile and The Pledge...
- Chancey Bellows - Marc WeinerMarc WeinerMarc Weiner is an American comedian, clown, puppeteer, and television producer. Born into the Weiner family as the middle child between his brothers Jonas and Jess, Has 3 children, Rebecca who is married to Yerucham Pliner, Max who is a successful musician and Sara who is very pretty...
- Himself - George WendtGeorge WendtGeorge Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
- Himself - Kathleen Wirt - Herself
Cancellation and "lost" episodes
The show frequently acknowledged its own low ratings, with segments offering satirical takes on what viewers would rather watch—violent movies, ridiculous stunts, etc. In the end, the show produced just twelve episodes, three of which did not make it to air before cancellation.In 1992, children's cable network Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
aired Secrets of the Muppets, one of the lost episodes. They followed with another unaired episode, Living with Dinosaurs, in 1993. The final hour — consisting of the MuppeTelevision installment "Food" and Storyteller
The Storyteller
The StoryTeller is a live-action/puppet television series. It was an American/British co-production which originally aired in 1988 and was created and produced by Jim Henson....
episode "The Three Ravens" — aired in the UK in 1990. This is the only episode of The Jim Henson Hour that has never aired in the US.
After The Jim Henson Hour, the Muppets would not have another prime-time TV show until Muppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight
Muppets Tonight is a live-action/puppet television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of The Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight was a continuation of The Muppet Show, set in a television studio, rather than a theater.-Format:The...
in 1996, long after the death of Jim Henson.
Today, the MuppeTelevision segments are bundled with the original Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight episodes into a single syndication package.