The Jim Henson Company
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Template:Infobox Company The Jim Henson Company is a company founded in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. Henson died in 1990; the company is now run by his son Brian and daughter Lisa, who serve as co-chairs and co-CEOs. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades. The company's units include Jim Henson Pictures, Jim Henson Television, Henson Recording Studio, and Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
The company was originally founded as Muppets, Inc. The name was later changed to Henson Associates (commonly abbreviated ha!), then to Jim Henson Productions in 1988, and its present name in the late 1990s.
Nine months before Jim Henson's death in May 16, 1990, he was negotiating the sale of his company to The Walt Disney Company for a reported $150 million. However, the deal fell through after his passing and the company remained independent.
On February 21, 2000, it was announced that German media company EM.TV & Merchandising AG would buy The Jim Henson Company for $680 million. Soon after EM.TV's stock began to plummet and Henson was put up for sale a year later.
On May 7, 2003, the Henson family repurchased the Henson Company for $78 million. Nine months later they sold the rights to the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House to Disney, 15 years after the first Disney-Muppet deal had been announced.
Kermit the Frog served as the mascot for The Jim Henson Company until the sale of the Muppet characters to The Walt Disney Company.
On March 15, 2005, The Jim Henson Company annouced that they are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the company with a number of events, starting with screenings of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth on April 23 at the Newport Beach Film Festival. 2005 marks 50 years since the premiere of Jim Henson's first show on TV, Sam and Friends.
External links
- Official web site (http://www.henson.com/)
- Henson Recording Studio (http://www.hensonrecording.com/)