Nostalgia
Jim Henson Would Have Turned 90 This Week — but His Family Hasn’t Owned Kermit the Frog in 22 Years
Jim Henson would have turned 90 on September 24. Here’s what happened to his beloved Muppets after his death in 1990.
The man behind Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets would have turned 90 years old on September 24. Jim Henson died in May 1990, shared Entertainment Weekly, after a severe strep infection. Thankfully, the beloved characters that Henson created are still bringing joy and laughter to children all around the world.
What fans may not realize is that Henson’s family hasn’t owned Kermit or the rest of the Muppet dynasty in over two decades.
A few months before his unexpected death at 53, Henson made a deal with Walt Disney Co. The company would take on ownership of Henson Associates, and Henson would be paid nearly $200 million.
After Henson’s death, Disney backed out of the deal. However, Entertainment Weekly noted Henson’s son, Brian Henson, sued Disney.
The case was settled out of court, and Disney has continued to develop projects featuring the beloved characters. Ultimately, the deal to transfer ownership of Henson Associates, without including Sesame Street, was not completed until 2004.
In celebration of Henson’s birthday, The Jim Henson Exhibition will run at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York from September 24 to 27.
The exhibition includes screenings, puppet workshops, and “special guests” along with sing-alongs, fan art, guided tours, a costume contest, and a swap meet.
Fans of Henson and his work took to social media to honor him on what would have been his 90th birthday.
On the Sesame Street Facebook page, one wrote, “So much creative genius in one person—Thank you, Jim Henson for making every child’s life more magical, more imaginative, and more dream infused!!”
Another added, “One of only 2 celebrities I ever cried for when they died. Jim Henson brought such joy into the world. His legacy lives on.”
In a Muppets subreddit, another fan wrote, “The world got so much joy from his imagination. It’s amazing how one person’s work continues to shape childhoods and inspire artists decades later.”
