First published 2013
Brian Jay Jones traces Jim Henson's journey from his Mississippi roots to becoming one of America's most beloved entertainers. The biography chronicles how a gentle dreamer created Kermit the Frog, Big Bird, Miss Piggy, and the entire Muppet universe that made him a household name. Jones draws on extensive interviews with Henson's family, friends, and collaborators, plus access to private archives and personal letters. The book covers Henson's contributions to Sesame Street and Saturday Night Live, his decade-long struggle to bring The Muppet Show to television, and ambitious projects like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Jones also explores Henson's failed ventures, including plans for a psychedelic nightclub and an all-puppet Broadway production. Beyond the public figure, the biography reveals Henson's private world: his Christian Science background, passion for fast cars and gambling, business acumen that earned comparisons to Walt Disney, and personal relationships. The account captures both Henson's collaborative leadership style and his persistent fear that time would run out before he could realize all his creative dreams.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: biography, creative-process, entertainment-industry
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
585 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books