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The Jim Henson Story


 
See Also:
Beginning of a FAMOUS Hero: The Walt Disney Story.
Life Lesson #26 – Think BIG!.

 

If your birthday happens to be on September 24th, then you share a birthday with a kid who grew up to be famous all over the world! He was born in Greenville, Mississippi in 1936, and his name was James Henson, but everybody called him Jim.

Jim had a very happy childhood, and he loved exploring. He would explore the countryside around his house, and he would explore his own artistic abilities. He had a natural talent for creating art out of different materials and for creating fun stories.

Because of his talent and his attitude of excellence, he was hired by a television station in Washington D.C. to do a puppet show while he was still in high school! Once again, his excellence astounded everyone, and soon he was doing a LOT of television shows and creating his own puppets except to be different, he called his puppets “Muppets.”

One of Jim’s first muppets (and probably still the most popular) was named Kermit after one of his childhood friends.

Soon, the people who started a program called Sesame Street asked Jim Henson to create some stars for their new show, and that’s when his sense of excellence came through again with Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, and many others.
Not only did Jim Henson practice excellence in everything he did, he was a genuinely nice person. His business partner for many years, Frank Oz said that Jim Henson was as close to how you’re suppose to behave toward other people as anyone he’s ever known. Jim Henson was a HERO!

– Jim Lord