It’s Not Easy Being Green: Fascinating Facts Behind The Muppets
America's favorite gaggle of weirdos, The Muppets are iconic for the family-friendly entertainment they provided, which lead to shows and films. Fans had the privilege of growing up on all things Muppet thanks to the mastermind, Jim Henson. Henson and his team created something that left many people doubtful of its success, but his optimism made everything come to life.
You've heard the music and you know to dim the lights, and you always dreamed of having a Muppet. But not one fan would know what nationality the Muppets are, or the actual name of the theater where they performed. By the time you finish reading this, you'll be able to brag to your friends about your Muppet knowledge.
The Muppet Show Wasn't The First One
In 1955, Henson created the Muppets for a segment called Sam and Friends. It was a five-minute show that aired twice a day on NBC from May 1955 to December 1961.
The show had appearances by Muchmellon, an Oscar the Grouch-type monster, and Henson's earliest surviving puppet, Pierre the French Rat. Kermit the Frog also made his debut too.
None Of The Earliest Episodes Exist
[caption caption="NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - JULY 31: A Puppet 'Kermit the Frog' character of the famous TV serie Sesame Street is displayed during an exhibition in memory of American puppeteer and movie director Jim Henson at the Museum of Moving Images at the Astoria district of New York, United States on July 31, 2017.
(Photo by Volkan Furuncu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)" align="alignnone" id="attachment_16002" width="1024"][/caption]
Sam and Friends were broadcast live, and recording them would involve using a kinescope - a camera that recorded a show directly from a black and white monitor.
Some existing episodes were recorded due to Henson challenging himself with new puppetry techniques or to review a particular performance.
The Land of Gorch On Saturday Night Live Was Their Big TV Break
The Muppets appeared in sketches on the debut of Saturday Night Live in 1975. "The Land of Gorch" tackled adult topics like alcohol abuse, adultery, and drugs.
SNL writers were allowed to write the sketches while Henson, Jerry Nelson, and Frank Oz performed the puppets each week. What nationality are the Muppets? The answer is still on the way which will surprise any fan.
A Muppet Pilot Special Was About Sex And Violence
The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence aired on ABC in 1975 which was a parody of the topic of sex and violence on TV.
The opening of the show featured Jaye P. Morgan with the guest saying "This is not gonna be just another cute puppet show." The episode followed the adventures of Sam the Eagle, Dr. Teeth, and The Electric Mayhem bassist Floyd Peter.
Mia Farrow Guest Starred On The Valentine's Day Special
Henson used the day of love as a dry run. A 1974 pilot on ABC titled The Muppets Valentine Show featured special guest star, Mia Farrow.
The actress helped a character named Willy with his writer's block for sketches on the show about the true meaning of love.
The Muppets Aren't Really American
The pilots weren't enough for ABC or any other American network to pick up The Muppet Show. Nevertheless, Henson searched across the pond and British network Associated TeleVision picked up the series.
ATV gave the American puppeteer a deal to produce each episode in Elstree, England. Once the show garnered a strong fan base, the show was sold to the U.S. and other networks. Fun fact: British broadcasting methods may be a reason why audiences in the UK got more muppets. The truth behind that is just around the corner.
Rowan And Martin's Laugh Was A Heavy Influence
Henson modeled part of the whip-smart sketch framework on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
The collaborators on The Muppet Show even poached a regular Laugh-In sketch called "The Cocktail Party" for their show called "At A Dance." In both sketches, different colorful characters met a party and exchanged one-liners.
The Shows Opening Had Too Many Muppets To Count
The over-the-top opening to The Muppet Show featured muppets singing and dancing, culminating in each character standing in five distinctive and lighted arches on stage.
Each row was filmed individually, with puppeteers sporting one Muppet per hand. Footage of each pass was then put together to make it look like a single performance.
British Audiences Got More Muppets Thanks To Shorter Commercial Breaks
British broadcasting methods resulted in shorter commercial breaks. That forced Henson and co. to film an extra two minutes for each UK episode.
Each extra sketch usually aired after a middle break, regularly featuring musical numbers or basic setups, excluding that week's guest star. Still on the way, where the Muppets supposedly put on each performance has a name.
Hosting Gigs Were Exclusive
No celebrity was allowed to host more than once during the show's six-year run. Rita Moreno hosted the first episode while other stars like Johnny Cash, Julie Andrews, and John Denver made appearances too.
Although, Denver appeared in two specials: John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together and John Denver & the Muppets: Rocky Moutain Holiday.
The Muppets Were Happy To Let Guest Hosts Play Favorites
Since the guests weren't allowed to make a repeat appearance, they could make their one and only shot count.
Guests were allowed to make special requests to the writers to appear in a scene with their favorite Muppet. Miss Piggy was allegedly the most requested, with Animal as a close runner-up.
The Muppets' Theater Has An Actual Name
Where the Muppets supposedly put on each performance has a name. In the sixth episode of the first season, Kermit revealed the name of the structure as the Benny Vandergast Memorial Theater.
This was the only time that the theater wasn't referred to as The Muppet Theater. Just ahead, the owner of the theater made one particular Muppet fear for his life.
For A Brief Time, Hosts Were Muppet-fied
Originally, hosts were supposed to be given a Muppet version of themselves at the end of their appearance. However, the tradition only last for two episodes.
Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens were given their Muppet counterparts. The idea was canned due to the Muppets being too expensive to make.
The Show Made The Founding Fathers Proud
In 1978, the Mary Washington Colonial Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution gave The Muppet Show a Television Award Merit.
It was the first non-historical series to be honored with the award. Captain Kangaroo and Mister Rogers Neighborhood would win years later.
The Theater Is Owned By Scooter's Uncle
According to the book The Phantom of the Muppet Theater, the stage was built by a stage actor named John Stone in 1802. However, in The Muppet Show, the owner is J.P. Grosse, who was introduced as Scooter's uncle.
The character made brief appearances on the show, with a running gag featuring Kermit going along with the demands being made in Grosse's name due to his fear of the theater's owner. The most popular musical number from the show came from a non-Muppet movie. Hint: it has something to do with Mahna Mahna.
Henson Hated The Laugh Track
To stay with the live act of the show, the laugh track was included. Henson was reluctant to use it, but he decided to keep it anyways.
However, he managed to include some laughs at the track's expense. In episode 104, Kermit makes a joke that it is "up to the laugh track" whether the show was funny or not.
Just Because They Were In A Theater Doesn't Mean People Were Watching
The show was not filmed in front of a full live studio audience. The way the show was taped, the crew used block and tape, meaning that each piece of material would take anywhere from half an hour to several hours to tape.
That makes it a long, slow process. However, just because they didn't have an official audience didn't mean there weren't people from neighboring studios hanging around to see some of the famous hosts.
"MAHNA MAHNA" Originated From A Non-Muppet Movie
Most people know the four-syllable tune from a sketch that aired in the 1976 premiere.
In fact, the song came from a 1968 Italian film called Sweden: Heaven and Hell. Sesame Street producer Joan Ganz Cooney heard the track on the radio and asked Henson and Oz to perform it with Muppets.
Gonzo's Crazy Acts Came From The Writers Room
Gonzo is known for his weird and wacky stunts, but he started as a different Muppet. Henson allegedly had an unhinged character in mind, so he used Gonzo in a special called The Great Santa Claus Switch.
Gonzo would go on to perform 20 stunts in the show's 120 episode run.
Henson's Idol Made An Appearance On The Second Season
Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy were Henson's heroes. They inspired the puppeteer to get into the field as a child.
Bergen and McCarthy would also appear in The Muppet Movie, which Henson dedicated to his childhood idol after he passed away before the release of the film.
The Price to Pay
Have you ever thought about buying "The Muppets" franchise? If so, you’ll need about $80 million! In 2000, that’s what the Henson family paid.
They sold the company to Disney soon after, and have been living off their $80 million in profits since then!
Hotel Inspired?
Statler and Waldorf are actually named after two famous hotels in New York City. Statler was named after The Statler Hotel, which has since been renamed The Hotel Pennsylvania.
Waldorf, of course, got his name from the famed Waldorf Astoria hotel.
Famous Hosts
Over 120 special guests have hosted "The Muppets" throughout its forty year run. Some of the most notable are Alice Cooper, Johnny Cash, Russell Harty, and Julie Andrews. Each guest brought their own flair to the show, but none were as unique as when Kermit hosted "The Tonight Show" in 1979.
The Tonight Show
Kermit and the rest of "The Muppets" cast have made appearances on a variety of late-night talk shows over the years.
Each episode has been hilarious, but the episodes featuring Kermit seem to be the most side-splitting. It’s a shame he doesn’t have his own show!
Fozzie’s Namesake
Many people seem to believe that Fozzie was named after his puppeteer, Frank Oz. This is a misconception, though, as he was actually named after Faz Fazakas, a puppet constructor.
Fazakas reportedly designed the mechanism that allows Fozzie’s signature ears to move. Up next, we have an interesting fact about the puppets' design!
A Recessive Trait
Most, if not all, of "The Muppets" characters are left- handed. This is to allow for the puppeteers to move the character using their right hand.
We’re so glad that puppet designers like Faz Fazakas know to think of these things ahead of time! It's a fact you'll always notice from this point on.
British Roots
"The Muppets" began as a show for British children. Creator Jim Henson wanted to create the show for American audiences, but he didn’t have any luck pitching it to studios stateside.
Only after the success of the show in the United Kingdom did American producers start to show interest in buying the rights to the show.
Disney’s Partial Purchase
When Disney bought "The Muppets" franchise from the Henson family in 2003, they didn’t spend the money to buy some of the newer characters.
They only own “Muppets Classics,” like Kermit and Fozzie. That’s why you don’t see Sesame Street friends or the Fraggles on the show’s reboot!
An International Phenomenon
At last count, "The Muppets" has been aired in over one hundred countries worldwide. It has also been dubbed in more than fifteen languages. That’s pretty impressive for a show starring puppets!
Of course, some characters have different names in different versions of the show.
A Brilliant Creator
Mississippi-born Jim Henson dreamed up the idea for "The Muppets," and followed through with it until his untimely death in 1990. Just a few days after making an appearance on a famous talk show, he died of organ failure brought on by an untreated case of strep throat.
He was the sole puppeteer for Kermit the Frog during his lifetime.
More Muppets?
During his lifetime, Jim Henson created more than 2,000 different characters for "The Muppets." Many of them became mainstays in different versions of the show aired around the world, but some never came to fruition.
Some of Henson’s original drawings of these characters can be bought on Ebay for thousands of dollars.
Two Levels of Jokes
Over the years, groups like MillionsOfMoms have criticized "The Muppets" for being inappropriate. They allege that the show is “sexually-charged” and includes references to drugs.
Disney maintains that “adult jokes operate on two different levels,” meaning that these references are meant to go over children's heads but be funny to adults.
Jason Segel Got A Muppet Of Himself After The Movie
When Jason Segel tackled making The Muppets, the studio was so happy with him, they made a Jason Segel muppet for him as a gift. A lifelong fan of the property, Segel was thrilled.
The movie went on to make over $80 million and spawned one sequel and a television series.
Jason Segel And Amy Adams Operated Muppets On Set
During the car scene where Jason Segel and Amy Adams are surrounded by muppets, they had to help operate some of them. Because of the tight quarters of the car, there would have been no way to hide puppeteers to do it for them.
Somehow, we doubt Segel was upset about having to operate a few muppets. Part of the reason he got the job was his Dracula play in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
The New Movie Didn't Mess With Tradition
Making an updated Muppet movie in 2014 was no easy task. The filmmakers could have relied on new technology to make things easier, but refused.
In order to make the muppets work, they used remote controls and batteries. The old school feel of the production helped them maintain their charm and introduce them to a new audience.
They Have A Star On The Walk Of Fame
Before The Muppets hit DVD, Kermit and his friends were given one amazing honor. They received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Everyone who is anyone showed up to honor the pop culture icons.
The ceremony was held the day before the DVD hit shelves. Next time you're strolling around Hollywood, make sure you look for their star!
Anything For The Shot
In order to record the iconic scene when Kermit sings “Rainbow Connection” for the 1979 The Muppet Movie, Jim Henson went above and beyond to get the shot.
In order to make sure that everything was perfect, Henson was put inside of an underwater canister with a monitor. Unknown to viewers, he’s just below the water. He was in the canister for so long that he couldn’t move his limbs for some time after.
Dave Goelz Looks Inward For Character Inspiration
Dave Goelz, the man behind characters such as Gonzo, Dr. Bunzen, and Zoot, has a rather unusual way of getting into character. In order to come up with these intriguing characters, he looks at himself.
He says that he finds flaws in himself and amplifies it, while at the same time making it seem endearing.
Fran Brill had To Improvise
Fran Brill, the voice and puppeteer behind the characters Prairie dawn and Zoe is only 5’ 4.” This posed a problem for the other actors who couldn’t bend down to work, so Franz had to find a way to make herself taller.
Her solution was to wear 6-inch platform shoes whenever she was operating the puppets. This way, she would closer to the same height as her co-workers.
The Inspiration For Grover
Grover, our favorite little blue monster with a love for contractions wasn’t created out of thin air. He is actually based on Fred, the dog of Grover’s puppeteer, Frank Oz.
Oz is also the man behind Fozzie, Miss Piggy, and Animal. Whenever Grover tilts his head in confusion, it’s because Frank Oz’s dog used to do the same.
