FLASHBACK: Remembering Jim Henson, 25 Years After His Death

Growing up in the 1980s, Jim Henson shaped my childhood. By
1990 I’d logged hundreds of hours watching the Muppets. I could quote Labyrinth
by heart. No holiday season was complete until our family had played that John Denver and the Muppets record at least 30
times.
So, as you can imagine, the day I heard Henson died, it felt
like I’d lost a friend.
Looking back, Henson’s death was one of the first losses
that ever affected me. Twenty-five years ago I had just turned 13, and I
can still tell you which stretch of road my mother and I were riding along when
we heard the news on the radio.
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Many of my friends remember that day as well, as do their
parents (and perhaps some grandparents). While there’s no doubt Henson was a
master craftsman and puppeteer, his true artistry lied in the way he channeled
his soul into his work.
Before the Muppets came along, onscreen puppets were, well,
just puppets. Henson gave his creations such vivid personalities, wit and
expressions it was easy to believe each had a beating heart beneath the felt.
Though he didn’t become a household name until Sesame
Street, Henson’s work dates back to the 1950s. As an adult, I discovered
his experimental films, which include mesmerizing oddities like 1969’s teleplay
The Cube and
1965’s Time Piece,
a rhythmic short that earned him his first Academy Award nomination.