James Maury "
Jim"
Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American
puppeteer,
artist,
cartoonist,
inventor, screenwriter, songwriter, musician, actor, film director, and producer. Best known as the creator of
the Muppets, Henson was a regular in television series and films from the mid 1950s until his death at age 53. Born in
Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in
Leland, Mississippi, and
Hyattsville, Maryland, Henson began developing puppets while attending high school. While he was a freshman at the
University of Maryland, College Park, he created
Sam and Friends, a five-minute sketch-comedy puppet show that appeared on television. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in home economics, he produced coffee advertisements and developed some experimental films. Feeling the need for more creative output, Henson founded Muppets Inc. in 1958 (which would later become
the Jim Henson Company).