After the success of Sesame Street in 1969, Muppet creator Jim Henson wanted to have a chance at his own series. In 1974, Henson shot a Muppet special called The Muppets' Valentine Show, which would later become a precursor for The Muppet Show. The special starred famous muppet, Kermit the Frog, with a cast of new muppets including: George the Janitor, Droop the Anteater, Crazy Donald (later named Crazy Harry), Brewsters the oldtimer, Mildred the goose, and Rufus (later named Muppy). Many of these characters were used during the first season of The Muppet Show, and quickly faded away to background characters. The special featured actress Mia Farrow, who taught the muppets about love, and that everyone loves something. Afterwards in 1975, Henson shot the failed pilot for the Muppet Show: Sex and Violence. Amazingly, Kermit the Frog was not in the pilot at all! Instead, the host was wimpy, Nigel, who Jim Henson wrote out of the show soon afterwards. After about a year, the muppet team went to the United Kingdom and were given the green light for the Muppet Show. The show became one of the top syndicated comedies of all time! The show featured a new group of Muppet characters including: Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Scooter, Beauregard, Rowlf the Dog, and The Electric Mayhem. Each show featured a celebrity guest star, who were either personal friends of Henson, or his manager. The Muppet Show lasted for 5 years, and 120 episodes, two spin offs, and several movies. |
