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Jane Henson of Muppets fame passes away

Jane Henson of Muppets fame passes away

THE death has taken place of Jane Henson who played a key role in the development of The Muppets. She was 78.

The puppet show — which features such characters as Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy — was created by her former husband Jim Henson, but a statement from the company behind the show, which is controlled by the Hensons’ five children, said Jane Henson had been an “integral creative and business partner” in the show.

She had designed a number of the characters as well as working as a puppeteer on the show, which became a world-wide hit.

The Hensons, who had met while at the University of Maryland in the 1950s, had first enjoyed success with a five-minute show called Sam and Friends which ran for several years on American TV. Puppet characters created by the couple also appeared in the popular children’s TV show Sesame Street.

The Muppet Show was first broadcast in 1976 and soon proved popular with audiences of all ages. A number of Muppet movies have been made over the years with one, The Muppets (2011), winning an Oscar. The latest movie, The Muppets...Again, is due for release in 2014.

Jane and Jim Henson separated in 1986. Mr. Henson passed away in 1990 at the age of 53. Following the death, she established The Jim Henson Legacy to promote her former husband’s work.

Jane Henson passed away at her home in Connecticut following a long battle with cancer.

To see the famous opening sequence to The Muppet Show, click here.

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