Brian Henson

Brian Henson (born November 3, 1963)[1] is an American puppeteer, director, producer, voice actor and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company.[2] He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson.

Brian Henson
Born (1963-11-03) November 3, 1963[1]
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
Years active1979–present
Spouses
Ellis Flyte
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 2002)​
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2010)​
    Children1
    Parents
    Relatives

    Early life

    Henson was born on November 3, 1963[1] in New York City, the third child of Jane Henson (née Nebel; 1934–2013) and Jim Henson (1936–1990). He has four siblings: Lisa (born 1960), Cheryl (born 1961), John (1965–2014) and Heather Henson (born 1970).

    As a child, Henson appeared in some of the filmed segments that his father produced for the PBS children's series Sesame Street.[1]

    As a teenager, he built the first Muppet penguin puppet for the opening "Lullaby of Broadway" segment of a Season 3 episode of The Muppet Show.[3] During his summer break from high school at the age of 17, Henson assisted in the production of The Great Muppet Caper (1981); skilled in the use of marionette puppets, he helped create and operate a special rigging device that allowed the Muppets to appear to ride bicycles.[4][5] Several years later, after performing marionette work in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) in the scene in which rats cook food in a diner, he specialized in managing complicated special effects.[6]

    Career

    Film

    Henson performed Jack Pumpkinhead in Return to Oz (1985), operated special effects for Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) and was a principal performer for the Audrey II puppet in Little Shop of Horrors (1986), controlling mouth movement while others performed the lips and vines. He also performed the voice of Hoggle, one of the main characters in his father's film Labyrinth (1986), and the dog in both versions of The Storyteller (1988 and 1990).

    In 1992, Henson directed The Muppet Christmas Carol and directed the next film in the franchise, Muppet Treasure Island, in 1996. He performed the role of Dr. Phil van Neuter, the Muppet mad scientist in Muppets from Space (1999). In 2018, he directed and produced The Happytime Murders, a puppet crime-comedy film for adult audiences.

    Television

    Henson was the executive producer for several television series: Dinosaurs (1991–94), Aliens in the Family (1996), Bear in the Big Blue House (1997–2006) and Farscape (1999–2003). In addition to assuming an executive producer role, Henson played himself as the head judge on the 2014 reality television show Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge. He performed the roles of Janice and Scooter in the 2002 television film It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.

    Henson returned to perform Sal Minella, a character he created for Muppets Tonight, in Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021).

    Other ventures

    Henson is the cocreator, producer and performer for the adult-themed puppet-based variety show Puppet Up!,[7] and has played various characters from the show on the British program That Puppet Game Show.

    For The Muppet Show Live in 2001, Henson performed his own Muppet characters and one of his father's characters, The Newsman, for the first time. He reprised the role for the 2003 video game Muppets Party Cruise.

    Personal life

    Henson married Ellis Flyte, costume designer for the 1986 fantasy adventure film Labyrinth, in November 1990.[8] They divorced in 2002. Since 2010, Henson has been married to actress Mia Sara.[9] They have one child, a daughter born in 2005.[10]

    Filmography

    Film
    Year Title Role Notes
    1981 The Great Muppet Caper Muppet performer Also made a cameo appearance
    1984 The Muppets Take Manhattan Muppet performer Uncredited
    1985 Return to Oz Jack Pumpkinhead (voice actor)[11] Puppeteer of head and hands
    1985 Santa Claus: The Movie Animatronic puppeteer
    1986 Little Shop of Horrors Principal puppeteer
    1986 Labyrinth Hoggle/Goblin (voice actor)[12]
    1987 Jim Henson Presents Mother Goose Stories Co-director
    1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Second unit director/Chief puppeteer
    1990 The Witches Puppeteer
    1990 Basil Hears a Noise Puppeteer
    Executive producer    		 Uncredited
    1992 The Muppet Christmas Carol Director/Producer
    1996 Muppet Treasure Island Director/Producer
    1997 Buddy Executive producer
    1999 Muppets from Space Dr. Phil Van Neuter/Sal Minella/Talking Sandwich
    Producer
    1999 The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland Executive producer
    2017 The Star Executive producer
    2018 The Happytime Murders Crab/on-screen cameo (photograph)
    Director; producer

    Television
    Year Title Role Notes
    1986 The Christmas Toy Cruiser TV movie
    1988–1991 The Storyteller Storyteller's Dog/Devil/Griffin
    1989–1990 The Jim Henson Hour Storyteller's Dog/Dog the Dinosaur/ Head of the Ultragorgon
    1990 Basil Hears a Noise Puppeteer
    Executive producer    		 TV movie
    1991–1994 Dinosaurs Grandma Ethyl Phillips/Arthur Rizzic
    Executive producer
    1992–1994 Dog City Executive producer
    1996 Aliens in the Family Executive producer
    1996 Gulliver's Travels Co-executive producer
    1996–1998 Muppets Tonight Sal Minella/Dr. Phil Van Neuter/Seymour/Nigel
    Writer
    1997–2003 Bear in the Big Blue House Executive producer
    1999 Alice in Wonderland Executive producer TV movie
    1999–2003 Farscape Executive producer
    2001 Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story Director TV movie
    2002 It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Scooter/Sal Minella/Janice
    Executive producer    		 TV movie
    2004 Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars Director/Executive producer
    2005 The Muppets' Wizard of Oz Sal Manilla
    Executive producer    		 TV movie
    2008 Jim Henson's Pajanimals Executive producer
    2008–2009 Sid the Science Kid Executive producer
    2009–2011 Dinosaur Train Executive producer
    2010 Hot Dog TV Voice
    Director
    2013 That Puppet Game Show Various
    2014 Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge Executive producer and Head Judge
    2020 Prop Culture Himself Episode: "The Muppet Movie"
    2020 Earth to Ned Vincent Episode: "I've Got a Ned Feeling About This"; Also executive producer[13]
    2021 Muppets Haunted Mansion Sal Minella Halloween special for Disney+

    Video games
    Year Title Roles Notes
    2000 Muppet RaceMania Sal Minella/Dr. Phil Van Neuter Voice[14]
    2003 Muppets Party Cruise Scooter/Sal Minella/Janice/The Muppet Newsman

    Awards and nominations
    Year Association Nominated work Category Result Ref(s)
    1996 Primetime Emmy Awards Gulliver's Travels Outstanding Miniseries Won
    Muppets Tonight Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series Nominated
    1997 The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Outstanding Children's Program Nominated
    1997 Satellite Awards Muppet Treasure Island Best Animated or Mixed Media Film Nominated
    1998 Primetime Emmy Awards The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Outstanding Children's Program Nominated
    Muppets Tonight Won
    2019 Golden Raspberry Awards The Happytime Murders Worst Picture Nominated
    Worst Director

    References
    1. "Jim Henson's Journal". November 4, 2014.
    2. "Profile at Jim Henson Company". Henson.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
    3. Morell, Casey (August 3, 2016). "Master Of Puppets Brings New Show To The Las Vegas Strip". KNPR. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
    4. Setoodeh, Ramin (March 25, 2014). "Brian Henson on His New Reality Show, the 'Fraggle Rock' Movie and More". Variety. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
    5. Stuart, S.C. (March 8, 2017). "Naughty Puppets Invade Jim Henson Studio Lot". PCMag. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
    6. King, Susan (August 19, 1990). "The Henson Shows His Hand: Jim Henson Is Gone But Some Of His Puppets Live On With 'Mother Goose'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
    7. "About". Puppet Up!. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015.
    8. "Ellis Flyte Wed to Brian Henson". The New York Times. November 6, 1990.
    9. Bricker, Tierney (June 11, 2021). "See the Stars of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Then & Now". E! Online. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
    10. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Where Are They Now?". ABC News. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
    11. Brian Henson interview: How The Happytime Murders revives the darker side of the Muppets. The Independent. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
    12. Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Paul Grant dies aged 56. The Guardian. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
    13. Bennett, Tara (September 3, 2020). "Brian Henson beams SYFY WIRE into the world of Disney+'s alien talk show, Earth to Ned". syfy.com. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
    14. "Brian Henson (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023.
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