Jerry Juhl

Jerome Ravn Juhl (July 27, 1938 September 25, 2005) was an American television and film writer, best known for his work with The Muppets.

Jerry Juhl
Born
Jerome Ravn Juhl

(1938-07-27)July 27, 1938
DiedSeptember 25, 2005(2005-09-25) (aged 67)
Resting placeNeptune Society Columbarium
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSan Jose State University
Known forwriting and puppeteering for The Muppets

Biography

Juhl was born in St. Paul, Minnesota; his family moved to Menlo Park, California, when he was 14. He received a bachelor's degree in theater arts from San Jose State University in 1961 and worked on children's shows for local television stations while in college. He met Frank Oz when they both worked for the Oakland Recreation Department's Vagabond Puppet Theater as teenagers.[1] The two later met Henson at a puppeteer gathering in California.[2]

Juhl was recruited by Jim Henson as a puppeteer and writer on Sam and Friends. He focused increasingly on writing as other puppeteers, such as Frank Oz, joined the Henson stable.

Juhl was the head writer on The Muppet Show from seasons 2 to 5 (season 1 had Jack Burns as head writer). He also wrote for the television shows Fraggle Rock and The Jim Henson Hour. He was involved in some capacity with all of the Muppet films from The Muppet Movie in 1979 to Muppets from Space in 1999.[2] According to Lisa Henson, "So much of the humour, irreverence, caring and heart began with Jerry. He was, in many ways, the real voice of the Muppets."[3]

He appeared as himself in the 1981 documentary Of Muppets and Men: The Making of The Muppet Show, the 1984 documentary Henson's Place, and the 1994 documentary The World of Jim Henson. In addition to being interviewed in all three, he also appeared in archival footage in the last two.

He was married to Susan Doerr Juhl and lived in Caspar, California. In his last few years he semi-retired from writing, but taught at local colleges, coached at local Mendocino Coast theatres such as Gloriana Opera Company, and spoke at puppeteer conventions. He died on September 26, 2005, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.[2]

Awards

Juhl co-wrote The Muppet Movie with Jack Burns, for which the two shared a Saturn Award nomination for Best Writing. He was nominated for a shared Emmy four times, for his writing on The Muppet Show, finally winning the award in 1981 for Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program. He was also awarded for his work on The Jim Henson Hour (Outstanding Children's Program, 1989, 1990) and The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, 1991). His work on A Muppet Family Christmas won him the WGA Award for Variety – Musical, Award, Tribute, Special Event.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1955-1961Sam and FriendsMuppet performer
1969The Cube
1969-1975Sesame Street
1970The Great Santa Claus Switch
1971The Frog PrinceTaminellavoice
1972The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
1974The Muppets Valentine Show
Tale of Sandco-writerOriginally written as a live-action screenplay, it found release in 2012 as a graphic novel, Jim Henson's Tale of Sand.
1976-1981The Muppet Showwriterhead writer from 1977 to 1981
1977Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1979The Muppets Go Hollywood
The Muppet Movie
1981The Muppets Go to the Movies
The Great Muppet Caper
1983-1987Fraggle Rockwriteralso creative producer
1985Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff
Fozzie's Muppet Scrapbook
1986The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
1987A Muppet Family Christmas
1989The Jim Henson Hourwriteralso co-producer
Living with Dinosaursco-producer
1990The Muppets at Walt Disney World
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
1992The Muppet Christmas Carolalso co-producer
1996Muppet Treasure Island
1999Muppets from Space

References

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