I do belong to a generation; inspired by those simple Muppets
Seen in more than 100 countries by an estimated audience of 235 million dedicated viewers world-wide between September 1976 and its final edition. 'The Muppet Show' was the grand tradition of variety given a green felt twist and a foam rubber punch courtesy of creator Jim Henson's manically misfit band of phenomenally popular puppet performers.
A British/American television program featuring a cast of Muppets, which was produced by Jim Henson and his team from Sesame Street. The show stars Kermit the Frog as a showrunner who tries to keep control of the antics of the other Muppet characters (and his temper), as well as keep the human guest stars happy and secure. The television show depicts a vaudeville- or music hall-style song-and-dance variety show, as well as the behind-the-scenes aspects of such a show.
The show was known for outrageous physical (slapstick), sometimes absurdist comedy, and particularly for using its puppet characters to create humorous parodies. Each show also featured a human guest star; after the show became popular, many celebrities were eager to perform with the Muppets on television and in film. By the end of its run, over one hundred guest stars had appeared on The Muppet Show.
'The Muppet Show' attracted a plethora of genuinely top flight guests during the course of its 130 episodes ranging from George Burns, Zero Mostel, and Steve Martin to Rudolf Nureyev, Roger Moore, Elton John, and a memorable appearance by Peter Sellers as respectively, a mad German chiropractor who tied a pig in knots, and a pompous actor reciting lines from 'Richard lll' while squeezing a clucking chicken tightly under each arm.
Muppet performers over the course of the show include Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Kathy Mullen, Eren Ozker, and John Lovelady. Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns were two of the show writers. A number of the Jim Henson puppets have proved their existence by setting up YouTube accounts and posting new footage online.
For more readings:
http://www.muppetcentral.com/
http://supertremendous.com/Content/the-10-funniest-moments-in-muppet-show-history.html
The real secret of 'The Muppet Show's' success lay not so much in the anarchic humour or the big production set pieces, but rather in the almost human warmth, wit and charm of the Muppet characters themselves. A genuine tribute to Henson and his skilled team of performers, who's own personalities were memorably reflected by their puppet counterparts. The series spun off five feature films ('The Muppet Movie,' 'The Great Muppet Caper,' 'The Muppets Take Manhattan,' 'Muppet Christmas Carol' and Muppet's Treasure Island) and on the wave of its success also spawned a television sequel, 'Fraggle Rock' (1984-89), and then in 1996, six years after the untimely death of Henson, the show was revived as 'Muppets Tonight!' Which saw the introduction of several new characters.
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