Jane Henson facts for kids

Jane Ann Henson (born Nebel; June 16, 1934 – April 2, 2013) was an American puppeteer. She was also the wife of the famous Muppets creator, Jim Henson.

Early Life and Meeting Jim Henson

Jane Ann Nebel was born and grew up in St. Albans, Queens, New York. She met Jim Henson when they were both students at the University of Maryland, College Park. Jane was a senior, and Jim was a freshman.

Jane was also a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority during her time at college.

Working with the Muppets

Jane Nebel and Jim Henson started working together on a TV show in the 1950s called Sam and Friends. Jane helped Jim perform the first Muppets. She also helped create new ways to make the puppets work on TV. For example, they used TV screens to watch their performances as they happened. This helped them see what the audience would see.

In the late 1950s, Jim Henson took a year off to travel in Europe. During this time, Jane kept Sam and Friends going with the help of a classmate from the University of Maryland.

Jane and Jim started dating after Jim returned from his trip. He had traveled to learn from European puppeteers who saw their work as an art form. They got married on May 28, 1959, at Jane's family home in Salisbury, Maryland.

Behind the Scenes of the Muppets

In the early 1960s, Jane stopped working full-time as a puppeteer to raise their children. Jim then hired Jerry Juhl and Frank Oz to join the team. Jane even helped Frank Oz learn how to make the puppets' mouths move with the words, which is called lip sync.

She still performed non-speaking Muppets on Sesame Street sometimes, even into the 1980s. Jane also played a key role in hiring puppeteer Steve Whitmire in 1978. Steve later became the performer for Kermit the Frog and Ernie after Jim Henson passed away. Jane hired Steve after he gave her a quick audition at an airport restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1990, the Henson Company worked with Disney to create a live stage show called Here Come The Muppets. Jane was very important in training the performers for the walk-around versions of the Muppets. She helped share the spirit of the ten characters that joined Disney at that time. These included Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great, Bean Bunny, and five members of the Electric Mayhem Band.

Jane's Nativity Story

Later in her life, Jane had an idea for a special puppet show. It was based on the story of the birth of Jesus from the Bible. She worked with a small group of people to create a live theater show. It featured tabletop puppets made by the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

This show, called Jane Henson's Nativity Story, first opened at the 2010 Orlando Puppet Festival. After Jane passed away in 2013, parts of the stage show were used in a CBS television special. This special was called "A New York Christmas to Remember."

Family Life

Jane and Jim Henson were married in 1959. They had five children together: Lisa (born 1960), Cheryl (born 1961), Brian (born 1963), John (1965–2014), and Heather Henson (born 1970).

Jane and Jim separated in 1986, but they remained close friends until Jim's death in 1990. In 1992, Jane started The Jim Henson Legacy. This organization works to keep her husband's work and ideas alive for future generations. She also served on the boards of the Jim Henson Foundation and the American Center for Children's Television.

Later Years and Passing

Jane Henson passed away on April 2, 2013, at her family home in Greenwich, Connecticut. She was 78 years old. She was buried at Saint Bridge Cemetery in Cornwall, Connecticut. The movie Muppets Most Wanted was dedicated to her and Jerry Nelson, another beloved Muppet performer.

See also

In Spanish: Jane Henson para niños