 | |
| PERFORMER | Jim Henson |
| DEBUT | 1955 |
| DESIGN | Jim Henson designer/builder |
| Jane Henson designer/builder | |
Omar is an abstract character with a beak-like papier-mâché face who appeared on Sam and Friends. He was created in May of 1955.[1]
In one appearance, the Old Black Magic sketch, Omar serves as the show's announcer, reciting the opening and closing tags and attempting to deliver the Esskay Meats pitch.
One of Jim Henson's first live-hand Muppets, Omar also appears in another surviving sketch from the November 13, 1961 episode where he plays a chef who uses nonsense ingredients for a recipe that ends in an explosion. This act featuring Omar was also performed at the USDA's American Food Fair in the Hamburg, Germany Town Hall in November 1961.[2] Footage of this sketch was restored from the Henson Archives and shown at Museum of the Moving Image on May 22, 2016.[3]
Since 2015, the Omar puppet is on display at the Center for Puppetry Arts as part of their permanent Jim Henson Collection exhibit.
Errata[]
- In Jim Henson: The Works, Omar is misidentified. His name label is switched with Hank's.
Sources[]
- ↑ The Sunday Star, page 5, March 29, 1959, pictured at Jim's Red Book - 1/27/1975 -'Go to Washington put 1st Bert and Ernie in Smithsonian - dinner with Joe Irwin'
- ↑ Jones, Brian Jay. Jim Henson: The Biography. p. 90-91
- ↑ "Henson in High Definition: The Early Years" event page