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In 2004, the Walt Disney Company acquired The Muppets franchise from the Jim Henson Company. This transaction included all Henson-owned Muppet assets, including many Muppet titles from the company's catalog of television series, specials, films, and videos. Henson retained the rights to Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and other properties. Sesame Street and most specials, spinoffs, and related productions are produced and owned by Sesame Workshop.

The following is a list of Henson projects produced up until 2004, and how they are divided by their current rights holders. Select Sesame Street productions co-produced by The Jim Henson Company are included.


Series[]

Disney

Production Duration Episodes Notes
Muppet Meeting Films 1975-1993 44 [note 1]
The Muppet Show 1976-1981 120 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
Muppet Babies 1984-1990 107 [note 1]
Little Muppet Monsters 1985 3 [note 1]
The Jim Henson Hour
(Muppet Segments)
1989 9 (30 min.)
1 (15 min.)
1 (60 min.)
[note 1]
Segments include: Outer Space (Louie Anderson), Oceans (Ted Danson), Power (Nylons, Today Show), First Show (Bobby McFerrin), Fitness (Smokey Robinson), Videotape (Buster Poindexter), Garbage (k.d. lang), Miss Piggy Goes to Hollywood, Secrets of the Muppets, Food, Movie Trailer Parody of Classic Muppets
Muppet Time 1994 40 [note 1]
Muppets Tonight 1996-1998 22 [note 1]
Bear in the Big Blue House 1997-2003 117 [note 1]
Muppetisms 1999 60 [note 1]

Henson

Production Duration Episodes Notes
Fraggle Rock 1983-1987 96 [note 2]
Fraggle Rock (animated) 1987 13 [note 2]
Mother Goose Stories 1987-1990 39 [note 2]
The StoryTeller 1987-1989 9 [note 2]
The Jim Henson Hour
(Non-Muppet Segments)
1989 10 [note 2]
Segments include: The Heartless Giant, Lighthouse Island, The Soldier and Death, Dog City, Monster Maker, The Song of the Cloud Forest, The True Bride, Sapsorrow, The Three Ravens, Living with Dinosaurs
The Ghost of Faffner Hall 1989 13 [note 2]
The StoryTeller: Greek Myths 1990 4 [note 2]
CityKids 1993-1994 13 [note 2]
The Secret Life of Toys 1994 13 [note 2]
The Animal Show 1994-1997 65 [note 2]
One episode features Sam the Eagle.
Aliens in the Family 1996 8 [note 2]
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss 1996-1997 40 [note 2]
Brats of the Lost Nebula 1998 13 [note 2]
Family Rules 1999 6 [note 2]
Farscape 1999-2003 88 [note 2]
Donna's Day 1999 52 [note 2]
A "restricted retained entertainment property" by the Henson Company.
Mopatop's Shop 1999-2003 260 [note 2]
Construction Site 1999-2003 26 [note 2]
The Fearing Mind 2000-2001 13 [note 2]
Telling Stories with Tomie dePaola 2000-2001 26 [note 2]
The Hoobs 2001-2002 200 [note 2]
Bambaloo 2003-2004 105 [note 2]
Animal Jam 2003 30 [note 2]

Other Properties

Production Duration Episodes Owner/Notes
Sam and Friends 1955-1961 The characters are owned by The Walt Disney Company, but are a "frozen property", so Disney needs approval from The Jim Henson Company to use them.[1]
The Jimmy Dean Show 1963-1966 The Jimmy Dean Estate/Donna Dean Stevens controls the restoration and TV airings of the series.
The Land of Gortch 1975-1976 Broadway Video owns the existing Saturday Night Live episodes and appearances. Henson owns the characters and can produce derivative works (including new characters); as part of the 2004 sale of the Muppets to Disney, Henson agrees to not identify any of the SNL puppet characters as "Muppets" in any future works.
Dinosaurs 1991-1993 66 Produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television. The series and characters are owned by the Jim Henson Company; Disney has always held distribution rights.
Dog City 1992-1995 31 Produced by Nelvana, in association with the Jim Henson Company. Streaming distribution controlled by Nelvana.

Films and Specials[]

Disney

Production Year Notes
Hey Cinderella! 1970 [note 1]
The Frog Prince 1971 [note 1]
The Muppet Musicians of Bremen 1972 [note 1]
The Muppets Valentine Show 1974 [note 1]
The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence 1975 [note 1]
The Muppets Go Hollywood 1979 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
The Muppet Movie 1979 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
The Muppets Go to the Movies 1981 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
The Great Muppet Caper 1981 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
Of Muppets and Men 1981 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show 1982 [note 1]
This was originally distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Jim Henson Company later purchased the distribution rights, which were subsequently included in the 2004 sale.
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years 1986 [note 1]
Features Traveling Matt Fraggle and Sprocket, as well as clips from various Henson-retained productions.
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic 1986 [note 1]
A Muppet Family Christmas 1987 [note 1]
Features characters from Fraggle Rock.
The Muppets at Walt Disney World 1990 [note 1]
Walt Disney Television has always retained the distribution rights to this special.
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson 1990 [note 1]
Walt Disney Television has always retained the distribution rights to this special.
Muppet*Vision 3D 1991
The Muppet Christmas Carol 1992 Walt Disney Pictures has always retained the distribution rights to this film.
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree 1995 [note 1]
Muppet Treasure Island 1996 Walt Disney Pictures has always retained the distribution rights to this film.

Henson

Production Year Notes
Time Piece 1965 [note 2]
Youth 68 1968 [note 2]
The Cube 1969 [note 2]
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas 1977 [note 2]
The 2004 deal specifies this as a "restricted retained entertainment property", and that the Henson Company shall "delete the appearances by Kermit the Frog at the beginning of each of The Christmas Toy and Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas." Although this has applied to subsequent video releases, this was retracted for a special TV airing on ABC Family in 2015 and a home video release in 2017.
The Dark Crystal 1982 [note 2]
Produced under ITC Entertainmant, and originally distributed by Universal. The Jim Henson Company purchased theatrical distribution rights around the time it was released. Sony retains home video and streaming distribution.
The World of the Dark Crystal 1983 [note 2]
Henson's Place 1984 [note 2]
Features appearances by Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, as well as clips from a number of productions later purchased by The Walt Disney Company.
Jim Henson Presents The World of Puppetry 1985 [note 2]
Labyrinth 1986 [note 2]
Originally distributed by TriStar Pictures, distribution rights still held by Sony.
The Christmas Toy 1986 [note 2]
A "restricted retained entertainment property" by the Henson Company; according to the 2004 deal for the sale of the Muppets to the Walt Disney Company, Henson shall "delete the appearances by Kermit the Frog at the beginning of each of The Christmas Toy and Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas." Although this has applied to subsequent video releases, this was retracted for a home video release in 2019.
Inside the Labyrinth 1987 [note 2]
Down at Fraggle Rock 1987 [note 2]
Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting 1989 [note 2]
One of the few Sesame Street productions produced by The Jim Henson Company, and the only Sesame Street production distributed by the Henson Company.

Other Properties

Production Year Owner/Notes
The Muppets on Puppets 1970 This project is not listed in the Disney-Henson deal. However, Buena Vista Home Video did release this as a special feature on The Muppet Show: Season Three.
The Great Santa Claus Switch 1970
Out to Lunch 1974 One of the few Sesame Street productions produced by The Jim Henson Company, in association with Sesame Workshop and ABC.
John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together 1979 The John Denver Estate retains ownership.
Here Come the Puppets! 1980
Rocky Mountain Holiday 1983 The John Denver Estate retains ownership.
The Muppets Take Manhattan 1984 Sony (originally distributed by TriStar Pictures)
The Witches 1990 Warner Bros.
Buddy 1997 Sony (produced by Jim Henson Pictures, distributed by Columbia Pictures)
Muppets from Space 1999 Sony (originally distributed by Columbia Pictures)
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland 1999 Sony (originally distributed by Columbia Pictures, produced by Jim Henson Pictures and Sesame Workshop)
Kermit's Swamp Years 2002 Sony (originally distributed by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment)
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie 2002 NBC Universal
I Love Muppets 2002
I Love the Muppets 2003

Direct-to-Video[]

Disney

Video(s) Year Notes
Playhouse Video Muppet Show compilations 1985 [note 1]
Videos include: The Kermit and Piggy Story, Fozzie's Muppet Scrapbook, Children's Songs and Stories, Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff, Rowlf's Rhapsodies with the Muppets, Muppet Treasures, Rock Music with the Muppets, The Muppet Revue, Muppet Moments, Country Music with the Muppets
Play-Along Video 1988 [note 1]
Videos include: Hey, You're as Funny as Fozzie Bear, Sing-Along, Dance-Along, Do-Along, Wow, You're a Cartoonist!, Neat Stuff To Know & To Do
It's the Muppets! 1993 [note 1]
Meet the Muppets and More Muppets, Please!
Muppet Classic Theater 1994 [note 1]
It's Not Easy Being Green Sing Along 1994 [note 1]
Includes a clip from A Muppet Family Christmas that features Fraggle Rock characters
Muppets on Wheels 1995 [note 1]
Things That Fly 1996 [note 1]
Muppet Treasure Island Sing Along 1996 [note 1]

Henson

Video Year Notes
Fraggle Songs 1984 [note 2]
Doozer Music 1984 [note 2]
Jim Henson Play-Along Video: Mother Goose Stories 1988 [note 2]
Peek-A-Boo: A Big Surprise for Little People 1988 [note 2]
Billy Bunny's Animal Songs 1993 [note 2]
The only Muppet Sing Alongs video retained by the Henson Company.

Other

Video(s) Year Notes
Muppet Madness 1988 A View-Master Interactive Vision release.
Muppets Studios Presents: You're the Director 1988 A View-Master Interactive Vision release.
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 1 2002
The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 2 2002

External links[]

Sources[]

Notes
  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 listed as an Identified Entertainment Property in 2004 Disney/Muppets purchase agreement, archived on Kenny's Blog - Disney-Henson: Who Owns What
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 listed as a Retained Entertainment Property in 2004 Disney/Muppets purchase agreement, archived on Kenny's Blog - Disney-Henson: Who Owns What
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