Brian David Henson (born November 3, 1963) is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson.
Early life Henson was born on November 3, 1963 in New York City, the third child of Jane Henson (née Nebel; 1934–2013) and Jim Henson (1936–1990). He has four siblings: Lisa (born 1960), Cheryl (born 1961), John (1965–2014) and Heather Henson (born 1970).
As a child, Henson appeared in some of the filmed segments that his father produced for the PBS children's series Sesame Street.
As a teenager, he built the first Muppet penguin puppet for the opening "Lullaby of Broadway" segment of a Season 3 episode of The Muppet Show. During his summer break from high school at the age of 17, Henson assisted in the production of The Great Muppet Caper (1981); skilled in the use of marionette puppets, he helped create and operate a special rigging device that allowed the Muppets to appear to ride bicycles. Several years later, after performing marionette work in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) in the scene in which rats cook food in a diner, he specialized in managing complicated special effects.
Career
Film Henson performed Jack Pumpkinhead in Return to Oz (1985), operated special effects for Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) and was a principal performer for the Audrey II puppet in Little Shop of Horrors (1986), controlling mouth movement while others performed the lips and vines. He also performed the voice of Hoggle, one of the main characters in his father's film Labyrinth (1986), and the dog in both versions of The Storyteller (1988 and 1990).
In 1992, Henson directed The Muppet Christmas Carol and directed the next film in the franchise, Muppet Treasure Island, in 1996. He performed the role of Dr. Phil van Neuter, the Muppet mad scientist character he performed on Muppets Tonight, in Muppets from Space (1999). In 2018, he directed and produced The Happytime Murders, a puppet crime-comedy film for adult audiences.
Television Henson was the executive producer for several television series: Dinosaurs (1991–94), Aliens in the Family (1996), Bear in the Big Blue House (1997–2006), Farscape (1999–2003) and The Hoobs (2001–2003). In addition to assuming an executive producer role, Henson served as the head judge on the 2014 reality television show Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge. He performed the roles of Janice and Scooter in the 2002 television film It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.
Henson returned to perform Sal Minella, a character he created for Muppets Tonight, in Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021).
Other ventures Henson is the cocreator, producer and performer for the adult-themed puppet-based variety show Puppet Up!, and has played various characters from the show on the British program That Puppet Game Show.
For The Muppet Show Live in 2001, Henson performed his own Muppet characters and one of his father's characters, The Newsman, for the first time. He reprised the role for the 2003 video game Muppets Party Cruise.
Personal life
Henson married Ellis Flyte, costume designer for the 1986 fantasy adventure film Labyrinth, in November 1990. They divorced in 2002. In 2010, Henson married actress Mia Sara. They have one child, daughter Amelia Jane Henson, who was born in 2005.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1981 The Great Muppet Caper Muppet performer Also made a cameo appearance 1984 The Muppets Take Manhattan Uncredited 1985 Return to Oz Jack Pumpkinhead (voice actor)Brian Henson interview: How The Happytime Murders revives the darker side of the Muppets. The Independent. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2023. Puppeteer of head and hands Santa Claus: The Movie Animatronic puppeteer 1986 Little Shop of Horrors Principal puppeteer Labyrinth Hoggle/Goblin (voice actor)Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Paul Grant dies aged 56. The Guardian. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023. 1987 Jim Henson Presents Mother Goose Stories Co-director 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Second unit director/Chief puppeteer The Witches Puppeteer Basil Hears a Noise PuppeteerExecutive producer Uncredited 1992 The Muppet Christmas Carol Director/Producer 1996 Muppet Treasure Island 1997 Buddy Executive producer 1999 Muppets from Space Dr. Phil Van Neuter/Sal Minella/Talking Sandwich (as a Muppet performer) Producer The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland Executive producer 2017 The Star 2018 The Happytime Murders Crab/on-screen cameo (photograph)Director; producer
Television Year Title Role Notes 1986 The Christmas Toy Cruiser TV movie 1988–1991 The Storyteller Storyteller's Dog/Devil/Griffin 1989–1990 The Jim Henson Hour Storyteller's Dog/Dog the Dinosaur/ Head of the Ultragorgon 1990 Basil Hears a Noise PuppeteerExecutive producer TV movie 1991–1994 Dinosaurs Grandma Ethyl Phillips/Arthur RizzicExecutive producer1992–1994Dog CityExecutive producer 1996 Aliens in the Family Gulliver's Travels Co-executive producer 1996–1998 Muppets Tonight Sal Minella/Dr. Phil Van Neuter/Seymour/NigelWriter 1997–2003 Bear in the Big Blue House Executive producer 1999 Alice in Wonderland TV movie 1999–2003 Farscape 2001 Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story Director and writer TV movie 2002 It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Scooter/Sal Minella/JaniceExecutive producer 2004 Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars Director/Executive producer 2005 The Muppets' Wizard of Oz Sal MinellaExecutive producer TV movie 2008 Jim Henson's Pajanimals Executive producer 2008–2009 Sid the Science Kid 2009–2011 Dinosaur Train 2010 Hot Dog TV VoiceDirector 2013 That Puppet Game Show Various 2014 Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge Executive producer and Head Judge2020Prop Culture Himself Episode: "The Muppet Movie" Earth to Ned Vincent Episode: "I've Got a Ned Feeling About This"; Also executive producer 2021 Muppets Haunted Mansion Sal Minella Halloween special for Disney+
Video games YearTitleRolesNotes2000Muppet RaceManiaSal Minella/Dr. Phil Van NeuterVoice2003Muppets Party CruiseScooter/Sal Minella/Janice/The Muppet Newsman
Awards and nominations Year Association Nominated work Category Result 1996 Primetime Emmy Awards Gulliver's Travels Outstanding Miniseries Muppets Tonight Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series 1997 The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Outstanding Children's Program 1997 Satellite Awards Muppet Treasure Island Best Animated or Mixed Media Film 1998 Primetime Emmy Awards The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Outstanding Children's Program Muppets Tonight 2019Golden Raspberry AwardsThe Happytime MurdersWorst Picture rowspan=2 Worst Director
References
External links
YouTube Interview