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Hosted by Kermit the Frog and serenaded by Doctor Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the Muppets, along with weekly guest stars, demonstrated the breadth of Jim Henson's humor and imagination. The Muppet Show family of characters have starred in five feature films: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island. In addition to the Muppet movies, during the 1980s, Jim Henson also brought two fantasy films to the big screen. The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, both inspired by the artwork of British illustrator, Brian Froud, challenged him to develop elaborate three-dimensional characters with advanced movement abilities.

The Dark Crystal was five years in development, using scores of designers, builders, technicians, and performers from across the globe. Jim Henson’s compelling story and Brian Froud’s imaginative vision produced a phenomenal showcase of puppetry and animatronics. Jim Henson and Brian Froud collaborated again on the feature film, Labyrinth, starring David Bowie and produced by George Lucas. Production of Labyrinth provided Jim Henson another opportunity to make technological advancements in the field of animatronics. The extensive multi-talented staff that worked on these two films formed the basis for what is now known as Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, which began in London in 1979.

During the 1980s, Jim Henson continued to create memorable television specials and television series such as Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, Jim Henson's The Storyteller, and Jim Henson's Greek Myths. Fraggle Rock’s Fraggles, Gorgs, and Doozers sang songs celebrating friendship, brotherhood, and peace. Muppet Babies, awarded four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Animated Program, continues to delight audiences today. Jim Henson's The Storyteller was an original series conceived by Jim Henson to convey the metaphoric richness of ancient stories. All of the episodes were based on authentic folk tales, with Academy Award-winning writer/director Anthony Minghella writing several. With a strong literary research team in combination with the magical visual effects and animatronics produced by the Creature Shop, Jim Henson's The Storyteller and Jim Henson's Greek Myths are rare combinations of ancient tradition and modern technological artistry. On May 16, 1990, after a brief illness, Jim Henson died in New York City, but his prolific work continues to entertain a global audience through the activities of The Jim Henson Company.

Jim Henson had the keen ability of drawing together a strong team of performers, artists, and collaborators who shared his vision and creativity. Led by the Henson family, The Jim Henson Company has dedicated itself to continuing the work that they and Jim had so successfully accomplished over the years. We continue to marvel at Jim Henson’s characters on television and in the movies, and in Jim’s last project, the special installation of Muppet*Vision 3D, a short film attraction he directed for a custom-made theater at Walt Disney World’s Disney/MGM Studios Theme Park. To this day, the award-winning animatronic work produced by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop sets industry standards while bringing previously unseen worlds to life. As a brilliant innovator, Jim Henson sought to stretch the capabilities of advancing technology. As a preeminent popular artist, he contributed to the diverse visual vocabulary of the twentieth century. And as a performing genius, he brought delight and wonder to international audiences.