Kirk Thatcher

Thatcher on the set of Return of the Jedi.

Kirk Thatcher (b. February 14) is a writer and director who has worked with the Muppets since 1989. His career began at age 18 working for George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic. During his time with ILM, he designed, built, painted, and puppeteered creatures for numerous films including Return of the Jedi, Star Trek II, Star Trek III, E.T., Poltergeist, and Gremlins.

Thatcher would go on to become a concept artist and designer for several music videos, served as an associate producer for Star Trek IV - making a notable onscreen cameo as well - and started a production company for director David Fincher.

Beginning in 1988, Thatcher worked on The Jim Henson Hour as an associate producer. Dinosaurs followed in 1991, a television series for which he developed, produced and wrote. He also designed several of the show's characters. During the 1990's, Thatcher was on the writing staff for Muppets Tonight, and co-wrote Muppet Treasure Island.

Thatcher continues to work on Muppet productions for Disney, and on projects for the Jim Henson Company, serving as director for episodes of Neil's Puppet Dreams (starring Neil Patrick Harris) and the telefilm Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow. He also served as a judge on the 2014 reality series, Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge.

Muppet/Henson credits

Director

• Muppetisms
• Muppets from Space - 2nd unit director
• It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
• The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
• Muppet viral videos
  • "Stars and Stripes FOREVER!!"
  • "Ode to Joy"
  • "Classical Chicken"
  •  Hrmph, Mmph, Blech, and Meh
  • "Bohemian Rhapsody"
  • "Stand By Me"
• Studio DC Hosted by Selena Gomez (credited as Krash R. Davenport)
• Studio DC Hosted by Dylan and Cole Sprouse (credited as Krash R. Davenport)
• The Muppet Show Theme music video
• The Case of the Stolen Show
• Muppisode: Food Fight!
• Muppet commercials
  • Give a Day, Get a Disney Day spots (with James Denton and Taye Diggs)
  • Alamo spots
  • Orange
  • Cravendale
  • Toyota Highlander web promos
  • QVC "Moi" commercial
  • Subway "Mistaken Subdentity" ad
  • Television Academy web video

Writer

• Dinosaurs
  • "When Food Goes Bad" (with Tim Doyle)
  • "Leader of the Pack"
  • "Nature Calls" (with Andy Goodman)
  • "Little Boy Boo"
  • "Changing Nature"
• Dog City
  • "Cats 'N Dogs"
• Muppet Treasure Island (with Jerry Juhl and James V. Hart)
• Muppets Tonight (all episodes)
• Muppetisms (with Jim Lewis)
• Disney Xtreme Digital (initial segments, with Jim Lewis)

Designer

• The Jim Henson Hour - designed Clifford, Vicki, Leon, Waldo C. Graphic, Zondra, Graffiti Muppets, overall set design, others
• CityKids
• Dinosaurs - Dinosaur designer
• Aliens in the Family

Producer

• The Jim Henson Hour - Associate producer
• Dinosaurs- Co-producer (seasons 1-3)
• Muppets Tonight - Supervising producer
• Studio DC: Almost Live!
• Disney Drive-On with The Muppets

Performer

• The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland - Additional Muppet performer
• Kirk Thatcher Cameos

Gallery

With David Arquette and Whoopi Goldberg on the set of It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.

Jim Henson and Kirk Thatcher

Thatcher directs Kermit on the set of It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.

Choking Pepe on the set of The Muppets' Wizard of Oz

See also

• Kirk Thatcher's acting roles

External links

• VimeoPRO - Directing Credits
• Kirk Thatcher at Memory Alpha
• The Muppet Mindset interview: Part 1, part 2, part 3