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[[Image:Life-puppet-drawers.jpg|thumb|300px]]
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[[File:Life-puppet-drawers.jpg|thumb|300px]]
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'''The Muppet Workshop''' is the facility where Muppets are made by a group of [[:Category:Designers|designers and builders]].
+
'''The Muppet Workshop''' is the classic name of the facility where Muppets are made by a group of [[:Category:Designers|designers and builders]].
   
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
Around 1955, [[Jim Henson]] built the very first [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] out of his mother's old, green, spring coat. He built the puppet in the kitchen of his parents home in [[Maryland]]. It wasn't until a few years later, after Jim and [[Jane Henson]] were married, that the first "official" Muppet Workshop was created. It was housed in the basement of the Hensons' home during the remaining years of ''[[Sam and Friends]]''.<ref>''[[The Muppets Big Book of Crafts]]'', Foreword by [[Cheryl Henson]]</ref>
 
Around 1955, [[Jim Henson]] built the very first [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] out of his mother's old, green, spring coat. He built the puppet in the kitchen of his parents home in [[Maryland]]. It wasn't until a few years later, after Jim and [[Jane Henson]] were married, that the first "official" Muppet Workshop was created. It was housed in the basement of the Hensons' home during the remaining years of ''[[Sam and Friends]]''.<ref>''[[The Muppets Big Book of Crafts]]'', Foreword by [[Cheryl Henson]]</ref>
   
βˆ’
==New York==
+
==New York shops==
βˆ’
[[Image:TownhouseWorkshop-1980.jpg|thumb|300px|A 1980 photograph of the workshop, as it operated in the Henson Townhouse, from ''[[The Art of the Muppets (book)|The Art of the Muppets]]''.]]
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[[File:TownhouseWorkshop-1980.jpg|thumb|300px|A 1980 photograph of the workshop, as it operated in the Henson Townhouse, from ''[[The Art of the Muppets (book)|The Art of the Muppets]]''.]]
βˆ’
[[Image:Nyc-workshop1989.jpg|thumb|300px|201 East 67th Street.]]
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[[File:WissenSie-05.jpg|thumb|300px|"The Muppets And Henson Associates" signage of the East 67th Street workshop]]
  +
[[File:67St-Flippers.jpg|thumb|300px|Kermit's flipper prints found in the pavement outside the former 201 East 67th Street location.]]
In 1963, the Hensons moved into offices on 53rd Street in [[New York City]]. Although the space was small, [[Don Sahlin]] found the time to create a complex system of lines and pulleys for seven mice who lived in the workshop. In the book ''[[Jim Henson: The Works]]'', [[Dave Goelz]] recalls that [[Bonnie Erickson]]'s boyfriend had saved the mice from laboratory experiments, and that eventually Sahlin's efforts grew to include an entire aerial highway for the critters that wove itself around the workshop: up and over chandeliers, through cupboards and desks, all made of clear plastic spheres and Slinky toys.
 
  +
  +
In 1963, [[The Jim Henson Company|Muppets, Inc.]] moved to [[New York City]], and set up their new base of operations in the second floor of a townhouse at 303 East 53rd Street, just around the corner from the Henson's new apartment at Beekman Place.<ref>''[[Jim Henson: The Biography]]'' page 100</ref> [[Jim Henson's Red Book]] blog detailed the quarters thusly:
  +
  +
{{quote|It consisted of two rooms, a terrace, a small space for the secretary, and a bathroom. The front room facing the street served as the workshop, home to puppet and set building materials, Jim’s animation table, and [[Don Sahlin]] and his practical jokes. The back room looking onto the terrace housed [[Jerry Juhl]]’s desk, an Ampex tape machine, Jim’s desk and big black Eames chair, a table for sharing lunches and ideas, and a papier-mΓ’chΓ© moose head.<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2014/01/1231963/ Jim Henson's Red Book: 1/23/1963 – β€˜Moved to NY.’]</ref>}}
  +
  +
Work began to expand in the late 1960s, with new productions on a bigger scale, more workshop staff, and the company rebranding as Henson Associates (HA!). In August 1968, the company and workshop relocated uptown to 227 East 67th Street.<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2011/08/8261968/ Jim Henson's Red Book: 8/26/1968 – β€˜Move to 67th Street.’]</ref> Two floors were commandeered of the former carriage house, which would now house an expanded workshop space, an editing suite, and Jim's own office. A placard outside the building notified visitors:
  +
  +
{{quote|Henson Associates and Muppets Inc. This sign will be replaced with a nice expensive one some day - maybe.<ref>''Jim Henson: The Biography'' page 132</ref>}}
  +
  +
As the workshop relocated in subsequent years, this address retained Jim's office, as well as various staffers from the production, accounting, and business departments.<ref name=redbook1973>[[Jim Henson's Red Book]]: [https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2012/05/5181973/ 5/18/1973 – β€˜Move Shop (without me).’]</ref> A typical day at this workshop was captured by a German film crew for the 1975 documentary, ''[[Wissen Sie wo Ernie wohnt?]]''
  +
 
Although the space was small, Don Sahlin found the time to create a complex system of lines and pulleys for seven mice who lived in the workshop. In the book ''[[Jim Henson: The Works]]'', [[Dave Goelz]] recalls that [[Bonnie Erickson]]'s boyfriend had saved the mice from laboratory experiments, and that eventually Sahlin's efforts grew to include an entire aerial highway for the critters that wove itself around the workshop: up and over chandeliers, through cupboards and desks, all made of clear plastic spheres and Slinky toys.<ref>''Jim Henson: The Works'' page 27</ref>
  +
  +
Within a few scant years, the workshop again began to expand beyond the size of their headquarters. Jim Henson signed a lease on March 28, 1973 for space right up the block at 201 East 67th Street (on the corner of 3rd Ave). The Muppet Workshop commandeered three floors of the building, officially moving in on May 18, 1974.<ref>[https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2013/03/3281973/ Jim Henson's Red Book: 3/28/1973 – β€˜Signed lease on shop space 201.’]</ref><ref name=redbook1973 /> A pair of [[Kermit the Frog]] flipper prints were stamped into the cement outside the front door by [[Rollie Krewson]].
   
 
In 1977, the Workshop found a home in the newly acquired [[Henson Townhouse|townhouse]] on East 69th Street. An article from the February 1980 issue of ''[[Interior Design]]'' described some changes made to the rear of the building to facilitate a two-story puppet assembly area. By 1981, the department was being led by [[Caroly Wilcox]], and also employed [[Faz Fazakas]], [[Lyle Conway]], [[Marianne Harms]], [[Ed Christie]] and [[Nomi Frederick]].<ref>''[[Of Muppets and Men (book)|Of Muppets and Men]]'', p. 50-53</ref>
 
In 1977, the Workshop found a home in the newly acquired [[Henson Townhouse|townhouse]] on East 69th Street. An article from the February 1980 issue of ''[[Interior Design]]'' described some changes made to the rear of the building to facilitate a two-story puppet assembly area. By 1981, the department was being led by [[Caroly Wilcox]], and also employed [[Faz Fazakas]], [[Lyle Conway]], [[Marianne Harms]], [[Ed Christie]] and [[Nomi Frederick]].<ref>''[[Of Muppets and Men (book)|Of Muppets and Men]]'', p. 50-53</ref>
   
βˆ’
In December 1985, the Workshop was relocated to a space consisting of three floors at 201 East 67th Street (on the corner of 3rd Ave). This location was featured during a live-by-satellite interview with Jim Henson on ''[[CBS This Morning]]'' in 1989. The same year, Henson gave a tour of the Workshop in "[[Episode 110: Secrets of the Muppets|Secrets of the Muppets]]," which was filmed for ''[[The Jim Henson Hour]]''.
+
The Workshop eventually relocated back to their three floors of 201 East 67th Street. This location was featured during a live-by-satellite interview with Jim Henson on ''[[CBS This Morning]]'' in 1989. The same year, Henson gave a tour of the Workshop in "[[Episode 110: Secrets of the Muppets|Secrets of the Muppets]]," which was filmed for ''[[The Jim Henson Hour]]''.
   
βˆ’
From 1997 to 2004, [[Ed Christie]] served as the Muppet Workshop supervisor. In early 2002, the Workshop moved from the three-level space on East 67th Street back to the basement of the Townhouse on East 69th Street. This was the final location of "the Muppet Workshop" until Henson sold [[:Category:The Muppets Characters|the Muppets]] to [[The Walt Disney Company]] and the shop became "Jim Henson's New York Workshop."
+
From 1997 to 2004, [[Ed Christie]] served as the Muppet Workshop supervisor. In early 2002, the Workshop moved from the three-level space on East 67th Street back to the basement of the Townhouse on East 69th Street. This was the final location as "the Muppet Workshop" until Henson sold [[:Category:The Muppets Characters|the Muppets]] to [[The Walt Disney Company]].
  +
 
Since Disney's purchase of the Muppets in 2004, Jim Henson's New York Workshop, as it is now known, has become a division of [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]]. Still located in New York City, the workshop has moved to Long Island City, Queens,<ref>The Real Deal [http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/06/17/muppets-move-to-long-island-city-cushman-wakefield-kermit-the-frog-elmo-kaufman-astoria-studios/ Muppets move to Long Island City] June 17, 2009</ref> near the [[Kaufman Astoria Studios]], where it is headed by [[Connie Peterson]] as Workshop Manager, and [[Jason Weber]] as Creative Supervisor.
  +
 
Though the workshop is no longer responsible for the creation of Muppet characters (now handled by [[Puppet Heap]]), they continue to build the puppets required for [[The Jim Henson Company|Jim Henson Company]] productions as well as ''[[Sesame Street]]''.<ref>[http://www.creatureshop.com/index.htm www.creatureshop.com]</ref> The new, sans-"Muppet" name has also been alternatively credited as Jim Henson's Puppet Workshop and Jim Henson's New York Puppet Workshop.
   
 
==Elstree Studios==
 
==Elstree Studios==
βˆ’
[[Image:Elstreeworkshop.jpg|thumb|300px|The Muppet Workshop at Elstree.]]
+
[[File:Elstreeworkshop.jpg|thumb|300px|The Muppet Workshop at Elstree.]]
 
During production on ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', a workshop was set up near [[London]]. It was located in an L-shaped room adjacent to Studio D at ATV's [[Elstree Studios]] in Borehamwood. This shop was principally staffed by Muppet designers and builders from New York,<ref>''Of Muppets and Men'', p. 13-22</ref> and early on, almost everything needed for the show was built and maintained at this location. However, the work was eventually split up between the British and New York workshops, even with an increase in staff at Elstree.<ref>''[[Jim Henson: The Works]]'', p. 114-117</ref>
[[File:Muppet_Workshop_Amy_Van_Gi_copy.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Amy van Gilder]] in Elstree]]
 
[[File:Elstree_Workshop_BTS_copy.jpg|thumb|300px|Elstree workshop]]
 
[[Image:Gawkybird.jpg|thumb|300px|A [[Gawky Bird]] is inspected.]]
 
During production on ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', a workshop was set up in [[London]]. It was located in an L-shaped room adjacent to Studio D at ATV's [[Elstree Studios|Elstree Television Studios]] in Borehamwood. This shop was principally staffed by Muppet designers and builders from New York,<ref>''Of Muppets and Men'', p. 13-22</ref> and early on, almost everything needed for the show was built and maintained at this location. However, the work was eventually split up between the London and New York workshops, even with an increase in staff at Elstree.<ref>''[[Jim Henson: The Works]]'', p. 114-117</ref>
 
   
βˆ’
While the Muppet Workshop in New York had it's mice, the London shop was home to it's own "infestation". [[Amy Van Gilder]], who was in charge of the London workshop for four seasons,<ref>''Of Muppets and Men'', p. 54</ref> recalled:
+
While the Muppet Workshop in New York had its mice, the Elstree shop was home to its own "infestation". [[Amy Van Gilder]], who was in charge of the London workshop for four seasons,<ref>''Of Muppets and Men'', p. 54</ref> recalled:
   
 
{{quote|When I first got there, there were just four of us working till four in the morning every day. We were using a lot of live animals on the show at that time, and they always seemed to find their way into the shop, so you'd come in in the morning, after not much sleep, and find a piglet running round the floor, or a huge frog blinking at you from a workbench.<ref>''Jim Henson: The Works'', p. 114</ref>}}
 
{{quote|When I first got there, there were just four of us working till four in the morning every day. We were using a lot of live animals on the show at that time, and they always seemed to find their way into the shop, so you'd come in in the morning, after not much sleep, and find a piglet running round the floor, or a huge frog blinking at you from a workbench.<ref>''Jim Henson: The Works'', p. 114</ref>}}
   
βˆ’
The London shop can be seen in the documentary ''[[Of Muppets and Men]]'' in a behind the scenes look of ''The Muppet Show''’s creation. Supervisors during this time were Robert McCormack and Sara Paul.<ref>''[[The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 1]]''</ref>
+
The Elstree shop can be seen in the documentary ''[[Of Muppets and Men (documentary)|Of Muppets and Men]]'' in a behind the scenes look of ''The Muppet Show''’s creation. Supervisors during this time were Robert McCormack and Sara Paul.<ref>''[[The Very Best of the Muppet Show: Volume 1]]''</ref>
βˆ’  
βˆ’
==Jim Henson's New York Workshop==
 
Since Disney's purchase of the Muppets in 2004, the Muppet Workshop has become a division of [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]]. Still located in New York City, the workshop has moved to [[Broadway]], where it is headed by [[Connie Peterson]] as Workshop Manager, and [[Jason Weber]] as Creative Supervisor.
 
βˆ’  
Though the workshop is no longer responsible for the creation of Muppet characters, they continue to build the puppets required for [[The Jim Henson Company|Jim Henson Company]] productions as well as ''[[Sesame Street]]''.<ref>[http://www.creatureshop.com/index.htm www.creatureshop.com]</ref> The new, sans-"Muppet" name has also been alternatively credited as Jim Henson's Puppet Workshop and Jim Henson's New York Puppet Workshop.
 
   
 
==Merchandise==
 
==Merchandise==
βˆ’
The Muppet Workshop has collaborated on three books: ''[[The Muppets Make Puppets]]'' (1994), ''[[The Muppets Big Book of Crafts]]'' (1999) and ''[[Quilting with the Muppets]]'' (2000). Several toy kits were also released in conjunction with the Workshop as well as a collection of McDonald's Happy Meal toys. See: [[:Category:Muppet Workshop Merchandise|Muppet Workshop Merchandise]].
+
The Muppet Workshop has collaborated on three books: ''[[The Muppets Make Puppets!]]'' (1994), ''[[The Muppets Big Book of Crafts]]'' (1999) and ''[[Quilting with the Muppets]]'' (2000). Several toy kits were also released in conjunction with the Workshop as well as a collection of McDonald's Happy Meal toys. See: [[:Category:Muppet Workshop Merchandise|Muppet Workshop Merchandise]].
   
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
  +
<gallery widths=200 spacing=small orientation=landscape>
βˆ’
<gallery orientation="landscape" captionalign="left">
 
 
Image:Nyc-workshop1989a.jpg|''[[CBS This Morning]]''
 
Image:Nyc-workshop1989a.jpg|''[[CBS This Morning]]''
βˆ’
Image:Nyc-workshop1989b.jpg|''[[CBS This Morning]]''
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Image:Nyc-workshop1989b.jpg|''CBS This Morning''
βˆ’
Image:Nyc-workshop1989c.jpg|''[[CBS This Morning]]''
+
Image:Nyc-workshop1989c.jpg|''CBS This Morning''
  +
Workshop-CarolyE&B.jpg|
  +
WissenSie-13.jpg|1975
  +
File:workshop 1976.jpg|1976, early episodes of ''[[The Muppet Show]]''
  +
File:workshop eyes bts.jpg|[[Life]], Aug 1980
  +
Image:NYCWorkshop1983.jpg|1983
 
Image:Hensonsahlinworkshop.jpg
 
Image:Hensonsahlinworkshop.jpg
 
Image:Muppetmagic_1980_book.jpg|''[[Muppet Magic]]'' book
 
Image:Muppetmagic_1980_book.jpg|''[[Muppet Magic]]'' book
  +
Image:Mupwrokrare_(1).jpg
  +
Image:Mupwrokrare_(2).jpg
 
File:henson thog workshop outside.jpg
 
Image:Workshop-lifemagazine.jpg|''[[Life]]'' magazine
 
Image:Workshop-lifemagazine.jpg|''[[Life]]'' magazine
 
Image:Workshop-1980-1.jpg|1980
 
Image:Workshop-1980-1.jpg|1980
Line 49: Line 67:
 
Image:Workshop.jpg|UK TMS Workshop
 
Image:Workshop.jpg|UK TMS Workshop
 
Image:Sandv workshop.jpg
 
Image:Sandv workshop.jpg
  +
Jim Nigel workshop.jpg
βˆ’
File:Mupworkshopuk1980.jpg|UK TMS Workshop
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Image:Mupworkshopuk1980.jpg|UK TMS Workshop
File:Henson-workshop.jpg
 
  +
Image:Henson-workshop.jpg
βˆ’
File:Henmuppetsworkshop.jpg
+
Image:Henmuppetsworkshop.jpg
βˆ’
File:Secrets7.jpg|''[[The Jim Henson Hour]]''
+
Image:Secrets7.jpg|''[[The Jim Henson Hour]]''
 
Image:Making pigs.jpg
 
Image:Making pigs.jpg
 
Image:BarbaraDavis-and-MissPiggy-1980-01b.jpg|[[Barbara Davis]] with Miss Piggy
 
Image:BarbaraDavis-and-MissPiggy-1980-01b.jpg|[[Barbara Davis]] with Miss Piggy
βˆ’
kermit_in_drawer.jpg
+
Image:kermit_in_drawer.jpg
  +
Image:UnsereGeschichte-AlsDieSesamstraßeNachDeutschlandKam-06.png|[[Rollie Krewson]] on<br>''[[Unsere Geschichte: Als die Sesamstrasse nach Deutschland kam|Unsere Geschichte]]'' in 2012
  +
Image:UnsereGeschichte-AlsDieSesamstraßeNachDeutschlandKam-JHNYW01.png
  +
Image:UnsereGeschichte-AlsDieSesamstraßeNachDeutschlandKam-JHNYW02.png
  +
Image:UnsereGeschichte-AlsDieSesamstraßeNachDeutschlandKam-JHNYW03.png
  +
Image:CNN-TheArtOfMovement-(2013-07-04)-05.png|[[Jason Weber]] on [[CNN]]'s<br>''The Art of Movement'' in 2013
  +
Image:CNN-TheArtOfMovement-(2013-07-04)-06.png
 
File:Muppet_Workshop_Amy_Van_Gi_copy.jpg|[[Amy Van Gilder]] in Elstree
 
File:Elstree_Workshop_BTS_copy.jpg|Elstree workshop
 
Image:Gawkybird.jpg|A [[Gawky Bird]] is inspected.
  +
File:Tms_workshop_79.jpg
  +
File:Itsashametheydidthisinsteadofrestorehim.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
βˆ’
==External links==
+
==See also==
  +
*[[The Carriage House]]
* [http://www.rhbpc.com/muppets_main.htm Muppet Studios and Offices, Richard Henry Behr Architect]
 
   
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
 
<references />
 
<references />
   
  +
==External links==
 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080513225326/http://www.rhbpc.com/muppets_main.htm Muppet Studios and Offices, Richard Henry Behr Architect] (archive link)
  +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130708065448/http://www.sesamstrasse.de/sendungsinfos/sesamstrasse/newyork183.html Sesamstrasse.de - Jim Henson's New York Workshop photo gallery (2013-01-01)] (archive link)
  +
  +
__NOWYSIWYG__
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muppet Workshop}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muppet Workshop}}
 
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
 
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]

Latest revision as of 04:49, 6 February 2024

Life-puppet-drawers

The Muppet Workshop is the classic name of the facility where Muppets are made by a group of designers and builders.

History

Around 1955, Jim Henson built the very first Kermit out of his mother's old, green, spring coat. He built the puppet in the kitchen of his parents home in Maryland. It wasn't until a few years later, after Jim and Jane Henson were married, that the first "official" Muppet Workshop was created. It was housed in the basement of the Hensons' home during the remaining years of Sam and Friends.[1]

New York shops

TownhouseWorkshop-1980

A 1980 photograph of the workshop, as it operated in the Henson Townhouse, from The Art of the Muppets.

WissenSie-05

"The Muppets And Henson Associates" signage of the East 67th Street workshop

67St-Flippers

Kermit's flipper prints found in the pavement outside the former 201 East 67th Street location.

In 1963, Muppets, Inc. moved to New York City, and set up their new base of operations in the second floor of a townhouse at 303 East 53rd Street, just around the corner from the Henson's new apartment at Beekman Place.[2] Jim Henson's Red Book blog detailed the quarters thusly:

β€œIt consisted of two rooms, a terrace, a small space for the secretary, and a bathroom. The front room facing the street served as the workshop, home to puppet and set building materials, Jim’s animation table, and Don Sahlin and his practical jokes. The back room looking onto the terrace housed Jerry Juhl’s desk, an Ampex tape machine, Jim’s desk and big black Eames chair, a table for sharing lunches and ideas, and a papier-mΓ’chΓ© moose head.[3]”

Work began to expand in the late 1960s, with new productions on a bigger scale, more workshop staff, and the company rebranding as Henson Associates (HA!). In August 1968, the company and workshop relocated uptown to 227 East 67th Street.[4] Two floors were commandeered of the former carriage house, which would now house an expanded workshop space, an editing suite, and Jim's own office. A placard outside the building notified visitors:

β€œHenson Associates and Muppets Inc. This sign will be replaced with a nice expensive one some day - maybe.[5]”

As the workshop relocated in subsequent years, this address retained Jim's office, as well as various staffers from the production, accounting, and business departments.[6] A typical day at this workshop was captured by a German film crew for the 1975 documentary, Wissen Sie wo Ernie wohnt?

Although the space was small, Don Sahlin found the time to create a complex system of lines and pulleys for seven mice who lived in the workshop. In the book Jim Henson: The Works, Dave Goelz recalls that Bonnie Erickson's boyfriend had saved the mice from laboratory experiments, and that eventually Sahlin's efforts grew to include an entire aerial highway for the critters that wove itself around the workshop: up and over chandeliers, through cupboards and desks, all made of clear plastic spheres and Slinky toys.[7]

Within a few scant years, the workshop again began to expand beyond the size of their headquarters. Jim Henson signed a lease on March 28, 1973 for space right up the block at 201 East 67th Street (on the corner of 3rd Ave). The Muppet Workshop commandeered three floors of the building, officially moving in on May 18, 1974.[8][6] A pair of Kermit the Frog flipper prints were stamped into the cement outside the front door by Rollie Krewson.

In 1977, the Workshop found a home in the newly acquired townhouse on East 69th Street. An article from the February 1980 issue of Interior Design described some changes made to the rear of the building to facilitate a two-story puppet assembly area. By 1981, the department was being led by Caroly Wilcox, and also employed Faz Fazakas, Lyle Conway, Marianne Harms, Ed Christie and Nomi Frederick.[9]

The Workshop eventually relocated back to their three floors of 201 East 67th Street. This location was featured during a live-by-satellite interview with Jim Henson on CBS This Morning in 1989. The same year, Henson gave a tour of the Workshop in "Secrets of the Muppets," which was filmed for The Jim Henson Hour.

From 1997 to 2004, Ed Christie served as the Muppet Workshop supervisor. In early 2002, the Workshop moved from the three-level space on East 67th Street back to the basement of the Townhouse on East 69th Street. This was the final location as "the Muppet Workshop" until Henson sold the Muppets to The Walt Disney Company.

Since Disney's purchase of the Muppets in 2004, Jim Henson's New York Workshop, as it is now known, has become a division of Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Still located in New York City, the workshop has moved to Long Island City, Queens,[10] near the Kaufman Astoria Studios, where it is headed by Connie Peterson as Workshop Manager, and Jason Weber as Creative Supervisor.

Though the workshop is no longer responsible for the creation of Muppet characters (now handled by Puppet Heap), they continue to build the puppets required for Jim Henson Company productions as well as Sesame Street.[11] The new, sans-"Muppet" name has also been alternatively credited as Jim Henson's Puppet Workshop and Jim Henson's New York Puppet Workshop.

Elstree Studios

Elstreeworkshop

The Muppet Workshop at Elstree.

During production on The Muppet Show, a workshop was set up near London. It was located in an L-shaped room adjacent to Studio D at ATV's Elstree Studios in Borehamwood. This shop was principally staffed by Muppet designers and builders from New York,[12] and early on, almost everything needed for the show was built and maintained at this location. However, the work was eventually split up between the British and New York workshops, even with an increase in staff at Elstree.[13]

While the Muppet Workshop in New York had its mice, the Elstree shop was home to its own "infestation". Amy Van Gilder, who was in charge of the London workshop for four seasons,[14] recalled:

β€œWhen I first got there, there were just four of us working till four in the morning every day. We were using a lot of live animals on the show at that time, and they always seemed to find their way into the shop, so you'd come in in the morning, after not much sleep, and find a piglet running round the floor, or a huge frog blinking at you from a workbench.[15]”

The Elstree shop can be seen in the documentary Of Muppets and Men in a behind the scenes look of The Muppet Show’s creation. Supervisors during this time were Robert McCormack and Sara Paul.[16]

Merchandise

The Muppet Workshop has collaborated on three books: The Muppets Make Puppets! (1994), The Muppets Big Book of Crafts (1999) and Quilting with the Muppets (2000). Several toy kits were also released in conjunction with the Workshop as well as a collection of McDonald's Happy Meal toys. See: Muppet Workshop Merchandise.

Gallery

See also

Sources

External links