John Henson (puppeteer)
John Paul Henson (April 25, 1965 – February 14, 2014) was an American puppeteer best known for his association with The Muppets.
John Henson | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 25, 1965 Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | February 14, 2014 (aged 48) Saugerties, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Puppeteer |
| Spouse(s) | Gyongyi Henson (m. 2007) |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Parent(s) | Jim Henson Jane Henson |
| Relatives | Lisa Henson (sister) Cheryl Henson (sister) Brian Henson (brother) Heather Henson (sister) |
Early years
John Henson was the son of puppeteer Jim Henson (1936–1990), best known as the creator of The Muppets, and Jane Henson (1934–2013), who assisted in the launch of the Muppets. He had four siblings: Lisa (born 1960), Cheryl (born 1961), Brian (born 1963), and Heather (born 1970).
Career
John performed Muppet character Sweetums starting in 1992 following the death of Richard Hunt (who trained John Henson in performing Sweetums). The role has since been passed to different puppeteers, including David Rudman, Noel MacNeal, Rob Mills and Matt Vogel. Vogel officially assumed the role in 2009.
In addition to his work with the Jim Henson Company, John produced independent films, worked as a production designer, animator, writer, wood worker, artist and builder. Zelda Catwoman of Queens, a short film he co-wrote and produced with long time collaborator and childhood friend filmmaker Alex Halpern, won the student Academy Award in the experimental division, just prior to his father's death in 1990.
Death
On Valentine's Day 2014, at the age of 48, John Henson died at his home in Saugerties, New York from a heart attack. His family had a private funeral for him. He was cremated and his ashes were given to his family.[2][3]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-1994 | CityKids | |
| 1996-1998 | Muppets Tonight | Sweetums |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Zelda, Catwoman of Queens | Producer and Co-Writer |
| 1996 | Muppet Treasure Island | Sweetums |
| 1999 | Muppets from Space | |
| 2002 | It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | |
| 2005 | The Muppets' Wizard of Oz | Sweetums as a Flying Monkey |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Muppets Party Cruise | Sweetums |
Miscellaneous
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Muppet*Vision 3D | Sweetums | in-suit performer |
| 2001 | The Muppet Show Live |
References
- "Jim Henson's Son, John, Dies At Age 48". The Hollywood Reporter. February 15, 2014.
- Muppets' John Paul Henson dies at 48
- Botelho, Craig (February 18, 2014). "John Henson -- son of the iconic Jim Henson -- dies of heart attack at 48". CNN. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
External links
- John Henson at IMDb
| Preceded by Richard Hunt |
Performer of Sweetums 1991, 1993-2005 |
Succeeded by Noel MacNeal |