Brian Henson
Brian Henson (born November 3, 1963) is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, actor and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson.
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.
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.
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) and Farscape (1999–2003). 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).
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 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.
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, a daughter born in 2005.
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Photos
Films (56)
Jim Henson : l'homme aux mille idées
2024 · Self, Thanks
Tall Poppy
2022 · Director
Remembering Return to Oz
2021 · Self
Muppets : Le manoir hanté
2021 · Sal Minella
Los Amigos del Barrio: Cómo llegamos a Plaza Sésamo
2021 · Self
Derek DelGaudio's In & of Itself
2020 · Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
The Happytime Murders
2018 · Crab, Director, Producer
The Star
2017 · Executive Producer
In Their Own Words: Jim Henson
2015 · Self - Son
Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2014 · Self
A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas!
2011 · Self - Interviewee
Tinseltown
2007 · Samson Knight, Creator, Director, Writer, Executive Producer
Journey Through the Labyrinth
2007 · Self
Reflections of 'The Dark Crystal'
2007 · Self
Best Ever Muppet Moments
2006 · Self
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
2005 · Sal (voice), Executive Producer
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
2002 · Scooter / Janice / Sal Minella (voice), Executive Producer
I Love Muppets
2002 · Self
Rat
2000 · Executive Producer
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
1999 · Executive Producer
Muppets from Space
1999 · Dr. Phil Van Neuter / Sal Minella (voice), Producer
Buddy
1997 · Executive Producer
Muppet Treasure Island
1996 · (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer
Muppet Sing Alongs: Treasure Island
1996 · Executive Producer
The World of Jim Henson
1994 · Self
Muppet Classic Theater
1994 · Andy Pig / Mink in 'Gotta Get That Name' (voice), Executive Producer
Muppet Sing Alongs: It's Not Easy Being Green
1994 · Executive Producer
Muppet Sing Alongs: Billy Bunny's Animal Songs
1993 · Executive Producer
The Muppet Christmas Carol
1992 · Producer, Director
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Daedalus & Icarus
1991 · The Dog
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Orpheus & Eurydice
1991 · The Dog
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Perseus & the Gorgon
1991 · The Dog
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Theseus & the Minotaur
1991 · The Dog
Living with Dinosaurs
1990 · Dog(voice)
Jim Henson's Memorial Service
1990
The Storyteller: The True Bride
1988 · The Storyteller's Dog (Voice)
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
1988 · The Storyteller's Dog
The Storyteller: The Three Ravens
1988 · Storyteller's Dog
The Storyteller: Hans My Hedgehog
1988 · The Storyteller's Dog (Voice)
The Storyteller: A Story Short
1988 · The Storyteller's Dog
The Storyteller: The Luck Child
1988 · Griffin (Voice)/The Storyteller's Dog (Voice)
The Storyteller: Fearnot
1988 · The Storyteller's Dog
Inside the Labyrinth
1986 · Self
The Christmas Toy
1986 · Cruiser (voice)
Labyrinth
1986 · Hoggle / Goblin (voice)
Return to Oz
1985 · Jack Pumpkinhead (voice)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
1984 · Additional Muppet Performer (voice)
Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppets
1984 · Self
Split Image
1982 · Jerry
The Great Muppet Caper
1981 · Muppet Performer / Cyclist
The Muppet Movie
1979 · Additional Muppet Performer
Sesame Street Pitch Reel
1969 · Self
Wheels That Go
1967 · Boy
Jim Henson's Creature Shop New York City Tour
· Samson Knight
Grendel
· Producer
Untitled Labyrinth Sequel
· Executive Producer
Séries (33)
Allô la Terre, ici Ned
2020 · Executive Producer
Souvenirs de tournage
2020 · Self
Eli Roth's History of Horror
2018 · Self
Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge
2014 · Himself - Lead Judge
No, You Shut Up!
2013 · Executive Producer
That Puppet Game Show
2013 · Dr. Heimlich Strabismus / The Amazing Ian / Mouse Janitor / Hot Dog
Neil's Puppet Dreams
2012 · Jumper (voice), Executive Producer
Dinosaur Train
2009 · Executive Producer
Pajanimals
2008 · Executive Producer
Sid the Science Kid
2008 · Executive Producer, Director, Creator
Bunnytown
2007 · Producer
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King
2006 · Director
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
2004 · Director
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story
2001 · Galaga (voice), Executive Producer, Story, Teleplay, Director, Creator
The Hoobs
2001 · Creator
Construction Site
1999 · Executive Producer
Farscape
1999 · Producer, Director, Executive Producer
Brats of the Lost Nebula
1998 · Executive Producer
Bear in the Big Blue House
1997 · Executive Producer
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
1996 · Executive Producer
Aliens in the Family
1996 · Producer, Executive Producer
Muppets Tonight
1996 · Sal Minella / Seymour / Dr. Phil Van Neuter, Executive Producer, Director
Gulliver's Travels
1996 · Executive Producer
Jim Henson's Animal Show with Stinky and Jake
1994 · Executive Producer
CityKids
1993 · Producer
Dog City
1992 · Executive Producer
The Storyteller: Greek Myths
1991 · The Dog
Dinosaurs
1991 · Arthur Rizzic (voice), Aubrey Molehill (voice), Director, Producer
Mother Goose Stories
1990 · Producer, Director
The Jim Henson Hour
1989 · Ultragorgon (puppeteer)
Dolphin Cove
1989 · Producer
The Storyteller
1988 · Dog / Griffin (voice), Dog (voice), Dog / Devil (voice)
Going Live!
1987 · Self