The Muppets The Muppets The Muppets are an ensemble cast of puppet characters known for their self-aware, burlesque, and meta-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim and Jane Henson in 1955, they are the namesake for the Disney media franchise that encompasses television, music, film, and other media associated with the characters. The Muppets originated in the short-form television series "Sam and Friends", which aired from 1955 to 1961. Following appearances on late night talk shows and in advertising during the 1960s, the Muppets began appearing on "Sesame Street" in 1969. The Muppets attained celebrity status and international recognition through their
The Muppets Take Manhattan revert to The Jim Henson Company in 1998, but did not revert to The Walt Disney Company in 2004. Due to this, it is one of three Muppet films (along with "Muppets from Space" and the direct-to-video feature "Kermit's Swamp Years") whose home video distribution rights are controlled by Sony Pictures, and not the Walt Disney Studios (The film rights are co-owned by TriStar Pictures and The Jim Henson Company). "The Muppets Take Manhattan" was first released on VHS and the now defunct CED Videodisc format by CBS/Fox Video in 1985, which then reissued it in 1991, followed by a