The Muppets industry and popular culture in the United States, receiving recognition from various cultural institutions and organizations, including the American Film Institute, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Library of Congress, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Muppets were created by puppeteer Jim Henson in the 1950s, beginning with Kermit the Frog, who would become Henson's most recognizable character. Originally conceived for an adult audience, Henson claimed, and later retracted, that he coined the term "Muppet" as a portmanteau of the words "marionette" and "puppet". In 1955, the Muppets were introduced in "Sam and Friends", a short-form television series
The Muppets taking time, often up to a year, slowly developing their characters and voices. The characters are also "test-driven, passed around from one Henson troupe member to another in the hope of finding the perfect human-Muppet match". When interacting with them, children tended to believe that the Muppets were living creatures, even in the presence of the puppeteers. On September 17, 2002, Rhino Records released "", a compilation album of music from "The Muppet Show" and subsequent film outings. The Muppets also released "", with John Denver in 1979. Under Disney ownership, albums featuring the Muppets have been released by Walt