
Brian Henson
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1963-11-03 (61 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Brian Henson
Biography
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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Known For
Acting
The StoryTeller
as Storyteller's Dog/ Devil/ Griffin
(2024)
Jim Henson Idea Man
as Self
(2021)
Muppets Haunted Mansion
as Sal Minella
(2021)
(2021)
Remembering Return to Oz
as Self
(2020)
Derek DelGaudio's In & of Itself
as Self - audience member (uncredited)
(2018)
The Happytime Murders
as Crab
(2015)
In Their Own Words: Jim Henson
as Self - Son
(2011)
A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas!
as Self - Interviewee
(2007)
Reflections of 'The Dark Crystal'
as Himself
(2007)
(2006)
Best Ever Muppet Moments
as Self
(2005)
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
as Sal (voice)
(2002)
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
as Scooter / Janice / Sal Minella (voice)
(2002)
I Love Muppets
as Self
(1999)
Muppets from Space
as Dr. Phil Van Neuter / Sal Minella (voice)
(1996)
Muppet Treasure Island
as (voice) (uncredited)
(1994)
The World of Jim Henson
as Self
(1994)
Muppet Classic Theater
as Andy Pig / Mink in 'Gotta Get That Name' (voice)
(1990)
Living with Dinosaurs
as Dog(voice)
(1990)
(1986)
Labyrinth
as Hoggle / Goblin (voice)
(1986)
Inside the Labyrinth
as Self
(1986)
The Christmas Toy
as Cruiser (voice)
(1985)
Return to Oz
as Jack Pumpkinhead (voice)
(1984)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
as Additional Muppet Performer (voice)
(1984)
Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppets
as Brian Henson (self)
(1982)
Split Image
as Jerry
(1979)
The Muppet Movie
as Additional Muppet Performer
(1969)
Sesame Street Pitch Reel
as Self
(1967)
Wheels That Go
as Boy
Crew
The Doubtful Guest
Producer
Which Witch?
Director
Grendel
Producer
Untitled Labyrinth Sequel
Executive Producer
(2024)
Jim Henson Idea Man
Thanks
(2022)
Tall Poppy
Director
(2018)
The Happytime Murders
Director, Producer
(2017)
The Star
Executive Producer
(2005)
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
Executive Producer
(2002)
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
Executive Producer
(2000)
Rat
Executive Producer
(1999)
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Executive Producer
(1999)
Muppets from Space
Producer
(1997)
Buddy
Executive Producer
(1996)
Muppet Treasure Island
Director, Producer
(1996)
Muppet Sing Alongs: Muppet Treasure Island
Executive Producer
(1994)
Muppet Sing Alongs: It's Not Easy Being Green
Executive Producer
(1993)
Muppet Sing Alongs: Billy Bunny's Animal Songs
Executive Producer
(1992)
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Director, Producer