Brian Henson
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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Brian Henson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
98
Gender
Male
Birthday
1963-11-03 (61 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Acting

2024

Jim Henson Idea Man as Self

2021

Muppets Haunted Mansion as Sal Minella

2020

Derek DelGaudio's In & of Itself as Self - audience member (uncredited)

2020

Prop Culture as Himself

2014

Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge as Himself - Lead Judge

2011

A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! as Self - Interviewee

2005

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz as Sal (voice)

2002

I Love Muppets as Self

2002

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie as Scooter / Janice / Sal Minella (voice)

1999

Muppets from Space as Dr. Phil Van Neuter / Sal Minella (voice)

1996

Muppets Tonight as Sal Minella / Seymour / Dr. Phil Van Neuter

1996

Muppet Treasure Island as (voice) (uncredited)

1994

Muppet Classic Theater as Andy Pig / Mink in 'Gotta Get That Name' (voice)

1991

Dinosaurs as Arthur Rizzic (voice)

1991

Dinosaurs as Aubrey Molehill (voice)

1990

Jim Henson's Memorial Service as Not available

1990

Living with Dinosaurs as Dog(voice)

1989

The Jim Henson Hour as Not available

1988

The Storyteller as Dog / Griffin (voice)

1988

The Storyteller as Dog (voice)

1988

The Storyteller as Dog / Devil (voice)

1987

Going Live! as Self

1986

Labyrinth as Hoggle / Goblin (voice)

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

1967

Wheels That Go as Boy
Crew

2022

Tall Poppy Director

2020

Earth to Ned Executive Producer

2018

The Happytime Murders Director

2018

The Happytime Murders Producer

2017

The Star Executive Producer

2013

No, You Shut Up! Executive Producer

2009

Dinosaur Train Executive Producer

2008

Sid the Science Kid Executive Producer

2008

Pajanimals Executive Producer

2007

Bunnytown Producer

2005

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz Executive Producer

2000

Rat Executive Producer

1999

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland Executive Producer

1999

Muppets from Space Producer

1999

Farscape Director

1999

Farscape Producer

1999

Farscape Executive Producer

1999

Construction Site Executive Producer

1998

Brats of the Lost Nebula Executive Producer

1997

Buddy Executive Producer

1997

Bear in the Big Blue House Executive Producer

1996

The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss Executive Producer

1996

Muppets Tonight Director

1996

Muppets Tonight Executive Producer

1996

Aliens in the Family Producer

1996

Gulliver's Travels Executive Producer

1996

Aliens in the Family Executive Producer

1994

Muppet Classic Theater Executive Producer

1993

CityKids Producer

NaN

Which Witch? Director

NaN

Grendel Producer

NaN

Untitled Labyrinth Sequel Executive Producer

1992

Dog City Executive Producer

1991

Dinosaurs Director

1991

Dinosaurs Producer

1990

Mother Goose Stories Producer

1990

Mother Goose Stories Director

1989

Dolphin Cove Producer