Who created the Muppets?

Jim Henson created the Muppets.

American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker Jim Henson began developing puppet characters in the 1950s. His early television program Sam and Friends, which debuted in 1955, introduced experimental puppet work and an early version of Kermit, who became his most recognizable creation.

Henson and fellow performer Jane Nebel founded Muppets, Inc. in 1958. The company later became The Jim Henson Company. His characters reached a much wider audience through Sesame Street, which premiered in 1969, and then through The Muppet Show, which ran from 1976 to 1981.

Frank Oz was a major creative partner and performer, but he did not create the Muppets. Oz performed characters including Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Animal, while Henson originated the broader Muppet concept and performed Kermit. The word “Muppet” is often said to combine “marionette” and “puppet,” though Henson later gave conflicting accounts of that explanation.