Jim Henson may have created one of the most wholesome characters in television history, but his real-life love story was less than picture-perfect.
Biographer Brian Jay Jones revealed on “Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Civilia” that the creative demands of bringing The Muppets to life put a strain on Henson’s marriage to his longtime wife and business partner Jane Henson. The two ultimately opted for an amicable parting, which Jones described as a “farewell handshake.”
“Jim and Jane never got divorced, and they both shook hands, which Jane is happy to call, goodbye,” Jones said on the podcast.
“In his later years, the couple still talked, and she died before they could officially divorce. But when he fell ill at the end of his life, she was the first person he called, not knowing what to do.”
“They had this really important relationship, this kind of loving respect, throughout their lives,” said Jones, author of “Jim Henson: The Biography.” “Even when they were at odds, they never stopped listening to each other and respecting each other.”
According to the podcast, Henson met Jane at the University of Maryland, where they both studied puppetry. The two were immediately attracted to each other.
“Man, when I watch her talk about him, even 25 years later, she lights up because she remembers him walking into the room for the first time,” Jones said. “It wasn’t like, ‘I’m going to marry that guy.’ It was just knowing what a huge presence he had and that he completely knew what he was doing and, like she said, he took over the classroom. She really knew what she was doing too.”
The couple co-founded The Muppets Inc. in 1958 and married a year later. From 1960 to 1970, they welcomed five children. However, their bond gradually began to crumble.
Jones said Jane felt like she was “stranded in the suburbs” while her husband went into town every day “to hang out with the Muppets.”
“She may have been one of those performers,” Jones noted. “She was a very nice person. She was really important to his story.”
As their family grew, Jane found herself expected to take care of the children while Henson focused on his burgeoning business. Although talented in her own right and an important collaborator in Henson’s creative process, Jane was disappointed.
“Jane Henson was the one who really taught Frank Oz how to lip-sync and do puppetry,” Jones said. “So, come on, Jane is really good and I hired her as my first partner to work with me on my TV show ‘Sam & Friends’ on my local NBC station.”
There were other problems as well.
“Jim was always unfaithful to his wife,” Jones said.
Although the marriage did not last long, the admiration the two shared for each other did. Jones noted that Jane first learned of Henson’s deteriorating health weeks before his death in 1990. The beloved puppeteer was 53 years old.
“She was with him all her life,” Jones said.
While writing his book, Jones kept in touch with the Henson family, who have been fierce guardians of their patriarch’s legacy. Jane was supportive of telling Henson’s story, but was unable to see the final version. She passed away in 2013 at the age of 78.
In 2018, Henson’s son Brian Henson spoke to Closer Weekly about his father’s relentless work habits.
“My father was a workaholic,” he said at the time. “I have four siblings, and to meet my father, we spent a lot of time in his studio and workshop.”
Still, the now 62-year-old insists he holds no grudge. Instead, the puppeteers said they are grateful to have role models who are so influential as parents.
“He always had a lot of ideas that he thought he had to do,” Brian said. “My father always said, ‘If something isn’t moving, do something that is.’ He was an inspiration to everyone.”
“I created the first Muppet Penguin,” he said. “All the kids in the family were making Muppets for fun. Some were so bad that their dad would say, ‘Oh, let’s use this!'” I was thrilled when Frank Oz (Miss Piggy’s puppeteer) used my penguin in one of his musical numbers on The Muppet Show. ”
Brian admitted that taking over control of Henson’s company after his father’s death was difficult at first. But he was determined to keep his father’s dream alive.
“He inspired people to make weird and wonderful ideas come true,” Brian told the magazine. “He came up with an original idea and presented it to the world, and the world accepted it because it was kind and positive. My hope is that by being there, he made the world a little bit better. That’s what he did all his life. And he enjoyed doing it.”
In 2017, Henson’s daughter Heather Henson told Fox News Digital that she didn’t necessarily think she would follow in her famous family’s footsteps.
“I grew up around dolls, so I think there was a part of me that wanted to rebel,” she said at the time. “I wanted to try something a little different.”
Heather also revealed that Henson enjoyed sharing her love of dolls with children.
“We used to live in England, and I remember being taken to interesting landscapes and places as a child that my father inspired,” she said. “I remember going to his lab. I saw a lot of things happening in nature. Those were formative years for me, watching his research and development.”
Henson’s youngest son said he understands why his work is still loved by so many people.
“When it comes to the Henson brand, it all comes down to how well the dolls are made,” she said. “The puppets are really, really beautiful and they came from Henson’s shop. My father was very aware of the power of puppetry to tell a story and how people could engage and connect with those characters. And he did a great job with that.”
