The Muppet Show marks its 50th anniversary

tvSep 5, 202627765

The Muppet Show premiered on ITV on 5 September 1976, the brainchild of Jim Henson produced for ATV by Lew Grade. By December 1976 the series drew 14 million UK viewers on a Sunday evening, and about a month later more than 100 countries had acquired the series or were in talks to buy it. By the third season in 1978 the show reached a weekly worldwide audience of 235 million. The series was filmed at ATV’s Borehamwood studios about 14 miles north of London and employed substantial British production crews, including four camera crews of seven people each. Production moved on a tight weekly rhythm: an episode read-through with that week’s guest on Sunday, orchestra sound recording on Monday, then taping over Thursday and Friday. American guest stars sometimes clashed with the show’s heavily scripted format because they expected to improvise. Although The Muppet Show only ran for five series, its characters later appeared in animation and feature films, and efforts to recapture the original series’ tone for the streaming era have so far not matched the original impact.

Muppet GIF of the Day

@gifs-of-puppets.bsky.social

Happy 50th Anniversary to The Muppet Show! Jim Henson's groundbreaking puppet variety show began airing on the United Kingdom's ATV Network on this date in 1976 ahead of its US debut later that month.

1406h ago

Quoting this

Chris Gomm4

Earliest memory of it is my aunt angrily demanding I leave the dinner table when I was about two because I was singing the theme tune...

Rich2

I was six and I found it weird and a bit frightening and pigs don't talk

Tom Reagan’s Hat

@rufustsuperfly.bsky.social

The Muppets are 50. Muppet Reservoir Dogs (1992) is a classic.

1733h ago

Tom Reagan’s Hat20

Muppet Gangs of New York went hard when Gonzo the Butcher killed Priest Kermit at the start

Tom Reagan’s Hat5

Mr Green, Mr Brown & er, Mr Purplish Blue

Jar Jarmusch1

Fozzie - “Ker…. mit…. I’m a cop. I’m sorry, Kermit. WAKA-WAKA-WAKA!”

ToughPigs

@toughpigs.com

50 years ago today it was time to play the music, it was time to light the lights. Happy birthday to the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational MUPPET SHOW!

883h ago

Quoting this

The Haunted Drive-in3

One of the greatest television shows ever made, and a cornerstone to my sense of humor. Frog 99, Chaos 98.

archivetvmusings

@archivetvmusings.bsky.social

The first edition of The Muppet Show was broadcast in selected ITV regions on this day in 1976. It ran for 120 episodes between 1976 and 1981.

465h ago

The Emperor's New Podcast

@podcasttenp.bsky.social

Disney. The Muppet Show is 50 years old. The special has won so many awards. there's no reason not to greenlight a revival.

413h ago

Gummy Arts

@gummyarts.bsky.social

The first season of “The Muppet Show” began 50 years ago today.

Colored-pencil card drawing of Fozzie Bear

464h ago

Sarah Primate

@langurlover.bsky.social

Today in History: September 5th 1976: The first episode of The Muppet Show, which was cocreated by Jim Henson, aired, and the TV series became hugely popular, known for a cast of puppet characters that included Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

325h ago

Sarah Primate4

1972: Palestinian terrorists attacked the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany, during the Summer Olympic Games, taking hostages and eventually killing 11 members of the Israeli team.

Bootowl2

Muppets 50th birthday! Surprised I haven’t seen this celebrated elsewhere. Muppets are one of humanity’s greatest creations!

There is no Dana only Zuul 🇨🇦1

I just watched the Treasure Island movie with Tim Curry… ❤️💔❤️

Fake Muppet Show Guests

@fakemuppetguests.bsky.social

It's The Muppet Show with our very special guest star Max Headroom!

312h ago

Brian Jay Jones

@brianjayjones.com

A nice article in @smithsonianmag.bsky.social on the 50th anniversary of The Muppet Show, marking its premier UK episode in 1976. I may be quoted in here once, twice, or thrice.

3221h ago

Brian Jay Jones14

The Muppet Show wouldn't air in the US for another two and a half weeks. I'll do a long thread on September 20, the day it premiered on US television.

Elizabeth Boyle

@thecelticist.bsky.social

Happy 50th birthday to The Muppet Show! One of the all-time greats. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

2511h ago

Why Don't YouTube?

@whydontyoutube.bsky.social

50 YEARS AGO TODAY: it's The Muppet Show! Though the theatre doesn't quite open everywhere - it wouldn't reach London until October 24th when LWT were finally convinced it wasn't a kids' show - and starts with the US' fifth episode, with Joel Grey. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmRs...

83h ago

Sojourners

@sojo.net

"The Muppets have taught me that the proper reaction to chaos is not hardening, fear, or oppressive enforcement of some kind of perceived normal." sojo.net/articles/cul...

134h ago

Andy Bass

@andybassny.bsky.social

50 years ago today, September 5, 1976: THE MUPPET SHOW aired for the first time on ITV in the United Kingdom with guest star Joel Grey. The episode, which was the third produced in the series, made its American debut in syndication on WCBS-TV New York 43 days later, October 18, 1976.

A promotional photo for THE MUPPET SHOW episode number 103 is signed by guest star Joel Grey. The still shows the scene in which the Tony and Oscar winner sings "Willkommen" from CABARET with an ensemble of Muppets. The photo was distributed by the Independent Television Corporation, a British company. (Andy Bass collection)

811h ago

john.in.chicago

@john-in-chicago.bsky.social

Happy 50th Anniversary to The Muppet Show! I remember the premiere, I thought WTF do they need with a show. It was so good!

114h ago

Graeme Swanson

@swansonian.bsky.social

It's the 50th anniversary of The Muppet Show and I'm very grateful to have been the perfect age for it. It started my fascination with theatre life, showbiz for want of a better term and a healthy fear a puppets with real hands.

142h ago

3 sources

tvbeurope.comThis is how we made The Muppet Show - TVBEurope spiegel.de»Muppet Show«: 50 Jahre Kermit, Miss Piggy & Co in Bildern sojo.netTrump’s ‘Law and Order’ V. The Muppets’ Holy Chaos

The Muppet Show marks its 50th anniversarytv

The Muppet Show marks its 50th anniversary

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