Actor & Director

Jim Henson: Movies & Box Office

films: 105
as director: 8
on screen: 1961–2025
box office: $315M
average score: 80

Born: September 24, 1936
Birthplace: Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.
Full name: James Maury Henson
Citizenship: American
Occupations: Puppeteer, Animator, Actor, Filmmaker
Years active: 1954-1990
Spouses: Jane Nebel
Children: 5

Biggest hits

The Best Jim Henson Movies

The films of Jim Henson that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Rocky III (1982) leads with $125M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.

Full ranking

Career at a glance

Jim Henson's Career in Numbers

Jim Henson's films in numbers — as an actor and a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Jim Henson works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Visual Thinking (1961) to I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2015), and the 1980s were the busiest decade.

Jim Henson Movies by Decade

1960s 15
1970s 20
1980s 38
1990s 8
2000s 6
2010s 2

The 1980s were Jim Henson's busiest decade, with 38 films.

Jim Henson Movies by Genre

Family 27
Comedy 21
Music 11
Fantasy 7
Documentary 5
Tv movie 5
Adventure 5
Drama 2
Biography 1
Sci-Fi 1

Family is the genre Jim Henson has worked in most, with 27 films, ahead of comedy (21).

Jim Henson Career Milestones

First film: Visual Thinking 1961
Biggest box office hit: Rocky III $125M worldwide
Newest film: I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story 2015

105 credits

Jim Henson Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Jim Henson is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 8 as director and 81 as actor. Rated films average a score of 80. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Movies Directed by Jim Henson

Jim Henson Movies as an Actor

Jim Henson in Documentaries & Specials

Biography

Who Is Jim Henson?

Jim Henson was born in Greenville, Mississippi, U.S. in 1936. Credited on films since 1961, as both an actor and a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Jim Henson, born James Maury Henson on September 24, 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi, achieved global recognition as an American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker. Best known as the creator of the Muppets, Henson was also renowned for creating Fraggle Rock (1983-1987) and for directing The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986). Ambitiously pursuing puppets development from high school, Henson eventually co-founded, Muppets, Inc. (currently The Jim Henson Company) with Jane Nebel. He later revolutionary in the puppetry field, particularly with his character creations, like Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog. At the end of his life, Henson founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson's Creature Shop. He passed away in New York City in 1990 from toxic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. Even at the time of his death, he was in talks to sell his company to The Walt Disney Company. Posthumously, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named a Disney Legend.

Works with

Who Jim Henson Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Jim Henson shares the most films with. Frank Oz comes first, with 66 films together, followed by Dave Goelz (34).

FAQ

Jim Henson: Questions & Answers

How many movies Jim Henson has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Jim Henson been in?

Jim Henson is credited on 105 films, from 1961 to 2025. 81 of them as an actor and 8 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Jim Henson's highest-grossing movie?

Rocky III (1982) is Jim Henson's biggest box office hit, with $125M worldwide, ahead of The Muppet Movie (1979) ($66.5M). Across every film with box office figures, Jim Henson's movies have made $315M.

Jim Henson's biggest hits

What is the best Jim Henson movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Jim Henson's best-rated film is Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021) with a score of 90, followed by Jim Henson Idea Man (2024) (70).

Best Jim Henson movies, ranked

What is Jim Henson's newest movie?

The most recent film on Jim Henson's filmography is The Muppet Script (2025), in the role of Self (archive footage).

Who does Jim Henson work with most often?

Jim Henson shares the most films with Frank Oz (66 films), Dave Goelz (34 films) and Fran Brill (13 films).

The Best Jim Henson Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 105 credits.

See the ranking

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