Jim Henson, Jane Henson had ‘handshake’ separation before his death in 1990

Jim Henson may have created some of the best characters in television history, but his real-life love story wasn’t perfect.

Biographer Brian Jay Jones revealed “Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia” The creative demands of reviving The Muppets put a strain on Henson’s marriage to his longtime wife and professional partner, Jane Henson. They ultimately opted for an amicable separation — which Jones described as a “breakup handshake.”

“Jim and Jane had never been divorced, and they had what they called, what Jane happily called, a breakup handshake,” Jones said on the podcast.

American puppeteer and director Jim Henson (1936-1990) with some of his puppet actors for the children’s television show “Fraggle Rock,” circa 1985. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

“At the end of his life, they were still working it out, and he died before they could officially divorce. But when he was sick at the end of his life, the first person he called when he didn’t know what to do was her.”

“They’ve had their whole lives, this really crucial relationship, this kind of loving respect,” Jones, author of the book “Jim Henson: The Biography” subscriber. “Even if they had a disagreement, they never stopped listening to each other and appreciating each other.”

According to the podcast, Henson met Jane at the University of Maryland, where they were both studying puppetry. The couple was drawn to each other immediately.

Watch: Inside Jim and Jane Henson’s handshake class

“Boy, you watch her talk about him, and even 25 years later, she lights up when she remembers him walking into the room for the first time,” Jones said. “It wasn’t about ‘I’m going to marry that guy,’ but just what he had about him and how he knew exactly what he was doing, and, as she said, he took over the classroom. She really knew what she was doing, too.”

The couple co-founded Muppets Inc. In 1958, they married a year later. Between 1960 and 1970, they welcomed five children. but, Their union It slowly started to disintegrate.

Jones said that Jane found herself “stranded in the suburbs” while her husband went into the city every day “to play with the guys in The Muppets.”

From left: Ernie, Bert and Anything Muppet backstage during rehearsals for an episode of “Sesame Street” at the Reeves TeleTape studio in March 1970 in New York City. (David Attie/Getty Images)

“She could have been one of those artists,” Jones noted. “It was very good. It was really important to his story.”

As the family grew, Jane also found herself expected to care for her children while Henson focused on her thriving business. Jane, a talent in her own right and a key collaborator in Henson’s creative process, was disappointed.

“Jane Henson is the person who really taught Frank Oz how to lip-synch and perform the puppet,” Jones said. “So, I mean, come on. Jane’s really good, and he hired her as his first female partner to work with him on the TV show ‘Sam and Friends’ that he’s doing over there for the local NBC station.”

There were other issues.

“Jim wasn’t actually always faithful to his wife,” Jones said.

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Jane Henson, co-creator of The Muppets, attends a ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History on August 25, 2010. She donated ten of her late husband Jim Henson’s characters from “Sam and Friends” to the museum, including the original Kermit the Frog. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The marriage did not last, but the admiration they shared for each other did. Jones noted that Jane was the first to learn of Henson’s declining health in the weeks before his death in 1990. The beloved puppeteer was 53 years old.

“She’s been with him his whole life,” Jones said.

Jones was in contact with Henson familywho had always been very protective of the patriarch’s legacy while writing his book. Jane, who was supportive of telling Henson’s story, never got to see the final version. She died in 2013 at the age of 78.

Puppeteer Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog attend a career achievement awards ceremony on March 13, 1983, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. (Ron Galella Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

In 2018, Henson’s son, Brian Henson, spoke out Closer weekly About his father’s relentless work habits.

“My father was a workaholic,” he said at the time. “I have four brothers, and to see our father, we would spend a lot of time in his studios and workshop.”

However, the 62-year-old insisted he was not bitter. Instead, the puppeteer noted that he was grateful to have such an influential role model as a parent.

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Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company, attends a celebration honoring the digital releases of “Labyrinth” and “The Dark Crystal” at The Jim Henson Company on February 9, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Robin L. Marshall/Getty Images)

“He always had a lot of ideas that he felt he needed to implement,” Brian said. “My father always said, ‘If nothing inspires, do something inspiring.’ He was an inspiration to everyone.”

“I made my first puppet penguin,” he said. “All the kids in my family made puppets for fun. Some of them were terrible, and my father would say, ‘Oh, we’ll use these!'” When [Miss Piggy puppeteer] Frank Oz used my penguin in one of the scores for The Muppet Show, and I was very happy.”

Brian admitted to the outlet that assuming control of Henson after his father’s death was difficult at first. However, he was determined to keep his father’s dreams alive.

Jim Henson poses with the characters he created on the TV show “The Muppets.” (Getty Images)

“He inspired people to realize their weird and wonderful ideas,” Brian told the outlet. “He came up with an innovative idea and presented it to the world, which embraced it because it was kind and positive. Hopefully I left the world a little better for being there. That’s what he did every minute he was alive. And he enjoyed doing it.”

In 2017, Henson’s daughter, Heather Henson, told Fox News Digital that she didn’t always think she would follow in her famous family’s footsteps.

“Because I grew up around dolls, I think there was a part of me that wanted to rebel,” she said at the time. “I wanted to do something a little different.”

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The late Jim Henson’s daughter Heather Henson and his wife Jane Henson attend the Monte Cristo Awards Gala at Bridgewaters on April 26, 2009, in New York City. (Janet Pellegrini/WireImage/Getty Images)

Heather also revealed that Henson found joy in sharing his love of dolls His children.

“We lived in England at one point, and I just remember as a child being brought to these exciting landscapes and places where my father found inspiration,” she said. “I remember going to his lab. I saw a lot of things that were happening in nature. Those were formative years for me, watching his research and development.”

Henson’s youngest child said she understands why so many continue to admire his work.

Jim Henson with two Muppets, Kermit the Frog and Ernie from “Sesame Street” on March 27, 1973. (Bettman Archive/Getty Images)

“When it comes to the Henson brand, it’s about how well they make the dolls,” she said. “The dolls are really beautiful, and they come from Henson’s store. My father knew very well the power of dolls to tell a story and how people can interact and connect with those characters. He did a great job with that.”

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