Actual Muppet Puppets

[froggiegirl18]

The Muppet Company does not sell their puppets but they reuse the material for other puppets. I found this out by calling the office. You can find out information if you ask them or stay on the line.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

its something they take very seriously,

i recall at least 4 or 5 actuions that were stopped by the company when i was there.

I worked on a TV project where they were using a puppet that just vaguely resembled a Muppet and Henson got wind of it and put a stop to it. They were apparently very nice, but very serious about it.

I remember someone who worked with the Muppets in the late 70s/early 80s telling me awhile ago "Jim Henson was a really nice guy but you didn't want to deal with his lawyers."

 

[ravagefrackle]

i think the main thing is though is that this guy is building and selling puppets that he doesnt own, its wrong on many levels, he might think its ok to do, but if he were to design his own show and then somebody was selling "replicas"or knock offs with out his approval i bet he would have his lawyers all over it.

 

[Dagger Claws]

On a similiar note . . .

This also reminds me of something that's been going on for a while in my neck of the woods, Chicago. I also suppose that the same practice is done in many other cities as well. Certain companies that specialize in entertaining for children's birthday parties have a habit of advertising that they can provide well known costumed TV characters for customers. Unfortunatly, they're not authorized by the various creators to do so. The characters range from Harry Potter, to Dora the Explorer, to of course the Henson Muppets (Big Bird is very popular).

A close friend of mine and 30 year professional puppeteer once talked to Cheryl Henson about this after he showed her a local publication that featured advertisments for several of these birthday entertainers. He asked if the Hensons pursue these guys for what they're doing, ripping off the Sesame and Muppet characters for their own personal use. Her response, "Not the individual entertainers, no. They're too small for us to deal with. We go after the companies that supply them with the costumes. And that's how we stop this sort of thing from happening."

There you go,
Marc

 

[Doctor Teeth]

So, is it alright to build your own muppet for private use? Like entertaining at parties, or for making an amature movie with your friends?

 

[dwayne1115]

I would think so i mean its kind of like its ok to copy a movie but DONT SELL IT. as long as your not makeing money off of someone elses hard work its all fine.

 

[ravagefrackle]

So, is it alright to build your own muppet for private use? Like entertaining at parties, or for making an amature movie with your friends?

no it isnt, but if your just playing with your friends and not making money off it then i dont think u need to worry, its when you sell your stuff, or advertise that you do birthday partys with (insert muppet name here), then yes you are breaking copyright and trademark laws,


of course parody is something else , but even there u need to be careful,

 

[practicecactus]

I think it's okay to buy a replica muppet. but if you set out to make money with it then that's probly not the best way to get the Henson people's attention.
It's probly mostly harmless.They just wanna give the kids muppets.
-How does that saying go? "Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery." ..?

 

[Iokitek]

No it's just like copying DVD's and stuff. Just because some stuff isn't out on DVD yet doesn't mean anyone can just sell illegal copies. The same goes for puppets. Just because the Henson Company isn't making handpuppets for the public doesn't mean the public can just go make them on their own and make a business out of it without getting permission. And they will not get permission just like that. The Henson Company probably just wants to deal with people who make quality puppets after their design and not some hack off of eBay making those puppets out of God knows what kind of materials. Just imagine the paper headlines: "3 year old killed by Count puppet". That's not good advertising. If you want something on DVD then start up a petition and get people to sign it. And if you want the Henson Company to make handpuppets then the same rule applies. And if they won't listen then that's just too bad.

 

[Vic Romano]

Just don't screw with the Muppet Mafia!
Several years back, I did a show in NYC where I built and performed a dog puppet I built that served as the MC for an out door brass concert, sponsored by PetCo. I built the puppet and wrote the script with the band leader who is my good friend and he really wanted me to voice the puppet like Kermit. The theme of the concert was animals, the band played songs and themes from 101 Dalmations, Jurassic Park, Babe, etc.; and he thought if I talked like Kernit, a gag in part of the show would reference that the puppet's voice "sounded familiar." My character then joked that he had a "famous green cousin" and that was all.
Just to make sure that was okay, I called Henson and asked and they asked if it was being televised. I said no, and offered to send a picture of the puppet I built to show them that it wasn't even a rip off of any dog Muppets, I even asked if they wanted me to do my Kemit impression, but they said it was okay, so long as the concert was free (which it was), it wasn't televised (which it wasn't), and I didn't use the Muppet name, logo or characters (which I didn't). So there's definately a strict protocol on even simple things, but because everything was so simple, and barely referenced, it was okay.