Exhibit - Jim Henson's Fantastic World

[Fozzie Bear]

Hmmm...you're right. I'll ask them when I get there if I can take pictures with the flash off.

Now, had I had the MR Kermit in town a week later, I could have taken him to Leland on Saturday and Little Rock on Sunday and REALLY had a Henson overload! Woo-wee! Wouldn't that have been awesome?

Direct link, BTW:
http://www.arkarts.com/calendar_events/event-detail.asp?id=63

 

[somethingofafan]

No photos allowed, unfortunately (so said the sign at the entrance).

It's quite an exhibition. There are numerous character design/inspiration sketches on display, screens showing early clips (including excerpts from Sam and Friends, commercials, and Time Piece), storyboards, Dark Crystal props, and fourteen actual Muppets behind the glass cases. I spent two, maybe two and a half hours in there (leaving me with only a half-hour to see the rest of the museum). Definitely worth the six dollars' admission. Even worth the gasoline I had to buy to get there.

 

[zns]

Which Muppets did they have on display?

 

[somethingofafan]

Dates are for the building of that particular copy of the character:

Kermit, 1970s
Goshposh and Featherstone, 1968
Wilkins and Wontkins, 1979
Rowlf, 1976
Sir Linit (the personification of "a spray fabric finisher", built for commercials for that product)
Mahna Mahna, 1992
Two Snowths, 1969
Bert and Ernie, 1970s-80s
Gobo, 1982 (mid-season and later version)
Cantus, 1982

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I'm going next week.

Somethingofafan, if you're in Little Rock, care to go again next Saturday? I am planning to come out there then. Maybe some of my friends are coming, too.

Anyway, did they have any type of an exhibit program available? Anything else Henson-related to buy in the Museum shop?

 

[somethingofafan]

Well, Little Rock is a bit too long of a drive to drive two weeks in a row for the same thing (after all, my screen name is "something" of a fan, not "obsessed stalker" of a fan). Seriously, it is well worth seeing, though.

I didn't see the store, but there was a brochure available at the beginning of the exhibit.

The fact that Muppets Studio/Holding Company, the Jim Henson Company, and Sesame Workshop all pitched in is, in my opinion, a big part of the exhibit's success.

 

[TotallySpiesFan]

Kermit, 1955
Goshposh and Featherstone, 1965
Wilkins and Wontkins, 1957
Rowlf, 1962
Sir Linit (the personification of "a spray fabric finisher", built for commercials for that product), 1966
Mahna Mahna, 1969
Two Snowths, 1969
Bert and Ernie, 1969
Gobo, 1983 (mid-season and later version)
Cantus, 1983

 

[somethingofafan]

The dates I gave were for that copy of the character, not necessarily the original.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I agree that all three companies coming together for one cause like that is a great thing. Anyway, I hoped you lived closer.

So:
If anyone lives near there I may be going this Saturday, it's at least 95% likely. I'm going again on oct. 20th so other friends can go. It's about 2.5 or 3 hours drive from Memphis, I think.

 

[RKUNKLER]

I found a photo of Sir Linit on display in Jim Hensons fantastic world. Its at http://www.flickr.com/photos/11686099@N03/1403414849/ and is the first time hes in color. Enjoy.