What Happened to The Muppet Puppets etc?

[Muppetsdownunder]

Hi, I have always wondered what has happened with the original muppet puppets etc and where they are now. Im sure they would have used many different puppets for each character but sureley they wouldnt have thrown them away when the show finished. Are they still using the actual puppets today?

What happened to all the sets/props/costumes used in the muppet show? Does some lucky collector own a piece of memorabilia like this?
Do the Henson family own all of the original items like this?

What happend to the studios used for the muppet show? are they still used?

I was only wondering about this as its something thats made me very curious. Does anyone know?

 

[WiGgY]

Well I don't actually know, but I assume the are put into storage of some kind. I think some go to museums as well.

 

[Super Scooter]

The replace the old puppets when they start to deteriorate. They reuse what they can of the old puppets, and then, I bleieve they scrap the rest.

 

[Movies205]

The orignal Kermit Puppet is at the Smithsonian*SP I saw it when the Smithsonian*SP(I spelt this so bad I know) came to RI a couple of years ago.... But like other says most of the puppets are dispose of because they do nto want it to get out to the public....

 

[The Flying Sheep]

Originally posted by Movies205
The orignal Kermit Puppet is at the Smithsonian*SP I saw it when the Smithsonian*SP(I spelt this so bad I know) came to RI a couple of years ago.... But like other says most of the puppets are dispose of because they do nto want it to get out to the public....

Actully, I was at the Smith a few weeks ago. Kermit wasn't there, but Oscar was. The frog's on tour.

 

[Luke]

It isn't that they don't want the puppets to get out into the public (although they don't allow that anyway) but as has been said they just detiriorate and get tatty or turn to dust. I think there are ways of keeping them in special storage for the archives but i think they only do that for the most important puppets. I think they get about 2 or 3 years out of each of the main characters that get actively used, and maybe 5 out of background characters.

The studios for the Muppet Show (Studio D) in Borehamwood are now owned by the BBC and used to film a soap here in the UK called Eastenders. Statler & Waldorfs box is still on the wall there as a display piece and i think the original set is still in a lock-up. The BBC studios are near to the Elstree Film studios where they did Star Wars, James Bond, Harry Potter etc.

 

[Movies205]

Ya the tour sorry

 

[Beauregard]

Originally posted by Luke
It isn't that they don't want the puppets to get out into the public (although they don't allow that anyway) but as has been said they just detiriorate and get tatty or turn to dust. I think there are ways of keeping them in special storage for the archives but i think they only do that for the most important puppets. I think they get about 2 or 3 years out of each of the main characters that get actively used, and maybe 5 out of background characters.

The studios for the Muppet Show (Studio D) in Borehamwood are now owned by the BBC and used to film a soap here in the UK called Eastenders. Statler & Waldorfs box is still on the wall there as a display piece and i think the original set is still in a lock-up. The BBC studios are near to the Elstree Film studios where they did Star Wars, James Bond, Harry Potter etc.

They film Eastenders at the Muppet Theater? It's like Kermit's worst nightmare about Scooter and his uncle come true!!!

 

[WiGgY]

I've found a semi-officiaal answer to the question at hand. While reading the muppet fest articles I read this. "When asked what became of older Muppets, such as the original Kermit, Wilkins and Wontkins, etc. – do they just stuff them in a box, do they keep them in a museum, or do they send them to a Muppet retirement home? – the response was that while some of the puppets are at the Smithsonian, and others are sent out on touring exhibitions, the rest all reside in safe storage with the rest of the Muppets.
"

So, they don't throw them out or reuse parts. They lock them all up. I don't see how they would turn to dust though. I bet the fraggles are still somewhere in storage in the same shape they were in when they got put away. Too bad Gobo wasn't at Muppet fest, but as I read, they only sent Floyd for Jerry.

 

[Muppetsdownunder]

Thanks to everyone for helping with that little question. The last one is a much nicer way to think of the muppets rather than believing them to be destroyed, thats a terrible thought true or not.

So im glad to hear that theres a good possibility that all the muppets and muppet stuff are all in safe storage.

Much happier!

Thanks, from Paul!