Jim
Henson's Muppet stamps officially debut
Eleven
Muppet stamps honoring Jim Henson and his creations will go on sale
nationwide September 29; Henson's statue
also unveiled in the Academy's hall of fame plaza
Courtesy
of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
September
28, 2005
Henson
and his beloved Muppets were immortalized on United States postage
stamps today in Los Angeles at the Academy of the Television Arts
& Sciences, the same organization that bestowed several Emmy
Awards upon the extraordinary artist and visionary, and also inducted
him into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
The
first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Jim Henson: The Man
Behind the Muppets commemorative stamp sheet coincides with the
50th anniversary of Henson's most famous Muppet, Kermit the Frog,
who emceed the event. The 11 stamp pane of 37-cent First-Class stamps
is available in North Hollywood, CA, today and nationwide tomorrow.
"The
strong legacy of family fun Jim Henson created still resonates around
the world," said Anita Bizzotto, U.S. Postal Service Chief
Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, who dedicated the
stamps. "When people see the stamps, they will be a reminder
of the man who taught us to not take human flaws so seriously -
a reminder that one person can make 'a difference in this world,'
" she said, referring to Henson's quotation on the stamp selvage.
Joining
Bizzotto in dedicating these stamps were Lisa and Brian Henson, children
of Henson and Co-Chief Executive Officers of The Jim Henson Company;
and, Dick Askin, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences; and, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.
Lisa Henson
characterized the stamps as fitting her father's sense of humor. "We
are honored that the U.S. Postal Service chose to recognize our father's
legacy with this fun and irreverent stamp collection - a perfect reflection
of his inspired silliness and creativity."
Her
brother Brian welcomed the stamps as an homage to his father's work.
"Our father created wonderful characters that continue to be
loved around the world. These stamps are also a tribute to his millions
of fans who continue to support his work and believe in his vision,"
added Brian Henson.
|
Heather
Henson, Brian and Lisa Henson, Muppets Miss Piggy and Kermit
the Frog, Anita Bizzotto, and Dick Askin dedicate the "Jim
Henson: The Man Behind the Muppets" stamp series. |
Kermit
the Frog viewed the stamps from the Muppets' perspective. "On
behalf of the Muppets, it is a great honor to be featured on our
own set of stamps," said Kermit the Frog. "These commemorative
stamps couldn't have come at a better time - to celebrate my 50th
Anniversary, I'm hitting the road next month on a 50-stop World
Tour. I'll need to send a lot of letters home to Miss Piggy if I
want to stay in her good graces!" The World Tour will begin
October 14 in Kermit, TX.
The
Television Academy's Dick Askin testified to Henson's legacy. "Jim
Henson was a master storyteller and technical innovator who created
unforgettable characters and entertainment," commented Askin.
"He left us far too soon, but it's a testament to his unique
talents that we still are captivated by his whimsical creations."
Uniquely
Designed Autographed Stamps
This pane
includes a 1986 Norman Seeff photograph of Henson accompanied by his
visionary quote: "When I was young, my ambition was to be one
of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave
the world a little bit better for my having been here."
Ten
additional stamps depict 13 famous Muppet characters: Kermit the
Frog; Sam the Eagle; Statler and Waldorf; Animal; Rowlf the Dog;
Fozzie Bear; Miss Piggy; Swedish Chef; Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his
assistant, Beaker; and the Great Gonzo and Camilla the Chicken.
When applied
to a white envelope, each of the individually photographed Muppet
stamps appear to burst through. This effect was created by photographing
the characters and torn white paper separately to enhance highlights
and shadows. The two images were merged and digitally enhanced to
produce a fun and lighthearted stamp sheet.
The
back of each stamp sheet features humorous autographed notes from
each of the Muppet characters. The reverse of Miss Piggy's stamp
reads, "Moi is thrilled...for all those lucky people who will
get your letter with Moi's gorgeous face on the envelope. Don't
even think of canceling moi, sweetie! Kissy, Kissy (signed Miss
Piggy)."
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• The
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• The
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• Kermit
and Miss Piggy on "Best in TV" ABC special September 18
• "Kermit's Party" viral
videos from Bounty Paper Towels
• The
Electric Mayhem on Jimmy Kimmel March 21
• Miss Piggy
and Sharon Osbourne go head-to-head on The Talk
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