Latest news with #Muppets
The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Jeff McCloy tributes: 'We were Statler and Waldorf'
Tributes have flowed from across the Hunter and beyond for Hunter businessman Jeff McCloy, who died on Friday, aged 75. Mr McCloy ended his life by voluntary assisted dying following a 12-month battle with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease (MND). City of Newcastle led the tributes to Mr McCloy, who was Lord Mayor between 2012 and 2014. "Jeff McCloy was one of the region's most successful business people of recent years. His drive, his can-do attitude and his passion for the community were all hallmarks of his success," Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said. "A particular achievement was his leadership and resolve that enabled his team to finish construction of the new John Hunter Hospital well ahead of schedule after the 1989 earthquake. This was crucial to Newcastle's recovery and reconstruction." A generous philanthropist, Mr McCloy freely gave to many local charities and public art and sculpture projects. He also quietly and discreetly helped out many Novocastrians in personal difficulties. "Like all big achievers, he had his critics, but no one can deny his passion and positive commitment to the community," Cr Kerridge said. Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull said Mr McCloy became Lord Mayor after a period of instability and stagnation in local politics. "In his time as Lord Mayor, he demonstrated strong resolve and a clear vision," he said. "He got Newcastle moving again. The reforms he enacted unlocked the revitalisation of our city. Those reforms changed the mindset and approach to renewal in our city. "I hope that today, Novocastrians take the opportunity to reflect on his legacy as a leader who believed in giving back to the city he called home." City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said Mr McCloy had left an indelible mark on the city he loved. "Jeff saw the potential in Newcastle when many others didn't. Today, we almost take for granted that developers want to build and invest in Newcastle. This wasn't always the case. "Jeff's belief in Newcastle dating back to the 1980s convinced others that ours was a town that had the potential to become a city." Mr McCloy's political ally and deputy Lord Mayor, Brad Luke, celebrated his unyielding passion for the city. "Jeff was the most visionary and inspirational leader I ever worked with," Mr Luke said. "He had a passion for Newcastle that drove every decision and he put that passion into every project. I remember seeing that passion on display with every discussion around so many projects from the Anzac Walk to fixing the Town Hall. Jeff always wanted each job to be the best it could be for our community." Hilton Grugeon yesterday mourned his mate of more than 50 years. The pair met when Mr McCloy returned from Sydney to work with his father, Don, in the family's commercial building company, DF McCloy. "We were Statler and Waldorf (the grumpy old men from the Muppets). We never knew who was who because it was interchangeable," he said. Mr Grugeon said Mr McCloy's legacy throughout the region was "huge". "The John Hunter Hospital was a great money-making legacy for him, which he spread around the town. What he did in Newcastle was never for himself because he didn't need anything; it was for the city and the region he loved." "For some of us, the easiest thing is to throw money, but the hardest thing is to give your time. You can give money and go out and earn more, but when you give time, you've spent something that is irreplaceable, and he gave his time to the city." Like others, Mr Grugeon paid tribute to Mr McCloy's leading role in the revitalisation of Newcastle. "Newcastle was like a dead horse, and the chamber of commerce and local council were like a horde of blowflies hovering over the carcass. Jeff lit the fire that the Phoenix could come out of; the Phoenix we see today came out of that dead horse." Tributes have flowed from across the Hunter and beyond for Hunter businessman Jeff McCloy, who died on Friday, aged 75. Mr McCloy ended his life by voluntary assisted dying following a 12-month battle with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease (MND). City of Newcastle led the tributes to Mr McCloy, who was Lord Mayor between 2012 and 2014. "Jeff McCloy was one of the region's most successful business people of recent years. His drive, his can-do attitude and his passion for the community were all hallmarks of his success," Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said. "A particular achievement was his leadership and resolve that enabled his team to finish construction of the new John Hunter Hospital well ahead of schedule after the 1989 earthquake. This was crucial to Newcastle's recovery and reconstruction." A generous philanthropist, Mr McCloy freely gave to many local charities and public art and sculpture projects. He also quietly and discreetly helped out many Novocastrians in personal difficulties. "Like all big achievers, he had his critics, but no one can deny his passion and positive commitment to the community," Cr Kerridge said. Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull said Mr McCloy became Lord Mayor after a period of instability and stagnation in local politics. "In his time as Lord Mayor, he demonstrated strong resolve and a clear vision," he said. "He got Newcastle moving again. The reforms he enacted unlocked the revitalisation of our city. Those reforms changed the mindset and approach to renewal in our city. "I hope that today, Novocastrians take the opportunity to reflect on his legacy as a leader who believed in giving back to the city he called home." City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said Mr McCloy had left an indelible mark on the city he loved. "Jeff saw the potential in Newcastle when many others didn't. Today, we almost take for granted that developers want to build and invest in Newcastle. This wasn't always the case. "Jeff's belief in Newcastle dating back to the 1980s convinced others that ours was a town that had the potential to become a city." Mr McCloy's political ally and deputy Lord Mayor, Brad Luke, celebrated his unyielding passion for the city. "Jeff was the most visionary and inspirational leader I ever worked with," Mr Luke said. "He had a passion for Newcastle that drove every decision and he put that passion into every project. I remember seeing that passion on display with every discussion around so many projects from the Anzac Walk to fixing the Town Hall. Jeff always wanted each job to be the best it could be for our community." Hilton Grugeon yesterday mourned his mate of more than 50 years. The pair met when Mr McCloy returned from Sydney to work with his father, Don, in the family's commercial building company, DF McCloy. "We were Statler and Waldorf (the grumpy old men from the Muppets). We never knew who was who because it was interchangeable," he said. Mr Grugeon said Mr McCloy's legacy throughout the region was "huge". "The John Hunter Hospital was a great money-making legacy for him, which he spread around the town. What he did in Newcastle was never for himself because he didn't need anything; it was for the city and the region he loved." "For some of us, the easiest thing is to throw money, but the hardest thing is to give your time. You can give money and go out and earn more, but when you give time, you've spent something that is irreplaceable, and he gave his time to the city." Like others, Mr Grugeon paid tribute to Mr McCloy's leading role in the revitalisation of Newcastle. "Newcastle was like a dead horse, and the chamber of commerce and local council were like a horde of blowflies hovering over the carcass. Jeff lit the fire that the Phoenix could come out of; the Phoenix we see today came out of that dead horse." Tributes have flowed from across the Hunter and beyond for Hunter businessman Jeff McCloy, who died on Friday, aged 75. Mr McCloy ended his life by voluntary assisted dying following a 12-month battle with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease (MND). City of Newcastle led the tributes to Mr McCloy, who was Lord Mayor between 2012 and 2014. "Jeff McCloy was one of the region's most successful business people of recent years. His drive, his can-do attitude and his passion for the community were all hallmarks of his success," Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said. "A particular achievement was his leadership and resolve that enabled his team to finish construction of the new John Hunter Hospital well ahead of schedule after the 1989 earthquake. This was crucial to Newcastle's recovery and reconstruction." A generous philanthropist, Mr McCloy freely gave to many local charities and public art and sculpture projects. He also quietly and discreetly helped out many Novocastrians in personal difficulties. "Like all big achievers, he had his critics, but no one can deny his passion and positive commitment to the community," Cr Kerridge said. Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull said Mr McCloy became Lord Mayor after a period of instability and stagnation in local politics. "In his time as Lord Mayor, he demonstrated strong resolve and a clear vision," he said. "He got Newcastle moving again. The reforms he enacted unlocked the revitalisation of our city. Those reforms changed the mindset and approach to renewal in our city. "I hope that today, Novocastrians take the opportunity to reflect on his legacy as a leader who believed in giving back to the city he called home." City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said Mr McCloy had left an indelible mark on the city he loved. "Jeff saw the potential in Newcastle when many others didn't. Today, we almost take for granted that developers want to build and invest in Newcastle. This wasn't always the case. "Jeff's belief in Newcastle dating back to the 1980s convinced others that ours was a town that had the potential to become a city." Mr McCloy's political ally and deputy Lord Mayor, Brad Luke, celebrated his unyielding passion for the city. "Jeff was the most visionary and inspirational leader I ever worked with," Mr Luke said. "He had a passion for Newcastle that drove every decision and he put that passion into every project. I remember seeing that passion on display with every discussion around so many projects from the Anzac Walk to fixing the Town Hall. Jeff always wanted each job to be the best it could be for our community." Hilton Grugeon yesterday mourned his mate of more than 50 years. The pair met when Mr McCloy returned from Sydney to work with his father, Don, in the family's commercial building company, DF McCloy. "We were Statler and Waldorf (the grumpy old men from the Muppets). We never knew who was who because it was interchangeable," he said. Mr Grugeon said Mr McCloy's legacy throughout the region was "huge". "The John Hunter Hospital was a great money-making legacy for him, which he spread around the town. What he did in Newcastle was never for himself because he didn't need anything; it was for the city and the region he loved." "For some of us, the easiest thing is to throw money, but the hardest thing is to give your time. You can give money and go out and earn more, but when you give time, you've spent something that is irreplaceable, and he gave his time to the city." Like others, Mr Grugeon paid tribute to Mr McCloy's leading role in the revitalisation of Newcastle. "Newcastle was like a dead horse, and the chamber of commerce and local council were like a horde of blowflies hovering over the carcass. Jeff lit the fire that the Phoenix could come out of; the Phoenix we see today came out of that dead horse." Tributes have flowed from across the Hunter and beyond for Hunter businessman Jeff McCloy, who died on Friday, aged 75. Mr McCloy ended his life by voluntary assisted dying following a 12-month battle with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease (MND). City of Newcastle led the tributes to Mr McCloy, who was Lord Mayor between 2012 and 2014. "Jeff McCloy was one of the region's most successful business people of recent years. His drive, his can-do attitude and his passion for the community were all hallmarks of his success," Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said. "A particular achievement was his leadership and resolve that enabled his team to finish construction of the new John Hunter Hospital well ahead of schedule after the 1989 earthquake. This was crucial to Newcastle's recovery and reconstruction." A generous philanthropist, Mr McCloy freely gave to many local charities and public art and sculpture projects. He also quietly and discreetly helped out many Novocastrians in personal difficulties. "Like all big achievers, he had his critics, but no one can deny his passion and positive commitment to the community," Cr Kerridge said. Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull said Mr McCloy became Lord Mayor after a period of instability and stagnation in local politics. "In his time as Lord Mayor, he demonstrated strong resolve and a clear vision," he said. "He got Newcastle moving again. The reforms he enacted unlocked the revitalisation of our city. Those reforms changed the mindset and approach to renewal in our city. "I hope that today, Novocastrians take the opportunity to reflect on his legacy as a leader who believed in giving back to the city he called home." City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said Mr McCloy had left an indelible mark on the city he loved. "Jeff saw the potential in Newcastle when many others didn't. Today, we almost take for granted that developers want to build and invest in Newcastle. This wasn't always the case. "Jeff's belief in Newcastle dating back to the 1980s convinced others that ours was a town that had the potential to become a city." Mr McCloy's political ally and deputy Lord Mayor, Brad Luke, celebrated his unyielding passion for the city. "Jeff was the most visionary and inspirational leader I ever worked with," Mr Luke said. "He had a passion for Newcastle that drove every decision and he put that passion into every project. I remember seeing that passion on display with every discussion around so many projects from the Anzac Walk to fixing the Town Hall. Jeff always wanted each job to be the best it could be for our community." Hilton Grugeon yesterday mourned his mate of more than 50 years. The pair met when Mr McCloy returned from Sydney to work with his father, Don, in the family's commercial building company, DF McCloy. "We were Statler and Waldorf (the grumpy old men from the Muppets). We never knew who was who because it was interchangeable," he said. Mr Grugeon said Mr McCloy's legacy throughout the region was "huge". "The John Hunter Hospital was a great money-making legacy for him, which he spread around the town. What he did in Newcastle was never for himself because he didn't need anything; it was for the city and the region he loved." "For some of us, the easiest thing is to throw money, but the hardest thing is to give your time. You can give money and go out and earn more, but when you give time, you've spent something that is irreplaceable, and he gave his time to the city." Like others, Mr Grugeon paid tribute to Mr McCloy's leading role in the revitalisation of Newcastle. "Newcastle was like a dead horse, and the chamber of commerce and local council were like a horde of blowflies hovering over the carcass. Jeff lit the fire that the Phoenix could come out of; the Phoenix we see today came out of that dead horse."
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Historic film studio hits the market at top dollar even as filming dips
One of the oldest movie studios in Los Angeles is up for sale, perhaps to the newest generation of content creators. The potential sale of Occidental Studios comes amid a drop in filming in Los Angeles as the local entertainment industry faces such headwinds as rising competition from studios in other cities and countries, as well as the aftermath of filming slowdowns during the pandemic and industry strikes of 2023. Occidental Studios, which dates back to 1913, was once used by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to make silent films. It is a small version of a traditional Hollywood studio with soundstages, offices and writers' bungalows in a 3-acre gated campus near Echo Park in Historic Filipinotown. The seller hopes its boutique reputation will garner $45 million, which would rank it one of the most valuable studios in Southern California at $651 per square foot. A legendary Hollywood studio founded by Charlie Chaplin in 1917 sold last year for $489 per foot, according to real estate data provider CoStar. The Chaplin studio known until recently as the Jim Henson Company Lot was purchased by singer-songwriter John Mayer and movie director McG from the family of famed Muppets creator Jim Henson. Occidental Studios may sell to one of today's modern content creators in search of a flagship location, said real estate broker Nicole Mihalka of CBRE, who represents the seller. She declined to name potential buyers but said she is showing the property to new-media businesses who don't present themselves through traditional channels such as television shows and instead rely on social media and the internet to reach younger audiences. New media entrepreneurs may not often need soundstages, 'but they like the idea of having the history, the legacy' of a studio linked to the early days of cinema, she said. It might lend credibility to a brand and become a destination for promotional activities as well as being a place to create content, she said. Mihalka envisions the space being used for events for partners, sponsors and advertisers as well as press junkets for new product launches. Entertainment businesses located nearby include filmmaker Ava DuVernay's Array Now, independent film and production company Blumhouse Productions and film and production company Rideback Ranch. Neighborhoods east of Hollywood such as Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Highland Park have become home to many people in the entertainment industry, which Mihalka hopes will elevate the appeal of Occidental Studios. 'We've been seeing film and TV talent heading this way for a while,' she said, including executives who also live in those neighborhoods. The owner of of Occidental Studios said it's gotten harder for smaller studios to operate in the current economic climate that includes competition from major independent studio operators that have emerged in recent decades. 'Once upon a time, you did not have multibillion-dollar global portfolio companies swimming in the waters of Hollywood,' said Craig Darian, chief executive of Occidental Entertainment Group Holdings Inc., citing Hudson Pacific Properties, Hackman Capital Partners and CIM Group. 'They are not content producers, but have a long history of providing services for multiple television shows and features.' Competition now includes overseas studios in such countries as Canada, Ireland and Australia, he said. 'When production was really robust and domiciled in Los Angeles, it was much easier to remain very competitive.' Another factor threatening the bottom line for conventional studios is rapidly changing technology used to create entertainment including tools as simple as lighting. 'You used to know that equipment would last for decades,' Darian said. 'The new tools for production are becoming obsolete in far shorter order.' Nevertheless, Darian said, the potential sale 'is not motivated by distress or urgency. Nothing is driving the decision other than the timing of whether or not this remains to be a relevant asset to keep within our portfolio. If we get an offer at or above the asking price, then we're a seller.' Darian said he may also seek a long-term tenant to take over the studio. Occidental Studios at 201 N. Occidental Blvd. comprises over 69,000 square feet of buildings including four soundstages and support space such as offices and dressing rooms. It's among the oldest continually operating studios in Hollywood, used by pioneering filmmakers Cecil B. DeMille, D.W. Griffith and Pickford, who worked there as an actress and filmmaker in its early years. Pickford reportedly kept an apartment on the lot for years. More recently it has been used for television production for such shows as 'Tales of the City,' 'New Girl' and HBO's thriller 'Sharp Objects.' Local television production area declined by 30.5% in the first quarter compared with the previous year, according to he nonprofit organization FilmLA, which tracks shoot days in the Greater Los Angeles region. All categories of TV production were down, including dramas (-38.9%), comedies (-29.9%), reality shows -(26.4%) and pilots (-80.3%). Feature film production decreased by 28.9%, while commercials were down by 2.1%, FilmLA said.
Geek Tyrant
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Video Explores How The Muppets Broke Free From Their Puppeteers and Jumped Into The Real World — GeekTyrant
Ever wonder how Kermit pulls off a clean bicycle ride or how Fozzie somehow gets a car from coast to coast without opposable thumbs? Alex Boucher's new video essay dives into the wonderfully chaotic world of Muppet movie magic, showing how these handmade icons broke the boundaries of stage and screen to interact with the real world—no CGI, no AI, just pure puppeteering ingenuity. From trapdoors to underwater rigs, remote controls to elaborate camera tricks, and Jim Henson literally crouched in impossible places, it's a wild look at what happens when felt and foam meet raw filmmaking determination. Watch it, and prepare to be amazed by just how deep a trench can be when it's hiding a puppeteer.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' made Mia Sara a star. Leaving Hollywood has been freeing.
Though she appeared to be on top of the world as a teen star in the '80s, the truth is that Mia Sara found the Hollywood spotlight uncomfortable. Now, at 58, she's happier than ever, thanks to a quiet home life with her husband, Brian Henson, son of Muppets creator Jim Henson, and kids Dashiell Connery, 28, and Amelia, 21. And this month, the actress returned to the big screen for the first time in a decade, starring as a grandmother in an adaptation of Stephen King's novella The Life of Chuck. Best known as Sloane Peterson in the John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sara enjoyed breakout success with roles in All My Children and the fantasy film Legend, later appearing alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in Timecop. But after appearing in the short film Pretty Pretty in 2013, she stepped away from acting with no intention of returning — that is, until director Mike Flanagan convinced her to sign onto Chuck. 'I love Mike Flanagan, like really adore him just as a person, and we are friends, and I'm just a huge fan,' Sara tells me for Yahoo Life's Unapologetically series. 'When we met [and had dinner], Mike said, 'Why don't you work anymore?' And I said, 'Oh, it's really complicated,' and he said, 'Would you ever work again? What if I offered you something?'' Although Flanagan joked that Sara would come to 'regret that dinner,' she feels quite differently about agreeing to star as Sarah Krantz opposite Mark Hamill's Albie Krantz in The Life of Chuck. 'It was a really healing experience,' she shares. 'Mike creates an incredibly cohesive and really terrific feeling on set. It felt like really nice closure. It did me a world of good.' The harmony and inner peace Sara felt on set mirror what she's currently experiencing in her personal life as she nears 60. 'I feel a huge pressure is off to not be comparing myself to people,' she says. Our conversation touches on the power of stepping away from the spotlight, the beauty (and, yes, some "crappy" parts) of aging and how youth isn't all it's cracked up to be. (Spoiler alert: Being 'very young' contributed to Ferris being a 'cringy experience' for Sara.) What I love about my 50s is that I feel like a huge pressure is off to not be comparing myself to people. And I love the fact that my interactions with people [are] just about me, my attitude, me as a person. I don't feel like I have to get past something anymore with people. [But] there are serious bummers to do with health and pain. So, I'm just looking forward to hopefully remaining healthy and active. I have a Connemara pony called Rory, and he is the greatest pony on the face of the earth — and I'm not the only person who thinks that. I just feel like as long as I can stay in the saddle, I'm good. And for many years now, I've been using this mindfulness app called Happier. I have found it very helpful. Sometimes, for big swaths of time, I'll do it every day, and then, sometimes, I travel a lot and I drop it for a couple of weeks, but I always return to it. I feel I'm less reactive, more present and more aware. You know, my kids have noticed. And the other really good thing about getting older is I have a sense of how fortunate I am. I have a really great life, and I'm really grateful for it. I think meditation does help with that. Oh, and lots and lots of high-quality therapy! Yes, aging comes up in therapy all the time. It's a hard thing. There are definitely really crappy aspects to it that I do grapple with in therapy and with my friends. I'm fortunate to have very dear friends for many years, and we're all going through it together, and we've supported each other through some pretty scary stuff. Scary stuff starts happening at my age. I've been lucky, but I have very close friends who've had some serious illnesses. So, all of the support that you can have to help yourself and others through [the challenges of getting older] is beneficial. A long time ago, I knew this woman, a really good friend of my ex-husband [Jason Connery]. She had been a prima ballerina. I was younger, and I was just complaining about something, and she said, "Look, certain things are not gonna get better than this moment. And you're gonna look back on this moment, at whatever physical thing you're complaining about or feeling critical or judgmental of. So, just enjoy the ride." Enjoy the ride. I haven't thought about that in years, but that's something that I would tell my daughter or my son's wonderful girlfriend. But the other thing is that I've noticed that nobody really follows advice. I feel like if you feel comfortable, you could freely give advice, but never expect them to actually [take it], because we have to learn ourselves. We all have to learn things the hard way. I do. Everyone feels critical of themselves. I've never met anyone who says, 'I'm so perfectly happy with the way I look and how I feel I'm being perceived.' One of the important things to know is that you don't have control over how people are gonna feel about you. So, the thing is to focus on yourself and how you feel about yourself and also how you treat other people. It's so much more important to be kind and to be compassionate as a human being than to focus on your appearance. And that's what my husband and I have tried to model. I would worry about it around middle school when [my daughter's friends] were all endlessly on social media, but my daughter wasn't that into it. So that was lucky. I'm really working toward trying to give myself grace. Especially because of this movie that's coming out [The Life of Chuck], and there are all these retrospective blurbs, and they put a picture of me now, and then they put like all these pictures through time, and it's like, 'I'm melting!' But when I was younger, I always found older women very beautiful. So, when I look in the mirror, I see myself, and I like the way I look. [But it can be] harder when, after a long time, I'm having to confront myself onscreen. That's a very different experience, which is a little challenging. And if you have been considered attractive and beautiful or whatever, and it's a part of your identity, it's hard to let it go. But it is actually really freeing to feel like no one's looking at me. I understand what people mean about being invisible. I don't feel invisible. I just don't feel like I have to put out anymore. It's nice. I can just present myself as myself, and my interactions with people [are] about who I am. I don't feel like I'm being judged as much because of what I appear to be. I think it's possible to feel more and more aligned with who you are as you get older. I like people not looking at me. That was not always very comfortable for me. How did you deal with that as a teen, especially when you were very much in the spotlight for ? I don't think I did very well with it. I was not comfortable. I wasn't mature enough to really take advantage of it. I was really young. I'm a very introverted person. I did not have the greatest time making that movie, because I was in the most awkward stage of my actual adolescence. I was very out of my element and depth. I didn't have that high school experience. So, I felt really out of it. I was younger than the other main cast members [Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck and Jennifer Grey], and they were all a lot more experienced than I was. And it showed in my behavior. When I look back on it, it's a very cringy experience for me. That's sadly how I feel about the movie. I absolutely recognize the durability of it, and I'm really grateful to be in it, and I appreciate the appreciation of it, but the truth is that it was a really bad moment for me.
Time Out
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
An adorable (and free!) Muppets exhibit will take over the Museum of the Moving Image this weekend
Not since The Muppets Take Manhattan have we been this excited about a puppetorial release! On Saturday June 21, the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria will reveal newly restored puppets from the beloved franchise (unseen for decades!), plus host tons of family-friendly activities during 'Muppet Babies Take MoMI,' a fanatical Muppets celebration. The weekend-long Muppet takeover spotlights baby Kermit the Frog, baby Gonzo, and baby Rowlf—who debuted on screen in The Muppets Take Manhattan —during their first public appearance in many, many years. Venture through the 15,500-square-foot public space to take part in hands-on workshops to craft paper-bag puppets and turn yourself into a Muppet; dance in the courtyard to live music by John Koozin and the Neighborhood; pose questions during a panel discussion with restoration experts and puppet builders from Jim Henson's Creative Shop; and, of course, screen that 1984 quintessential Muppets flick in the grand Redstone Theater. With support from Bank of America, MoMI restored ten puppets from its extensive collection of Jim Henson artifacts, including Camilla the Chicken (The Muppet Show, 1976–1981) and other rare puppets made for TV commercials and variety show appearances in the early '60s. Those will be on display in the lobby as part of the museum's 'Open Worlds' initiative, which invites the public to use its first-floor spaces as a free, accessible, WiFi-enabled community resource. 'We're delighted to present these historic puppets to the public during this fun weekend, and to share the story of MoMI's ongoing collaboration with Jim Henson's Creature Shop,' Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs Barbara Miller said in a statement. During the restoration process, the puppets were cleaned, given mounts to prepare for presentation, and reinforced with new foam to ensure they remain stable. None of these puppets have been in the public eye for decades; and in total, The Jim Henson Exhibition (ticketing required) boasts 50 puppets spanning the television legend's career. Here's the full schedule of free events this weekend: 'Muppet Babies Take MoMI presented by Bank of America' Saturday, June 21 1:00–5:00 p.m. 'Choose Your Own Adventure' hands-on workshops Draw Yourself as a Baby Muppet: Kids can contribute their own Muppet Babies drawing to be displayed in the Museum's classroom space Paper Bag / Plate Muppets: DIY puppet-making workshop Green Screen Station: Bring your puppet to life in front of camera with an imaginative setting created using (green) screen. Led by MoMI Puppeteer in Residence Brian T. Carson. Sunday, June 22 3:30 p.m. Jim Henson's Creature Shop Panel Discussion Jason Weber, Creative Supervisor, along with two other puppet builders from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, in conversation with MoMI Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs Barbara Miller, discussing the process of puppet building and conservation.
