1936
James Maury Henson is born on September 24 in Greenville, Mississippi, where his father worked as a researcher for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

1954
Jim graduates from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, and enters the University of Maryland.

1955
Jim has his own five-minute show, Sam and Friends, with Jane Nebel. The show airs live on WRC-TV, Washington, D.C., for six years.

1956
Appearances on The Arthur Godfrey Show, The Tonight Show, The Steve Allen Show, and The Will Rogers, Jr. Show

1957
Jim Henson’s first commercial, for Wilkins Coffee, is taped.

By the late 1950s, the term “Muppets” is firmly established, and the Hensons are performing on numerous local and national variety shows and creating hundreds of humorous commercials for clients around the country.

1958
Sam and Friends wins a local Emmy award.

1959
Jim Henson and Jane Nebel are married.

1960
The Muppets appear for the first time on the Today Show and begin appearing regularly the following year.

1962
Rowlf is built by puppet designer/builder Don Sahlin (1928–1978) for a Purina dog food commercial. Sahlin is often credited with refining the Muppet look as we know it.

1963
The Muppets and the Henson family move to New York.

Rowlf (performed by Jim) becomes the first nationally known Muppet with his weekly appearances on The Jimmy Dean Show.

1964
Production of Jim’s Academy Award nominated short film Time Piece begins.

1965
First films are developed for IBM corporate meetings. When IBM executive David Lazer joins Jim’s team, meeting films for other clients become a standard part of the Muppet repertoire. Lazer eventually serves as the executive producer of The Muppet Show and other Muppet movies.

1966
First licensed products, Kermit, Rowlf, and Snerf dolls, are created with Ideal Toys.

1968
Youth '68, a look at the youth culture of the period, is produced for the NBC Experiment in Television series.

The Muppets on Puppets, a PBS special, is taped.

Hey Cinderella! is filmed in Toronto and airs in 1970.

1969
Jim collaborates on a new children’s show, Sesame Street, which premieres in November 1969. A family of unique characters Jim created for the show is central to its success.

The Cube, a drama coauthored by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl, is produced for the NBC Experiment in Television series.

1971
The Frog Prince TV special is produced in Toronto.

Muppets are featured in Nancy Sinatra's Las Vegas nightclub act and television special. The Muppets make guest appearances on many variety TV shows, including The Flip Wilson Show and specials hosted by comedienne Goldie Hawn and talk show host Dick Cavett.

1973
The Muppets Valentine Special with actress Mia Farrow.

1974
The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence TV series pilot

1975
Muppets appear on The Mike Douglas Show and TV specials hosted by singer Cher and actress Julie Andrews.

New Henson creatures make weekly appearances on Saturday Night Live's first season.

1976
The Muppet Show premieres.

1977
Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas TV special

1979
The Muppets make their film debut with The Muppet Movie, the first of three Muppet features produced by Jim.

1980
Jim produces the largest ever International Puppetry Festival in Washington, D.C., for the Union Internationale de la Marionette.

1981
Of Muppets and Men TV documentary.

The Muppets Go to the Movies TV special.

The Great Muppet Caper movie premieres.

1982
The Henson Foundation is established to promote, develop, and encourage the art of puppetry in the United States.

The Dark Crystal movie premieres.

1983
Fraggle Rock debuts on HBO.

1984
The Muppets Take Manhattan movie premieres.

Jim Henson's Muppet Babies animated TV series.

1985
Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird movie premieres.

1986
The Muppets – A Celebration of 30 Years TV special.

Labyrinth movie premieres.

1989
Jim hosts The Jim Henson Hour, a weekly television show that features a variety of his work.

Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting TV special.

The Ghost of Faffner Hall TV series.

1990
Jim’s final project Muppet*Vision 3-D is produced for Walt Disney World in Florida.

The Muppets at Walt Disney World TV special.

Jim dies suddenly on May 16 in New York City.

The Witches, produced by Jim, premieres, featuring special effects by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in London.