Things You Didn't Know About The Muppets

#1 Kermit The Frog

The very first version of the lead Muppet's body was made out of Jim Henson's mother's green old winter coat. His eyes were made of one ping pong ball which was sawed in half and glued onto the material. The original Kermit was not even a frog, but an unnamed reptile creature that evolved just in time for the show premiere in 1969.

#2 Sam And Friends

Jim Henson first created The Muppets in 1955 for his TV show called Sam and Friends. The show was only five minutes long and aired twice daily on WRC-TV, in Washington, D.C. The show ran from May 9, 1955, to December 15, 1961.

#3 Sex And Violence

The name of The Muppet Show pilot, that aired in 1975, was The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence. It was not even an American show but was a British series. Jim Henson produced two pilots for The Muppet Show, neither of which led to the show being picked up a by American TV networks.

British commercial station ATV, offered a deal to Henson for him to produce the show at their ATV studios in Elstree, England. ATV, as part of the deal, would broadcast the show over ITV stations in the UK. The show was then sold to the U.S. as part of a syndication deal.

#4 Rowlf The Dog

The first Muppet to achieve national stardom was Rowlf the Dog, he was a cast member on The Jimmy Dean Show from 1963 to 1966. He also starred in a string of TV commercials for Purina Dog Chow from the early 1960s through 1966.

#5 Miss Piggy & Herb Alpert

Though a quick fan favorite after the series came to America, Miss Piggy was not always as popular as she is today. Miss Piggy's first appearance on television was on the Herb Alpert's 1974 TV special Herb Alpert and the TJB. She appeared with two other Henson muppets at the time and was added to the muppet lineup right after.

#6 Kermit Was Not The Original Host

Kermit was not the original host of The Muppet Show. Nigel, the orchestra conductor, hosted the "Sex and Violence" pilot and was not well received. He was dropped because he was deemed "too wimpy" to host the series. They decided they needed someone with more sarcasm and wit, and after they tested Kermit with the second pilot, he was forever the star of the show.

#7 Kermit Is An Activist

Kermit the Frog is the only Amphibian-American to ever testify before the United States Congress. In 2008, Kermit and a team of conservationists spoke to Congress about the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, promoting awareness of endangered amphibians. He also lobbied about the restriction on breeding and sale of exotic animals as pets.

#8 Miss Piggy Has Had Other Jobs

Though there are a lot of fan-made magazine covers for our favorite pig, she has only appeared on the cover of 6 magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post, TV Guide, and LIFE. She says she is waiting for her Vogue cover before retirement.

She also had a book on the best seller list. Her book Miss Piggy's Guide to Life was on the New York Times bestseller list for 29 weeks (from June 28, 1981 to January 24, 1982).

#9 Muppets Family Members

The Muppets have family members who sometimes make appearances on the show or in their films. There was Uncle J.P. Grosse, of course. Most notable, however, was Kermit's adorable nephew Robin, who made an appearance as Tiny Tim in A Muppet's Christmas Carol.

Other appearances are Gonzo's family who came down from space in Muppets from Space, Miss Piggy's nephews Andy and Randy on Muppets Tonight and various mothers have appeared on an episode of Muppets Tonight for Mother's Day.

#10 Floyd Pepper

The vibrant and sixties style rocker Floyd Pepper's character is a direct reference to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Creator Jim Henson loved the Beatles and said the album was his all time favorite.

#11 Miss Piggy Lee

Miss Piggy was modeled after the singer Peggy Lee. She has been referenced as Miss Peggy Lee on The Muppet Show television series. She has mentioned that the famous singer was her favorite celebrity on several occasions and even sang Lee's hit song "Fever" in an episode.

#12 Dr. Teeth

Dr. Teeth, the leader of the Electric Mayhem, was inspired by jazz keyboardist Dr. John and Elton John. Jim Henson said that he wanted a character with some 'bite' and pizzaz and instantly thought of the two performers. Electric Mayhem's guitarist Janice was modeled after Rolling Stones lead singer, Mick Jagger and her nickname is 'Famous Lips'.

#13 Jim Henson Created Thousands Of Muppets

Jim Henson reportedly created over 2100 Muppets in his lifetime. Some were just earlier experimental versions of the popular characters we know today, but others were for various commercials, movies, or stage shows, and never went on to superstardom like the cast of The Muppet Show did.

Jim Henson's final performance as Kermit the Frog was on the May 4, 1990, episode of The Arsenio Hall Show. He passed away just two weeks later from organ failures.