KIDS KORNER

Sesame Street will celebrate its 40th anniversary this fall. The show first hit television airways on November 10, 1969. Sesame Street is inhabited by both humans and muppets created by Jim Henson.

Jim Henson began working with puppets as a college student, creating the show Sam and Friends in 1955 for a local Washington, D.C. television station. The energetic Muppets soon became a popular fixture and led to appearances on national variety shows.

In 1969, Henson was invited to participate in a ground-breaking educational show for television, Sesame Street. Initially, the Muppets were meant to be just one element among many on the show - but the popularity of Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, Grover, Ernie and Bert soon made the Muppets the core of the show. Over the years, the Muppet cast has grown to include Mr. Snuffleupagus, Count von Count, Zoe, and, of course, the international superstar, Elmo. Sesame Street is now in production for its 40th season, and the newest star is fairy-in-training, Abby Cadabby.

In 1976, Henson created his signature project - The Muppet Show, a weekly prime-time variety show filled with songs, sketches, and talented guest starts. Kermit the Frog is the charming and mostly unflappable host, presiding over a motley crew of performers, including diva Miss Piggy, hopeful comedian, Fozzie Bear, daredevil performance artist Gonzo, and the house band, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. The Muppet Show was a huge international success, making unlikely stars out of the Swedish Chef, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker, and the two old cranks in the balcony, Statler and Waldorf.