
About this episode
Icky Gunk. Moldy Hay. Kermit. You might recognize one of these names. Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird, he was kicking it with Sam and Friends — a local tv show in Washington, D.C. that launched Jim Henson's career. We journey back to 1955 to figure out how this eccentric cast of puppets built the foundation for everything Jim Henson would do afterwards, from Sesame Street, to The Muppet Show and even Labyrinth (we see you, David Bowie fans). And we venture into the conservation labs to learn what it took to revive these crumbling hunks of foam and fabric when they landed at the Smithsonian.
Guests:
Ryan Lintelman, curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Sunae Park Evans, senior costume conservator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Bonnie Erickson, a director of The Jim Henson Legacy; creator of Miss Piggy
Craig Shemin, author of Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show
Get every episode summarized
Each time Sidedoor publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes



