A Muppet Family Christmas

FamilyComedyMusicTV MovieMusical

Trailer

Synopsis

Fozzie Bear surprises his mother on Christmas Eve by bringing the entire Muppet gang to her farm to celebrate the holidays. Doc and his dog Sprocket, who had planned a quiet Christmas, end up joining the Muppets in their holiday activities and preparations. The Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock regulars join the festivities, but to Kermit's dismay, the only one missing is Miss Piggy, who has been caught in a snowstorm.

Context & Trivia

This 1987 television special is notable for being one of the few productions to feature characters from all major Jim Henson franchises: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies. The story was conceived by Jim Henson, who wanted to create a holiday special that would unite his various creations in a family-themed narrative. Longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl was tasked with writing the teleplay. The special was filmed at CFTO Studios in Toronto, Canada, utilizing practical sets to create the Bear family farmhouse. Special effects for the blizzard sequences were achieved through practical means, such as artificial snow and wind machines, typical of Henson's hands-on puppetry approach in the pre-CGI era. Jim Henson makes a live-action cameo at the end of the special, washing dishes with Sprocket. The Muppet Babies appear in puppet form in an old home movie played during the special, singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."

Puppeteers

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, Caroll Spinney, Karen Prell, David Rudman, Kevin Clash, Brian Henson

Puppet companies

Jim Henson Productions

Puppet building

Ed Christie · Joanne Green · Larry Jameson · Rollie Krewson · Tom Newby · Richard Termine

Direction

Peter Harris, Eric Till, Jim Henson Home Entertainment, The Muppets

Writing

Jerry Juhl

Cast

Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Kathryn Mullen, Steve Whitmire, Caroll Spinney, Karen Prell, David Rudman, Gerard Parkes, Terry Angus, Debra Spinney, Fred Stinson, Bob Stutt

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