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Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character and one of puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous creations. Kermit was performed by Henson until his death in 1990. Since then, he has been performed by puppeteer Steve Whitmire.

An early version of Kermit appeared in 1955, in a five minute puppet show for WRC-TV Sam and Friends. The prototype Kermit was created from a green ladies' coat that Henson's mother had thrown in the trash can, and two ping-pong balls for eyes. He and Rowlf, also created from scraps, were Henson's first puppets. The early Kermit was a sort of lizard-like creature; Kermit's first appearance as a frog was in the television special Hey Cinderella in 1969, and he's been a frog ever since.

Kermit had his big break in 1971, with frequent appearances on Sesame Street as a news reporter interviewing nursery rhyme characters. One of his most memorable works was the song "Bein' Green". Kermit's song "The Rainbow Connection" was also a big hit from The Muppet Movie and has become the signature song of The Jim Henson Company.

In 1979, Kermit and creator Henson spoke at ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's funeral. Kermit published One Frog Can Make A Difference, Kermit's Guide to Life in 1993 in hardcover with Pocket Books. In 1996, he gave a commencement speech at Southampton College in which he came out as an environmentalist. In 2001 he appeared in the TV show Hollywood Squares.

Kermit also served as the mascot for The Jim Henson Company, until the sale of the Muppet characters to The Walt Disney Company.

Biography

On Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, he commented to Ty Pennington that "You know, as a tadpole in the swamp, I had 3,265 brothers and sisters!" More of his childhood was chronicled in Kermit's Swamp Years.

In The Muppet Show television series, Kermit was frontman and the long-suffering stage manager of the fictional theatre show. He continually struggled to produce a quality program, for a sparse and disaffected audience. Kermit also appeared in several Muppet movies and spin-off series, including Muppets Tonight.

As a running joke in the shows, Kermit was pursued by leading lady Miss Piggy. He is close friends with Fozzie Bear and has a nephew, Robin.

Kermit's official birthday is May 9th, 1955.

Kermit was awarded an honourary doctorate of Amphibious Letters on May 19, 1996 at Southampton College, where he also gave a commencement speech.

As a television personality

Kermit has made a number of guest appearances on other shows. In 1979, Kermit was a guest host for the Tonight Show, substituting for Johnny Carson. He continued to make appearances long after The Muppet Show ended in 1981.

In 1987, Kermit and other Muppet characters co-hosted an ABC News special which attempted to explain the stock market and the potentially disquieting events of the Black Monday stock price decline in a manner that both informed and entertained the audience about the complex subject.

Kermit was also given the great honor of being the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade in 1996

Such was his popularity in the UK that in 2000 he hosted the "1976" episode of the BBC's nostalgia series I Love the 70s (amongst other things, he recalled the phenomenon of punk rock and, naturally, The Muppet Movie) and even joined fellow American Ruby Wax for a couple of between-band links at the Queen's Golden Jubilee concert in 2002.

In 2001 Kermit had to disappear from the Sesame Street because Sesame Workshop lost the right on the character Kermit.

As an April Fool's joke, Kermit hosted CNN's Crossfire in 2002.

Rumors

There have been rumors that Kermit was named after the original Sesame Street Muppet designer, Kermit Love. Since Jim Henson had worked on Kermit the Frog since he was in grade 8, this is impossible. However, he was named after one of Jim Henson's childhood friends, Theodore Kermit Scott, now a Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University.

It is claimed that Kermit's Tonight Show appearance was so well received that the show's producers resolved never to repeat the stunt for fear of angering the regular host, Johnny Carson.

Quotes

• "It's not easy being green."
• "Hi ho, Kermit the Frog here."
• "Time's fun when you're having flies."
• "Frankly, Miss Piggy, I don't give a hoot."

Trivia

• Puppeteer Jim Henson chose Kermit as his signature character because the puppet was the lightest in weight, and thus the most comfortable to use for extended periods of time.

• Kermit performed a duet with pop star Kylie Minogue performing Especially For You on her An Audience With... televison special

• A statue of Henson and Kermit was erected on the campus of Henson's alma mater, the University of Maryland, College Park.

• Kermit once told a VH1 veejay in an early 1990's TV interview (promoting the Kermit Unpigged album) that his favorite band was Toad The Wet Sprocket.

See also

• Kermit (the computer communications and file-transfer protocol)

External links

• Kermit's commencement address at Southampton College in 1996
• "Kermit's 50th". Muppets.com. September 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help) Blogging and tracking Kermit's world tour starting October 2005.
• Kermit the Frog at IMDb (incomplete as Kermit is always credited as his puppeteer)

• Mascots
• Fictional frogs
• Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Muppet Show characters
• Sesame Street muppet characters