jim henson

Kermit The Frog Heads To The Smithsonian

Did you know that the original Kermit the Frog was made from an old coat thrown away by Jim Henson's mom? The fabled frog is one of 10 characters donated to the Smithsonian by Henson's widow, Jane Henson. The original Kermit the Frog puppet made his television debut in 1955 on local Washington TV appearing on a show called "Sam and Friends" that ran after the local news. The 10 puppets were donated to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History where they will be in the company of other Henson puppets including a later, greener version of Kermit.

Jane Henson told the AP that the family hopes to give more puppets to the museum wanting to get them "out while they're still in relatively good condition."

Tags: jim henson, kermit the frog, muppets, National Museum of American History, smithsonian