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Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
I've heard a lot about the Emmy nominated Ron Howard-made documentary on Jim Henson, but so far, it's only been available on Disney+. That changes August 11th, when the widely applauded show debuts for the first time on network TV for free.
ABC is scheduled to show "Jim Henson, Idea Man," which traces the history of the creator of the Muppets and a maker of other movies that have become somewhat iconic. Howard got the family's cooperation and had access to thousands of unseen moments and memorabilia from Henson's life, many of which are included in the film.
It isn't often a streaming service's exclusive appears on free TV, but this is an exception, perhaps to fill some holes in the long summer rerun season or as a promotional item for the co-owned Disney+. Whatever the reason, it will air as part of the "Wonderful World of Disney," if you want to set your DVR once it appears in your guide.
Ron Howard’s Emmy-Nominated Jim Henson Documentary To Make Broadcast Premiere On ABC’s ‘Wonderful World Of Disney’
- mace
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Re: Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
I wonder if the special will feature some of Henson's early creations. In 1957 he created "Wilkins & Wontkins" who appeared in a number of 10 second ads for Wilken's Coffee. The idea was basically if you don't drink Wilkins Coffee bad things will happen to you. Poor Wontins always admits that he doesn't drink the sponsor's product and he is promptly shot/blown up/run over etc. The ads were extremely popular as 179 of them were produced between 1957-61.
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Re: Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
For those unsure about watching this on Sunday, (it apparently starts at the unusual time of about 8:33 PM) here are two varied reviews. Both conclude it's good - but could have been even better.
Variety: ‘Jim Henson Idea Man’ Review: A Heartfelt, If Safe, Tribute to a Singular Figure
Hollywood Reporter: ‘Jim Henson Idea Man’ Review: Ron Howard’s Disney+ Doc Is a Middle-of-the-Road Portrait of a Genius
But it says a lot about a not always covered bit of early TV history, and for me, that makes it DVR-worthy.
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Thread Starter- mace
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Re: Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
I am hoping there are a few clips of Sam & Friends. It was a five minute series done by Henson that ran on WRC ch 4 in Washington just before the Tonight Show. It ran from 1955-61. One of the funnier segments was a 1961 Kermit the Frog interview with Chet Huntley and David Brinkley.
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Re: Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
It was broadcast on CTV2 as well.
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My favourite part was the never-before-seen test pilots made to try and convince the U.S. TV networks that "The Muppet Show" could work. None of them took Henson up on the idea, but luckily he managed to find someone in England who did.
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Thread Starter- Doug Thompson
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Re: Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
I worked with Jim Henson twice and Frank Oz once. In 1982, I was freelancing at Eastern Sound and Jim and Frank were working on "Fraggle Rock" next door at VTR Productions. The duo had directed "The Dark Crystal" movie in England. They created a language for the evil birds, the Skeksis, with English subtitles, but test audience had little kids going and their mothers had to read the subtitles, so it was a mess. They flew all the Skeksis actors from England to Toronto to re-do their dialogue in English and I recorded them one after another over two nights.
Then Jim asked me to be the Sound Effects editor for "The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show" that they shot at CFTO in Agincourt. That was a full week of working with Jim side by side.
I've seen the Ron Howard doc and it is great. It shows the work ethic of Jim Henson and sadly, how he didn't have to die so young. When we worked on the Miss Piggy Show, we started at 9am, but he'd already had a 7 or 8 am meeting about other projects. The during lunch 12-2pm, he had more meetings on various projects and most nights we wrapped at 6 so Jim could get to the airport and fly home to New York so he could sleep in his own bed. Then he'd fly back to TO on the first flight next morning.
Last edited by Doug Thompson (August 12, 2024 5:08 pm)
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Re: Emmy Nominated Doc Once Only On Disney+ To Make ABC Debut
Doug Thompson wrote:
I worked with Jim Henson twice and Frank Oz once. In 1982, I was freelancing at Eastern Sound and Jim and Frank were working on "Fraggle Rock" next door at VTR Productions. The duo had directed "The Dark Crystal" movie in England. They created a language for the evil birds, the Skeksis, with English subtitles, but test audience had little kids going and their mothers had to read the subtitles, so it was a mess. They flew all the Skeksis actors from England to Toronto to re-do their dialogue in English and I recorded them one after another over two nights.
Then Jim asked me to be the Sound Effects editor for "The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show" that they shot at CFTO in Agincourt. That was a full week of working with Jim side by side.
I've seen the Ron Howard doc and it is great. It shows the work ethic of Jim Henson and sadly, how he didn't have to die so young. When we worked on the Miss Piggy Show, we started at 9am, but he'd already had a 7 or 8 am meeting about other projects. The during lunch 12-2pm, he had more meetings on various projects and most nights we wrapped at 6 so Jim could get to the airport and fly home to New York so he could sleep in his own bed. Then he'd fly back to TO on the first flight next morning.
The great Wayne Moss was the floor director for Fraggle Rock. I often worked with him when I was in television.