Birth of the Muppets

Miss Piggy would never admit that she’s, well, a woman of a certain age. There’s no denying, however, that she and her fellow Muppets have been charming audiences of all ages for some 40 years —- and still do.

Their enduring popularity is a testament to the creative genius of the late Jim Henson, whose imagination and accomplishments are the subject of “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” opening today at the Atlanta History Center.

Although the artist, who died in 1990 at the age of 53, is best known for his Muppets, his boundless creative energy found expression in commercial advertising, experimental live-action films, full-length feature films and all sorts of technical innovations that advanced the art of puppetry. He even floated an idea for a disco.

Lucky for us, Henson never threw anything away. While the videos and actual puppets document his legacy, the childhood artworks, adult doodles, puppet sketches, storyboards and photos on display show how he got there.

You can see, for example, the early versions of a yellow fowl grow into Big Bird, perhaps by way of the long hairy leg in a poster for a play made during college.

Or the source of the ping-pong ball peepers in his first iteration of Kermit the Frog in his wacky mobile constructed of ping-pong balls painted to look like eyeballs.

You even see the proto-puppeteer in a photo of turbaned, 10-year-old Henson “charming” a snake made of a garden hose.

Henson’s first love, however, was television. In fact, he first learned puppetry because the Saturday morning kiddie shows were a way to get himself into the fledgling industry. When he put the two together, sparks flew.

Even commercials were a positive force. His successful career in television advertising —- puppet humor, as you’ll see in the clips —- not only helped fund his initial artistic efforts but also inspired some of his popular characters. Cookie Monster, for instance, started its life shilling for IBM. And Sesame Street used TV advertising techniques as educational tools.

The muppets are not what you’d call realistic: goggly eyes, heavy brows, hot-dog nose, yappy mouth and technicolor skin. Yet, they are just as alive as the sophisticated puppets of Henson’s later movies, such as “The Dark Crystal” (1982).

Simplicity is not necessarily a limitation. Just think what a cartoonist can communicate in a line, or what Groucho Marx could do with his eyebrows. More to the point: Puppets are made to perform; they are animated by voice, movement and character.

Henson enhanced their expressiveness by constructing the heads out of soft, easy-to-manipulate materials like fleece and foam. This innovation, introduced in response to TV close-ups, was one of many he made to bring them to life.

Just as important, he conceived a society of memorable and endearing characters who possess familiar human foibles. He pokes affectionate fun at, say, Miss Piggy and her airs —- the sow’s ear posing as a silk purse. And who doesn’t know a curmudgeon like Oscar the Grouch?

If Henson drew on the primal appeal of fairy tales —- their alternative worlds and anthropomorphic animals —- he also took some licks from show biz. Bert and Ernie are a tried-and-true comic duo in the mold of Laurel and Hardy or the Honeymooners, right down to the contrasting body types.

Puppetry is a collaborative art. Credit must go to the brilliant team who wrote the scripts, voiced and manipulated the puppets —- Henson’s creative partners, Jerry Juhl and Frank Oz, among them. Together they created a fantastic world imbued with wit, humanity and delight.

“JIM HENSON’S FANTASTIC WORLD.”

Today-Jan. 18, 2009. $15; $12, students and seniors; $10 youths 4-12, free for children 3 and under and members. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon-5:30 p.m., Sundays. Atlanta History Center. 130 W. Paces Ferry Road. 404-814-4000. www.atlantahistorycenter.com

Bottom Line: A lively portrait of the visionary puppeteer and his creative process.

Note: The show is geared more to youths and adults, though young children will enjoy the puppets, videos and playroom and today’s opening celebration. Puppetry performances at noon and 2 p.m. and puppetry workshops are among the offerings. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.