Kermit The Frog
| Kermit the Frog | |
|---|---|
| The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Sam and Friends character | |
 |
|
| First appearance | Sam and Friends (1955) |
| Created by | Jim Henson |
| Voiced by |
Jim Henson 1961-1990 Steve Whitmire 1990-present Frank Welker (baby version) (Muppet Babies, Little Muppet Monsters) 1984-1991 |
| Performed by |
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| Information | |
| Species | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Entertainer, stage manager, show producer |
| Family | Robin the Frog (nephew) |
| Nationality | American |
Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character and Jim Henson's most well-known creation. Introduced in 1955, Kermit is the protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, as well as in movies, specials, and public service announcements through the years. Henson originally performed Kermit until his death on May 16, 1990; Steve Whitmire has performed Kermit since that time. He was voiced by Frank Welker in Muppet Babies and occasionally in other animation projects.
Kermit performed the hit singles "Bein' Green" in 1970 and "Rainbow Connection" in 1979 for The Muppet Movie, the first feature-length film featuring the Muppets. The latter song reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kermit's iconic look and voice have been recognizable worldwide since, and in 2006, the character was credited as the author of Before You Leap: A Frog's Eye View of Life's Greatest Lessons, which is an "autobiography" told from the perspective of the character himself.
The earliest trace of Kermit first appeared in 1955 on WRC-TV's Sam and Friends. This prototype Kermit was created from a discarded spring coat belonging to Henson's mother and two ping pong ball halves for eyes.
Initially, Kermit was a lizard-like creature. He subsequently made a number of television appearances before his status as a frog was established. His collar was added at the time to make him seem more frog-like and to conceal the seam between his head and body.
The origin of Kermit's name is a subject of some debate. It is often claimed that Kermit was named after Henson's childhood friend Kermit Scott, from Leland, Mississippi. However, Karen Falk, head archivist and board of directors member for the Jim Henson Legacy organization, denies this claim on the Jim Henson Company's website:
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