Happy birthday to the beloved creator of the Muppets–Jim Henson! 

Though we’re no Jim Henson, through the creation of Moppy, Les the Squirrel and the Red Hare rabbit, we understand a little of what goes into the creation of such cherished characters and can truly appreciate his genius.

In honor of the puppet master himself, we have listed some of our favorite Jim Henson characters and memories.

Bill – “I like the old school Muppets. When I was growing up we loved watching the Muppets on Sunday night. It was on just before we had to go to bed. All of the characters are great but my favorites were always the two old guys on the balcony, they always had something entertaining to say.”

Cheryl – “Miss Piggy, of course. She was ALWAYS mighty “swine” and Glamorous…and, loved Kermit dearly.”

Katelyn – “Kermit because he’s really cute and I like his voice, especially when he sings Under Pressure by Queen.”

Adam –  “I’m a weirdo, just like Gonzo. I always liked the element of drama that Gonzo’s character brought to the movies, through his loneliness and isolation…you know, but in a cute way. Animal is also really great. I think a lot of my favorite people in life can relate to him. He’s all party all the time, and can kill it on the drums!”

Tricia –  “Om nom nom nom! Me want cookie! I love Cookie Monster. I think he’s hilarious and I, like him, love sweets. ”

Chris S. – “Beaker, because he does so well at communicating without saying a word.  Plus…he’s always willing to try new and exciting things without worrying about his own well-being!”

Brooke McMillan – “Cookie Monster because I love cookies!”

Martin – “Beaker the lab assistant. He had the best facial expressions and he only said Meep.”

Byron – “Baby Gonzo from Muppet Babies. Not one Saturday morning passed without me catching the Muppet Babies. Baby Gonzo’s unique voice and odd character design made him a childhood favorite as a kid.”

Fiona – “Miss Piggy! I love how sassy and passionate she is towards everyone, especially Kermit!”

Chris V. – “Animal from the Muppets. I find Animal interesting because not only is he a drummer, like myself, but also because I consider him the exact opposite of Ringo Starr, the drummer for The Beatles. Animal doesn’t have a lot of style to his percussion skills, but boy, has he got heart.”

Lauren –  “I always loved the relationship between Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy! Very funny dynamic between the two!”

And I really can’t choose just one character. However, my favorite Muppet production is A Muppet Family Christmas, which came out in 1987, because it has all of my favorite characters and brings back some really great nostalgic memories.

We would love to know who your favorite Jim Henson character is. Comment below to weigh in.