The Muppets' Forgotten British Heritage | Some Boi Online

[@SpikePeanuts]

Damn your videos can be so underrated sometimes! I really enjoyed watching this!!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks, glad to hear it. A lot of time went into making this one!

[@MrRjhyt]

I will die on this hill! The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best version, bar none!

[@Oddballkane]

Apparently, it's the most historically accurate.

[@Asukenick]

Halfway down the stairs was a big hit on the British charts.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

I've always thought going to London was the best thing to happen to the Muppets, although it's hard to pinpoint why exactly. But I just watched the Peter Ustinov and Bruce Forsythe episodes of the Muppet Show, and there's just something about that absurd British humour that adds to the Muppets strength.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yeah, that's a great point. I think the very American Muppets pitted against the humour of other cultures works really well.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

​@SomeBoiOnline I think part of it is also that Britain, and Europe in general, have a much deeper connection to puppetry as a serious art form, than America does. I'd have to do more research to be sure, but our history with puppets really starts with characters like Howdy Doody, who are specifically aimed at small children. And I think whimsy and charm are more appreciated in the UK than here. Like I love Disney's Winnie the Pooh, but it doesn't quite feel the same as the original stories and Shephard drawings. And what was charming, like claymation Gumby, has to be made "edgier" for today's kids, which I think is a huge disservice to them.

[@mrstephenpariah]

​@@SomeBoiOnlineIt would have looked completely different too, more like Sesame Street.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

That's something I've heard before too, that puppets had more of a history here, so were "respected" to some degree. Makes sense!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Bearing in mind the aesthetic influences from the old English theatres, that's a valid point too.

[@gothnerd887]

I remember British TV being obsessed with puppets when I was younger.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

There was definitely plenty of them, especially after the Muppets!

[@southamptonscifi4012]

Gordon the Gopher, Gilbert the Alien, Zig and Zag, Hacker T Dog...

[@nigelmurphy6761]

​@@southamptonscifi4012zig and zag were and are Irish, dude. They debuted on Irish kids tv in 1987, years before they ever went to the UK.

[@kevinlarkin3872]

I'm so proud that my nomination for the English Heritage Blue Plaque honouring Jim Henson was successful... and at the first attempt too (otherwise, it would have been another five years before he could be re-nominated). But it was a very long process (over five years!) with several setbacks, and it one point it didn't look like it was going to happen. 😖

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Wow, that's brilliant!

[@amancalledkev]

Downshire Hill?

[@kevinlarkin3872]

@@amancalledkev Yes, it's in Hampstead, London.

[@QUARTERMASTEREMI6]

Oh wow, I agree - that’s brilliant! I passed by it while on a study abroad trip recently! 😁

[@AtheAetheling]

Fantastic video. Shame Frank Oz was upset at finding out Jim really did give Fozzie to Gyles. But he shouldn't be; Jim Henson seems like the kind of guy who knows the character is more than the puppet. I bet he'd treat even a child's Fozzie plush as though it was the real deal.

[@cyrusvirus6928]

Thanks 🇬🇧 for giving Jim Henson, Terry Gilliam and Jimi Hendrix a home.

[@Gingerbread23386]

Why is it when it comes to Americans, they end up either thinking everything was invented by them or companies that are American or subsidiary companies like Lays are the main company. Or in this case wait for it to become successful before taking something up, like how Tugs unfortunately inevitably failed because no American broadcasters wanted to air the show or provide funds.

[@KyleRDent]

Don't even get me started! I want to smack every American that calls an adult cartoon "anime". Anime is Japanese (I'll concede other East Asian countries can be put under the banner as well) and not ever American cartoons, even if the style is similar or it was animated by a foreign studio (because if that was the case then pretty much everything except Cartoon Saloon could be classed as anime lol, the US cartoon industry is constantly using East Asian animators). If it was originally produced in Japan and the original language is Japanese, it's Anime. If the original language is English, it's not.

[@JoshProductions07]

I feel bad for Tugs, truly a masterpiece.

[@SpikePeanuts]

That's because “American Pride” is such a big thing over here, I have no clue why. So its almost screwed into to our head and that causes a lot of ignorant people over to make a lot of assumptions.

[@andrewsmart4491]

Similar thing happened with Jimi Hendrix. America didn't want him at first and he got his break in the UK

[@KairuHakubi]

uh.. we _did_ invent the Muppets. We just didn't support it like we should have.

[@Its_hoekin_time]

Sad the actual muppet show theater will suffer the same fate as the cartoon network studio

[@Clownboy15]

Another interesting tidbit is Henson and Lord Grade never had a contract. Not for any of the shows or movies. They just shook hands and that was it!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

I remember hearing that too, the complete opposite of corporate deals today! A great level of trust they had in each others' abilities.

[@minicle426]

Britain still has it's own spiritual successor of the Muppets, in the form of the (criminally underrated) Roger and the Rottentrolls.

[@tomsenior7405]

Beautifully made video. Thank you. For children of my generation, The Muppets were a phenomenon. From the back of the classroom would randomly come a sole, irregular voice calling; "Pigs... in..." followed by the whole class responding; "...Space!!". Mental, but fun. One question; From where on earth did they dig-up their guest stars? They were unknown strangers to us. Kaye Ballard? Marisa Berenson? Wally Boag? They certainly weren't British! We honestly thought these people were members of the public, palmed off as some fake Film Star.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Much appreciated! I love how popular and widespread the Muppets were back in the day. I suppose some of the American guests were obscure to us in the same way some British stars would be unknown to Americans.

[@ModelsExInferis]

I've known almost my entire life (The Muppet Show and I have the same birth year!) that the show is essentially British and I've been referring to it that way for several decades. Jim, Frank, Dave, and later Steve, May all be American, but the show has a British soul. I think Jim knew that too. I didn't know about Giles and Fozzie though, I'll have to see if I can visit the museum one day, I'd love to see that original Muppet! Thanks for the great video!

[@tonyscupham-bilton7523]

I'm from the generation that grew up with The Muppet Show. It was common knowledge at the time that the show was made in the UK. It was mentioned dozens of times in the TV Times. It just goes to show how the younger generation can get over-impressed by their "discovery" of something they assume nobody knows, something that is common knowledge to millions of older people. No disrespect is intended cos this is a brilliant video.

[@Peejay1966]

Thank goodness for Lou Grade. Such a fun show while growing up in Scotland.

[@gojirafan0577]

That’s what I love about the muppets and the works of Jim Henson in general, most of his projects from the muppet show, Fraggle Rock (though most of it was filmed in Toronto,Canada some episodes were also filmed in the UK) The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and The Storyteller were all filmed in the UK. You could say Britain was the country that made The Muppets a more international name. Even the Jim Henson Creature Shop was founded in the UK, before moving to LA in 2005. Also abit of a fun fact the British children’s company HIT entertainment the same company known for shows like Bob The Builder, Kipper The Dog, Angelina Ballerina and Thomas The Tank Engine was actually founded by Jim Henson, in fact the company originally started out as a European distributor for Jim Henson companies. So yeah overall The UK has had a massive impact on not only the muppets but many shows and films that were done by Jim Henson.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

I've never heard the part about HIT Entertainment before, fascinating stuff!

[@JoshProductions07]

Correction about HiT, the HiT Entertainment that most people know was formed in 1989, when talks with Henson and Disney were going on, employees at HiT convinced Jim if they could be independent, and he agreed. HiT also bought the rights of Thomas from Gullane, so they didn't create Thomas.

[@gojirafan0577]

@@JoshProductions07 sorry my bad!

[@JoshProductions07]

@@gojirafan0577 No problem

[@minicle426]

Still gutted the UK version of Fraggle Rock has seemingly been lost in its complete form. :(

[@AnnabelleLeeTx]

10:25 I bet sitting on that bench on a spring evening is so peaceful 😌

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Definitely, it's lovely to know Henson enjoyed the area so much.

[@ScribblestoScreen]

Great video! Had no idea about the plaque and mural outside of studio D, next time I’m near London i’m gonna have to have a peek 👀

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Cheers! Yes there was lots of stuff like this that I hadn't heard of before researching.

[@ZionKraze]

I find it funny, the scene in the Muppets 2011 movie had a scene of the rejecting the Muppets, made me think of what happened in real life with Jim Henson.

[@SammyH-ft8bm]

love the Muppet content you put out, always an interesting point of view.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks so much 😊

[@miguelmp24]

Really interesting, thanks for the information... Great video! 👏

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@Lumibear.]

That was a superb deep dive into my favourite puppets, have a sub my good man.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Cheers, much appreciated!

[@PrincessBunhead]

I remember it was such a big deal when Jim Henson had a hand in the first live action Ninja Turtle movie way back in 1990, his creature shop in London was responsible for the costume design. Love the video!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Nice to see the creature shop doing great things to this day, glad you enjoyed it!

[@MattJD777]

Ayy we never miss a some boi online upload haha

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Cheers!

[@DillonTrinhProductions]

I love the Muppets, nice video as usual.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks!

[@douglasermedia3390]

I knew a lot about Henson and the Muppet Show being made at Elstree, but thanks to your excellent video I've learnt many new and interesting things. I never knew that Henson moved permanently to the UK for several years.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

That's great to hear, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@tedsowards]

Great video. I've always wanted to make my way to England (from AZ) and take pics of all the historic Muppet sites.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thank you, I've been to London a few times but never knew there were so many bits of Muppet history at the time!

[@spews1973]

I have touched the original Fozzie Bear. It used to be on display in Gyles Brandreth's long defunct teddy bear museum in my hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. It was not in a glass case then, leaving visitors free to get their hands all over it.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Wow, he did appear pretty shoddy looking in some of the photographs, so it seems he's had some restoration done since.

[@chrischibnall593]

The father of a school-friend of mine was a sound engineer on the Muppet Show. My friend once brought some type-written scripts from the show into school, and a group of us spent a lunch-time having fun reading the parts!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Wow, very cool indeed!

[@sheilbwright7649]

Frank Oz's apology to Giles was particularly churlish.

[@concave12YT]

You never fail to deliver

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thank you!

[@LanceHarding]

A friend of mine was the puppeteer of Miss Piggy in the Christmas Carol film, Michael Bayliss.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Wow, great stuff.

[@LanceHarding]

@@SomeBoiOnline Before he did that, he was one of the sock draw people, then progressed onto operating Hangle on CITV’s Wizadora. He was also a puppeteer in the Labyrinth film with David Bowie.

[@boglander2004]

Also, I think the Muppets also had a big impact in the UK when it comes to children's TV as there were so many TV shows back in the day that had puppets as characters like Roland rat, Gordon the gopher, Ed the duck, etc.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yeah I'd agree. There were lots of successful British characters that happened to be "Muppet-like"

[@Bertie_Ahern]

Great video. Also your accent is amazing

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thank you! 😅

[@lennytheleopard]

Well researched and the presentation was excellent. I learned to count and spell with Kermit in the early 70's on Sesame st. We love The Muppet Treasure Island movie and the Muppet Christmas Carol is our go-to xmas film. I never knew about the UK connection with the muppets! I was quite sad when Disney bought the IP. The characters were the same but the muppets vibe had gone.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed!

[@Tysto]

I didn’t know anything about this until a Scottish friend told me about it a few years ago. Wild.

[@CattCreature]

Fantastic video! This explains so much, how through my childhood, I was convinced the muppets and Henson were British. Much later finding out he was American. I often look back and wondered where I got that British misconception!. Now I know why!

[@richardvernon317]

Having the ATV logos in the title meant is was a British production.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Thanks so much, I always had the sense there was something British about them too, glad to provide some closure!

[@drzander3378]

The father of my best friend when I was a kid worked on the Muppet Show. I don’t know in exactly what capacity but I have a vague recollection that it involved Zoot the saxophonist as well as the drummer Animal.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Wow, fascinating stuff!

[@david_g_barron]

It showed that TV here in the UK always took chances on shows which might not have made it anywhere else. ATV took that chance in 1976 and became a National Hit and then an International Hit. With the BBC they took a chance on Monty Python's Flying Circus then Fawlty Towers, and John Cleese co-wrote The Muppet Show episode he starred in, and guessing that he appeared in it, so he could impress his then six year old daughter Cynthia. When the early series was released on DVD, it was disappointing not to see the ATV Logo at the beginning and end, considering it was made in Elstree.

[@paulburton9386]

The photos of the exterior of the studios you added were of Elstree Studios nearby to what is now BBC Elstree Centre (previously ATV Centre) in Borehamwood (Elstree is down the road). The Great Muppet Caper was made at Elstree Studios. It is true that a number of studios and buildings at BBC Elstree Centre will be demolished by the new owners. However, new stages will be built in their place. EastEnders, including the new backlot set, will remain at BBC Elstree Centre. One imagines the name of the studios will change in due course because they have been sold by the BBC. I wrote and researched the official book on Elstree Studios that was published in 2015.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

We need another Muppets movie set in Britain featuring Uncle Deadly as one of the main characters!

[@SomeBoiOnline]

If they're going to focus more on individual Muppets, Uncle Deadly would be a great choice!

[@0rdanri_Feelis_caatus]

I always found it odd, when people didn't think the Muppets as British when I was younger. I always thought the Muppets were entirely British growing up. I didn't even realise Jim Henson was American born back then. And with him living, or at least having a house here and it's creation and production here I never realised it had American roots until I was about 18 or so, lol And even though I now know why not everyone sees the Muppets as such, I still can't think of anything other than the Muppets as British too this day tbh

[@SomeBoiOnline]

I think the American accents of all the characters are a dead giveaway 😂 But I was just shocked to find out how much of their stuff was made here, having no idea about this behind the scenes stuff until recently.

[@liamastill6733]

@@SomeBoiOnline I feel like a lot of the Muppets have strange enough accents and inflections that it becomes slightly ambiguous as to whether they're British or American in my opinion

[@0rdanri_Feelis_caatus]

@@SomeBoiOnline True, lol 😆 But back when I was a kid, I didn't register their voices as accents, I just thought they were silly voices 😂

[@NicholaiB]

Really happy to have come across ur channel. Thank you

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Really glad you're enjoying it, thanks!

[@TomerPalma2006.]

Yeah, If you think that also explained in Animation Lookback: The Muppets, AniMat explains about the production of this show that shot in the UK.

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

1:59 ATV is part of ITV, which ran ITV Digital, which created Monkey, then PG tips purchased monkey, but had partnered with Aardman, which then had Wallace and Gromit air on BBC, which ran Doctor Who 😂 There's like A connection with all of your videos

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yeah it's crazy how everything connects together 😂

[@copfrown2397]

As an American, it’s funny because the Muppet show was originally filmed in the UK And it also aired in UK

[@twntodaywithniall7702]

the jim henson company also went on to make two great childrens shows set in the uk mopatopas shop and the hoobs

[@redironproductions5579]

At first I thought Lord Grade was Winston Churchill.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

There's definitely a similarity! 😂

[@james_baker]

God bless the Brits. the Muppet show was a big part of my young life in the 70'. it introduced me to the music of Alice Cooper. 30 years later the same show introduced my niece to the music of Alice Cooper. Thanks for this. and thank you Lord Grade

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Glad you enjoyed it, that's great to hear!

[@article10]

Total Anglo Victory

[@anemone104]

And I thought this was going to be about interminable, outrageous shenanigans on green leather benches. But this is better.

[@anomonyous]

Wholesome Boi Online

[@damianprice8422]

Although he left at a really early age, frank oz was born in Hereford, uk

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yep it's mentioned about halfway through!

[@sheanartisthunty]

Fun fact: if you ever come to Mississippi, Leland has the Jim Henson Delta Boyhood Exhibit! It’s small, but if you’re a muppet fan you might appreciate it nonetheless. I work there as a fill in sometimes 💕

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yes I came across it whilst researching! A lovely way to commemorate Jim and it's great that you work there!

[@sheanartisthunty]

@@SomeBoiOnline yesss it’s actually what ignited my interest in muppets even more! I started out admiring his work generally, but then I got attached to the characters too

[@flitsertheo]

Let's not forget that other "British" muppet, Animal. Apparently based on Keith Moon from The Who.

[@hannamills1985]

I love this video I learned so much very interesting🎉❤😊

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@areasquirrel]

It surprises me how it's not well known given the key role the UK had in the history. For me the thing that feels weird is that the original show was on ITV, because I remember Muppets Tonight in the 90s, on the BBC, so its always been BBC in my mind. Wallace and Gromit have that too, with everyone associating them with BBC, yet A Grand Day Out was on Channel 4. Isn't life strange?

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yeah not many people seem to know at all. As for the BBC, I suppose it's after the shows get big that they end up on there.

[@marchibits]

Imagine Wallace being called a muppet in the new film lol

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Not too far-fetched actually, think it would come pretty naturally.

[@marchibits]

@@SomeBoiOnline Are you gonna do a video on Unleashed 3 next year?

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Seems unlikely as it'll be held in Bristol unfortunately.

[@marchibits]

@@SomeBoiOnline oof I'll be visiting Bristol next year It'll be my first ever time in England

[@Clownboy15]

I’m a Muppets fanatic, the performers were household names in my house growing up. I have Caroll Spinney’s autograph tattooed on my arm. Which is why I hate that Disney has done them dirty, they have no understanding of the Muppets. I find it ironic that the Matt Vogel, who played Constantine, the Kermit impersonator, now performs Kermit. No shade though, Vogel is an excellent performer and he’s done a fantastic job as Big Bird as well.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Yeah it's a shame to see their fall from grace (twice after the 2011 film brought them back) and definitely ironic that Constantine (a bad Kermit impersonator) is now Kermit.

[@KairuHakubi]

15:50 god, he can't even keep the head shape right.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

The expressions look consistently off to me, like the puppet is too big for his hand (quite possibly the case)

[@Jimbob_Offical]

Ok another interesting fact about the Muppets regarding the UK, is that each episode of the original Muppets show was recorded twice! Why? Well because the broadcast engineers couldn't decided on a format. The British engineers wanted to record in PAl the broadcasting format used in the UK and other European countries , stating that PAL produced better colour. While the American Broadcast engineers argued that the Muppets should be recoded in NTSC as it's an American show and NTSC records at a higher FPS. So they resolved the issue by recoding each episode twice. True story!

[@CrashFan03]

wait really?

[@Jimbob_Offical]

@@CrashFan03 Yeah I learnt about it in one of my Uni lectures.

[@stephenpalmer9375]

actually the FPS is fairly irrelevant. It's more that NTSC has 525 lines and PAL has 625 lines.

[@Jimbob_Offical]

@@stephenpalmer9375 true also it turn out that the pal version was better ast that was the version used on DVDs and on Disney +

[@CrashFan03]

@@stephenpalmer9375 i believe that the worst that could happen with 50fps over 60hz is some mild stutter or something?

[@JoshProductions07]

I guess you could say the Muppets are more American than British, especially with the likes of most of the characters originating from America and Sesame Street being very American, but the quintessential Muppets from The Muppet Show feel to me more both American and British, especially with how the original Muppet Show was produced and arguably more beloved in Britain. I feel like the reason America passed on the Muppet Show was because Sesame Street was already a household name in the States, and so everyone associated the Muppets being only for children. Sesame Street was never as big in Britain though, as the BBC rejected it, only aired on smaller channels, and had to compete with other programmes on British children's television, with the likes of Rainbow, the Magic Roundabout, and in the 1980s, Postman Pat, Thomas the Tank Engine, Fireman Sam, and even Fraggle Rock, as that had the American Doc segments replaced with a British sailor in British broadcasts. Even after the Muppet Show, Jim still used Britain to film his movies and the Creature Shop was there, showing that not only was he changing entertainment in America, he was doing it for Britain too. At his memorial in New York, a British fella came on, who said that while most at the memorial may think of Jim as an American, he told everyone that he believed Jim was English, and I kind of agree. Despite the accent, Jim felt rather British as well, and I'm surprised he didn't develop a mid-Atlantic accent. Sometimes I wish it was a British company owned the Muppets, and that the Muppet Movie was about Kermit and the Muppets realising that Britain is where they belong, not America, as it's true to real life. Also speaking of the term Muppet being used for a foolish person, it's also used in Ireland as well.

[@animeaction1911]

Does this technically count as International Rescue saving the day? Edit: Now I really want to see Scott Tracy meet Kermit the frog

[@almabasurto2981]

If Dave Goelz would retire in the future, do you think Bill Barretta would be a great replacement for Waldorf? Since he took over Jim Henson's other characters, Rowlf and Dr. Teeth.

[@deanonessimo4052]

I do suppose The Muppets should return to UK television for a Muppet Show revival.

[@imaniislander755]

Well you can't say jimhenson never forgot who he owned his sucess towards

[@dillontrainvids25]

I hate that Most Wanted flopped. Because we haven’t gotten another theatrical Muppet movie since. It feels like we’re missing a movie because the other muppet movies came in trilogies. We only got 2 under Disney. We should have gotten a 3rd to round out the Disney era. But no. That’s not what happened.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

A big shame as they've never quite bounced back since.

[@THEADVENTURESOFKEVINTHECARROT]

I've been wondering about this, do you reckon some time you might make a discord server?

[@YakkoWarnerTower]

I think suspect a little that The Muppets are BIG in the United Kingdom but not Sesame Street and the folks who own it.

[@sarahkitty4729]

Us British peeps have a better taste in shows, the muppets was golden so was fragile rock

[@DMiddleton-bj5wc]

ATV was in a league of its own, it led it didn't follow.

[@freezasama5802]

I hate how everything British and original gets taken to America and forgotten about where it came from just to be mentioned that it's from America it's wrong and media needs to be portrayed where it came from originally and authentically

[@MINKIN2]

I don't think this counts as it was an American with an idea who wanted to make a TV show for American audiences. The only reason it was produced in the UK was because the American TV studios did not see the value in the idea.

[@SomeBoiOnline]

Absolutely, it was an American who had these wonderful ideas, and the collaboration between both nations made the Muppets possible.

[@KaijuMannix]

The British frog he really is not the American frog