Muppets characters Animal, Pepe the Prawn, Miss Piggy, Fozzie the Bear, Gonzo, Kermit the Frog, Walter and Sweetums were on hand to accept the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's highest honor.
Photo credit: Maggie Hasbun
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The famed stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, known as The Walk of Fame, is adorned with stars dedicated to such legendary, respected entertainers as
Bob Hope,
Mae West and
Charlie Chaplin. And now,
The Muppets have joined their ranks.
Although
Kermit the Frog has had a star since 2002—and Muppets creator
Jim Henson also has one—the new star includes all of Henson and Co.’s Muppets, comprising more than 800 characters.
“Now, The Muppets have truly arrived with their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said
Lisa Henson, daughter of Jim Henson. “They call this the street of dreams, and that is so appropriate for The Muppets.”
The marquee of The El Capitan Theatre twinkles
over the audience at the Muppets' Walk of Fame
induction ceremony.
Photo credit: Richard Razavi
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Tuesday’s dedication of the star—the Walk of Fame’s 2,466th—coincided with the DVD and Blu-ray combo-pack release of
“The Muppets” feature film, the seventh in the franchise, which also counts two TV series, numerous books and albums, and a short-lived comic strip and magazine among its myriad of projects.
Classic Muppets in attendance included Kermit,
Miss Piggy,
Pepe the Prawn,
Animal,
Fozzie Bear and
Gonzo. They were joined by
Walter, a Muppet introduced in the new film who was the storyline’s catalyst. The Muppets bantered over which one would take home the plaque presented to them before
Sweetums emerged to help unveil the star.
The unveiling of the star outside the Disney-owned El Capitan Theatre drew more than 100 people. The theater appears in the film as the old Muppets Theatre and was also the location of its world premiere in November.
The film was a resurrection for the famous puppets who remained quiet since 1999’s
“Muppets in Space,” which flopped at the box office, failing to recoup its $24-million budget. The recent “Muppets” film, however, was a success, debuting at No. 2 and grossing more than $158 million.
Disney secured the rights to The Muppets in 2004 and in 2008, green-lit a script from
“How I Met Your Mother” actor and puppet enthusiast
Jason Segel on the heels of his star-making turn in 2008’s
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which he starred in and wrote. Segel pulled double duty in this film, too, co-writing it with
Nicholas Stoller and starring in it alongside
Amy Adams,
Chris Cooper and
Rashida Jones.
“I, like most of you, have grown up with The Muppets and am thrilled to see them rise to international stardom again,” said Walt Disney Studios Chairman
Rich Ross.
As music has always been an integral part of The Muppets, the August release of
Muppets: The Green Album—a tribute record by contemporary artists of varying genres, including
Sondre Lerche,
Matt Nathanson and
Weezer, from whom the album borrows its name—boosted the film’s popularity. The album reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200. A 30-song soundtrack was also released the day before the film hit theaters. The track
“Man or Muppet” won the Best Song Oscar at last month’s Academy Awards.
The Muppets enjoy a rich history. Having first emerged on
“Sam and Friends” in 1955, Kermit became the show’s break-out star. After creating puppets for
“Sesame Street” in 1969, Henson gave Kermit his own spin-off in 1976; and
“The Muppets” most Americans know and love was born.
Every year, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce chooses approximately 20 entertainers to award with stars from hundreds of nominations. Upcoming inductees include
Tina Fey,
Oprah Winfrey and
Adam West.
The Muppets were joined by Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Leron Gubler, The Walt
Disney Company Chairman Rich Ross and Jim Henson's children, Henson Productions CEO Lisa Henson and Chairman Brian Henson.
Photo credit: Maggie Hasbun
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