Misplaced Pages

Berlin Wall: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 14:51, 3 October 2008 view sourceThingg (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users71,378 editsm Reverted edits by Badger 990 to last version by 66.28.221.133 (HG)← Previous edit Revision as of 14:54, 3 October 2008 view source Badger 991 (talk | contribs)1 editNo edit summaryNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Articleissues|contradict=July 2008|cleanup=July 2008}}
]
{{for|the slang term|Muppet (slang)}}
The '''Berlin Wall''' ({{lang-de|Berliner Mauer}}) was a physical ] separating ] from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) (]), including ]. The longer '''']'''' demarcated the border between East and ]. Both borders came to symbolize the ] between ] and ].
]
'''The Muppets''' are a group of ] characters created by ]. Individually, a Muppet is one of the puppets made by Jim Henson or his ]. Although the term is often used erroneously to refer to any ] that resembles the distinctive style of '']'' and '']'' characters, the term is both an informal name and legal ] linked to the characters created by Henson.


The word "Muppet" itself was said by Henson to have been created by combining the words "]" and "puppet"; however, Henson was also known to have stated that it was just something he liked the sound of, and he made up the "marionette/puppet" story while talking to a journalist because it sounded plausible.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://muppet.wikicities.com/Marionette_and_Puppet |title=Marionette and Puppet |publisher=Muppet Wiki}}</ref>
The wall separated the two German states for 28 years and 1 day, from the day construction began on August 13, 1961 until it was dismantled beginning in late 1989, and was considered to be a longtime symbol of the Iron Curtain.<ref></ref> During this period, at least 136 people were confirmed killed trying to cross the Wall into West Berlin, according to official figures. However, a prominent victims' group claims that more than 200 people were killed trying to flee from East to West Berlin.<ref name="Goethe-Institut"></ref> The East German government issued ] to border guards dealing with defectors; such orders are not the same as shoot to kill orders which GDR officials denied ever issuing.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{ cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6943093.stm | publisher=]|date=2007-08-12 | accessdate=2007-08-12 | quote=A newly discovered order is the firmest evidence yet that the communist regime gave explicit shoot-to-kill orders, says Germany's director of Stasi files. | title=E German 'licence to kill' found}}</ref>


After earlier unsuccessful attempts, ] bought the Muppets in 2004.<ref></ref> Exceptions include characters appearing on ''Sesame Street'' (as they were previously sold to ]), the Fraggles of '']'' (which are still owned by ]), along with the above-mentioned non-"Muppet"-brand characters. The legal trademark on the term "Muppet" is currently held by ] (now The Muppets Studio, LLC,{{Fact|date=June 2008}} a division of the Walt Disney Company); although Sesame Workshop and the Jim Henson Company continue to use the term on their characters with certain permissions.
When the East German government announced on November 9, 1989, after several weeks of civil unrest, that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin, crowds of East Germans climbed onto and crossed the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. Over the next few weeks, parts of the wall were chipped away by a euphoric public and by souvenir hunters; industrial equipment was later used to remove almost all of the rest of it.


After nearly a decade, a new movie is in the works. Disney recently enlisted ] and ] to create the next Muppet movie for the studio.<ref></ref> This will be the first Muppet theatrical film since '']''.
The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for ], which was formally concluded on October 3, 1990.


==Background==
], under Polish and Soviet administration/annexation are not shown. Berlin is the multinational area within the Soviet zone.]]


==Physical appearance==
After the ], what remained of ] west of the ] was divided into four occupation zones (per the ]), each one controlled by one of the four occupying ]: the ], ], ] and ]. The old capital of Berlin, as the seat of the ], was similarly subdivided into four sectors despite the city lying deep inside the Soviet zone. Although the occupying powers originally intended to jointly govern Germany within its postwar borders, the advent of ] tensions caused the French, British and American zones to be formed into the Federal Republic of Germany (and West Berlin) in 1949, excluding the Soviet zone, which then formed the ] (including East Berlin).
A common design for a Jim Henson Muppet is a character with a very wide mouth and large protruding eyes. The puppets are often molded or carved out of ], and then covered with fleece. Muppets may represent humans, ] animals, realistic animals, robots, extraterrestrial creatures, mythical beings or other unidentified, newly imagined creatures, monsters or abstract characters.


Muppets are distinguished from ] "dummies"/"puppets", which are typically animated only in the head and face, in that their arms or other features are also mobile and expressive. Muppets are typically made of softer materials. They are also presented as being independent of the puppeteer, who is usually not visible&mdash;hidden behind a set or outside of the camera frame. Using the camera frame as the "stage" was an innovation of the Muppets.<ref>Christopher Finch ''Jim Henson: The Works'' 1993, ISBN 0679412034</ref> Previously on television, there would typically be a stage hiding the performers, as if in a live presentation.
===Divergence of the two German states===
- West Germany, known in German as the ''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'' (Federal Republic of Germany), developed into a western capitalist country with a ] (''"Soziale Marktwirtschaft"'' in German) and a ] parliamentary government. Continual economic growth starting in the 1950s fuelled a 30-year "]" (''"Wirtschaftswunder"''). Across the inner-German border, East Germany, known in German as the ''Deutsche Demokratische Republik'' (German Democratic Republic), established an authoritarian government with a Soviet-style ]. As West Germany's economy grew and the standard of living continually improved, many East Germans wanted to move to West Germany.


==Operation==
===Erection of the Inner-German Border===
The Muppeteer typically holds the puppet above his head or in front of his body, with one hand operating the head and mouth and the other manipulating the hands and arms, either with two separate control rods or by "wearing" the hands like gloves. One consequence of this design is that most Muppets are left-handed as the puppeteer uses his right hand to operate the head while operating the arm rod with his left hand. There are many other common designs and means of operation. In advanced Muppets, several puppeteers may control a single character; the performer who controls the mouth usually provides the voice for the character. As technology has evolved, the Jim Henson team and other puppeteers have developed an enormous variety of means to operate puppets for film and television, including the use of suspended rigs, internal motors, remote radio control, and computer enhanced and superimposed images. Creative use of a mix of technologies has allowed for scenes in which Muppets appear to be riding a bicycle, rowing a boat, and even dancing on-stage with no puppeteer in sight.
On April 1, 1952, East German leaders met the Soviet leader ] in Moscow; during the discussions Stalin's foreign minister ] proposed that the East Germans should "introduce a system of passes for visits of West Berlin residents to the territory of East Berlin free movement of Western agents" in the GDR. Stalin agreed, calling the situation "intolerable". He advised the East Germans to build up their border defenses, telling them that "The demarcation line between East and West Germany should be considered a border &ndash; and not just any border, but a dangerous one ... The Germans will guard the line of defense with their lives." <ref>Hope Millard Harrison, ''Driving the Soviets Up the Wall: Soviet-East German Relations, 1953–1961'', footnote p. 240. Princeton University Press, 2003</ref>


==Muppets characters==
Consequently, the ] between the two German states was closed, and a barbed-wire fence erected. The border between the Western and Eastern sectors of Berlin, however, remained open, although traffic between the Soviet and the Western sectors was somewhat restricted. This resulted in Berlin becoming a magnet for East Germans desperate to escape life in the GDR, and also a flashpoint for tensions between the ]s--the United States and the Soviet Union.
{{Unreferencedsection|date=June 2008}}
]'s ']'"]]
:''See also: ]''
Famous Muppets from '']'' and its numerous spin-offs include ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], ], ], the ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Other well-known Muppets include '']'' characters such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], as well as the main characters of '']''.


The most widely known{{Fact|date=February 2008}} television shows featuring Muppets have been '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. Other series have included '']'', ''The Ghost of Faffner Hall'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. A recurring adult-oriented cast of Muppets (in a setting known as ]) were featured throughout the first season of '']''.
==Construction begins, 1961==
] ].]]
On 15 June 1961, two months before the construction of the Berlin Wall started, First Secretary of the ] and ] chairman ] stated in an international press conference, ''"Niemand hat die Absicht, eine Mauer zu errichten!" (No one has the intention of erecting a wall!)''. It was the first time the colloquial term ''Mauer'' (wall) had been used in this context.


Guest stars on some of these programs have occasionally had Muppet versions of themselves. It was a regular practice for the first few episodes of ''The Muppet Show'', and ], among others, have appeared as Muppet versions of themselves on ''Sesame Street.
On Saturday, 12 August 1961, the leaders of the GDR attended a garden party at a government guesthouse in ], in a wooded area to the north of East Berlin, at which time Ulbricht signed the order to close the border and erect a wall.


The puppet characters of '']'', '']'', ''Mother Goose Stories'', '']'', '']'' and '']'', as well as from the films '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'', are not considered Muppets{{Fact|date=June 2008}}, as they were made by ], rather than by Henson's Muppet Workshop. The puppet casts of '']'' and '']'' are also not considered Muppets as they were made by The Jim Henson Company after the sale of The Muppets in 2004. The '']'' character ] was voiced by ], one of Henson's regular performers, and is often referred to as a Muppet in media and reference works; he is not, however, a Muppet and Henson's organization was not involved in the character's design.
At midnight, the police and units of the East German army began to close the border and by Sunday morning, 13 August 1961, the border with West Berlin was closed. East German troops and workers had begun to tear up streets running alongside the border to make them impassable to most vehicles, and to install barbed wire entanglements and fences along the 156 km (97 miles) around the three western sectors and the 43 km (27 miles) which actually divided West and East Berlin. The Soviets were not directly involved.


The Muppets' popularity has been so expansive that Muppet characters have been treated as celebrities in their own right{{Fact|date=January 2008}}. The Muppets have presented at the ] and ]{{Fact|date=February 2008}}; made ] in such feature films as '']'', '']'' and '']''{{Fact|date=February 2008}}; and have been interviewed on the ] '']''. ] was interviewed early on in ]'s run on '']'',<ref></ref> guest hosted '']'', '']'', '']'' and an ] edition of '']''{{Fact|date=February 2008}}; and the frog has served as Grand Marshal of the ]{{Fact|date=February 2008}}. The characters also appeared in-character on such sit-coms and dramas as '']'', '']'' and '']''{{Fact|date=February 2008}}. The ] for the ] song "]" is premised on the band performing on '']'' and features appearances by several characters. On ], ], the ] released a ''Jim Henson and the Muppets'' ] series.<ref>United States Postal Service (], ]). ''''. Press Release.</ref> The Muppets also appeared on ] for the 2008 countdown on ], ]. Kermit, Rizzo and others welcomed in the new year with a series of messages to welcome viewers back from the advertising breaks. After one such segment, with Kermit in Time Square, co-host ] thanked his pal "Kerms" for the help bringing in '08.<ref></ref> Miss Piggy has appeared as a guest on ] and Kermit the Frog appeared on ].
The barrier was built slightly inside East Berlin or East German territory to ensure that it did not encroach on West Berlin at any point, and was later built up into the Wall proper, the first concrete elements and large blocks being put in place on August 15. During the construction of the Wall, ] and ] soldiers stood in front of it with orders to shoot anyone who attempted to defect. Additionally, chain fences, walls, minefields, and other obstacles were installed along the length of the inner-German border between East and West Germany.


On 25 July 2007 the ] in ] announced the opening of a new Jim Henson Wing, which will house anywhere from 500 to 700 retired Muppets, including those from Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street. The new wing will also include films, sketches, and other materials from the Jim Henson Company archives. The wing, which will be a part of the Center's new building, is slated to open in 2010.
===Immediate effects===
Due to the closure of the East-West sector boundary in Berlin, the vast majority of East Germans could no longer travel or emigrate to West Germany. Many families were split, while East Berliners employed in the West were cut off from their jobs; West Berlin became an isolated enclave in a hostile land. West Berliners demonstrated against the wall, led by their mayor ], who strongly criticized the United States for failing to respond. Allied intelligence agencies had hypothesized about a wall to stop the flood of refugees, but the main candidate for its location was around the perimeter of the city.


==Discography==
] ] visiting the Berlin Wall on June 26, 1963]]
{{Expand|date=August 2008}}
]
On September 17, 2002 ] released '']''. In addition to the many Sesame Street and Muppets movie soundtracks available, this collection compiles music from various Muppets sources. It includes the rare song ] which was previously available on CD only on the soundtrack for ].
{{Listen
|filename = Jfk berlin address high.ogg
|title = ''Ich bin ein Berliner'' Speech
|description = Speech from the ] by John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963. Duration 9:22.
|format = ]}}
] had acknowledged in a speech on July 25, 1961, that the United States could hope to defend only West Berliners and West Germans; to attempt to stand up for East Germans would result only in an embarrassing downfall. Accordingly, the administration made polite protests at length via the usual channels, but without fervour, even though it was a violation of the postwar Potsdam Agreements, which gave the United Kingdom, France and the United States a say over the administration of the whole of Berlin. Indeed, a few months after the barbed wire was erected, the U.S. government informed the Soviet government that it accepted the Wall as "a fact of international life" and would not challenge it by force.
US and UK sources had expected the Soviet sector to be sealed off from West Berlin &mdash; it appeared to be the best option the GDR and Soviet powers had, but were surprised how long it had taken for a move of this kind. They also saw the wall as an end to concerns about a GDR/Soviet retaking or capture of the whole of Berlin, i.e the wall would have been an unnecessary project if such plans were afloat. Thus the possibility of a military conflict over Berlin decreased. <ref>Taylor, Frederick. ''The Berlin Wall: 13 August 1961 - 9 November 1989''. Bloomsbury 2006</ref>


==Filmography==
The East German government claimed that the Wall was an "anti-Fascist protective rampart" (''"antifaschistischer Schutzwall"'') intended to dissuade aggression from the West <ref></ref>. Another official justification was the activities of western agents in Eastern Europe <ref>''"Die Regierungen der Warschauer Vertragsstaaten wenden sich an die Volkskammer und an die Regierung der DDR mit dem Vorschlag, an der Westberliner Grenze eine solche Ordnung einzuführen, durch die der Wühltätigkeit gegen die Länder des sozialistischen Lagers zuverlässig der Weg verlegt und ringsum das ganze Gebiet West-Berlins eine verlässliche Bewachung gewährleistet wird."'' </ref>. A yet different explanation was that West Berliners were buying out state-subsidized goods in East Berlin. Most of these positions were, however, viewed with skepticism even in East Germany, even more so since most of the time, the border was only closed for citizens of East Germany travelling to the West, but not for residents of West Berlin travelling to the East<ref></ref>. The construction of the Wall had caused considerable hardship to families divided by it, and the view that the Wall was mainly a means of preventing the citizens of East Germany from entering West Berlin or fleeing was widely accepted.
===Theatrical films===
: '']'' (1979)
: '']'' (1981)
: '']'' (1984)
: '']'' (1991)
: '']'' (1992)
: '']'' (1996)
: '']'' (1999)


===Telefilms===
An East German propaganda booklet published in 1955 outlined the seriousness of ] to ] party agitators:
: '']'' (2002)
: '']'' (2005)


===Television series===
{{cquote|Both from the moral standpoint as well as in terms of the interests of the whole German nation, leaving the GDR is an act of political and moral backwardness and depravity.
: '']'' (1955-61)
Those who let themselves be recruited objectively serve West German Reaction and militarism, whether they know it or not. Is it not despicable when for the sake of a few alluring job offers or other false promises about a "guaranteed future" one leaves a country in which the seed for a new and more beautiful life is sprouting, and is already showing the first fruits, for the place that favors a new war and destruction?
: '']'' (1969-present)
: '']'' (1975-1976)
: '']'' (1976-1981)
: '']'' (1983-87)
: '']'' (1984-1991)
: '']'' (1989)
: '']'' (1989 special on ], regular show on ] from 1992-1995)
: '']'' (1994-1996)
: '']'' (1996-1998)


===Television specials===
Is it not an act of political depravity when citizens, whether young people, workers, or members of the intelligentsia, leave and betray what our people have created through common labor in our republic to offer themselves to the American or British secret services or work for the West German factory owners, Junkers, or militarists? Does not leaving the land of progress for the morass of an historically outdated social order demonstrate political backwardness and blindness? ...
: ''Hey Cinderella!'' (1970)
: '']'' (1971)
: '']'' (1972)
: ''The Muppets Valentine Show'' (1974)
: '']'' (1977)
: ''The Muppets Go Hollywood'' (1979)
: '']'' (1979)
: ''The Muppets Go To the Movies'' (1981)
: ''Of Muppets and Men'' (1981)
: ''The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show'' (1982)
: ''Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets'' (1983)
: ''The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years'' (1985)
: '']'' (1986)
: '']'' (1986)
: '']'' (1987)
: ''Song of the Cloud Forest'' (1989)
: '']'' (1990)
: ''The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson'' (1990)
: '']'' (1995)
: ''] hosted by ]'' (2008)
: ''] hosted by ]'' (2008)
: '']'' (2008) ''in post-production''<ref></ref>


===Direct-to-video features===
orkers throughout Germany will demand punishment for those who today leave the German Democratic Republic, the strong bastion of the fight for peace, to serve the deadly enemy of the German people, the imperialists and militarists.<ref>English translation of "" ("He Who Leaves the German Democratic Republic Joins the Warmongers", ''Notizbuch des Agitators'' ("Agitator's Notebook"), published by the Socialist Unity Party's Agitation Department, Berlin District, November 1955.</ref>}}
: '']'' (1994)
: '']'' (2002)


===Secondary response=== ===Internet===
: ''] on ]'' (2005-2006)
{{refimprove|section|date=July 2008}}
: '']'' (2008-present)
{{POV-check-section|date=July 2008}}
: Stars & Stripes FOREVER! (2008)
It was clear both that West German morale needed lifting and that there was a serious potential threat to the viability of West Berlin. If West Berlin fell after all the efforts of the ], how could any of America's other allies rely on it? On the other hand, in the face of any serious Soviet threat, an ] like West Berlin could not be not defended except with nuclear weapons.<ref></ref> As such, it was vitally important for the Americans to show the Soviets a display of strength and also placate West German and French pressure for a more serious response.
: Ode to Joy (2008)
: Habanera (2008)
: Classical Chickens (2008)


== Future ==
Accordingly, General ], an anti-communist who was known to have a firm attitude towards the Soviets, was sent to Berlin with ambassadorial rank as Kennedy's special advisor. He and Vice President ] arrived at ] on the afternoon of Saturday August 19.
After the consensus was reached that ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' failed to deliver critically, the question hung in the air if whether or not another Muppet film would be made.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} A new film has been confirmed by ] and ], who both plan to produce the next Muppet film.<ref name="stoller">Fleming, Michael. '']''. Retrieved: ], ]</ref> They have also stated that they will both write the next picture, but only Stoller will direct.<ref name="stoller"/>


On ] ], ''First Showing'' revealed details about the new Muppet film.<ref name="first">Billington, Alex. {{cite web|url=http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/03/31/jason-segel-reveals-new-muppets-movie-details/|title=Jason Segel Reveals New Muppets Movie Details|publisher=First Showing| accessdate = 2008-05-08}}</ref> ''Coming Soon'' reported similar news.<ref name="coming">Newgen, Heather. {{cite web|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=43501|title=Exclusive: In the Future with Segel and Hader!|publisher=Coming Soon| accessdate = 2008-05-09}}</ref> After an interview with Jason Segel, ''First'' announced, "it's going to be incredibly old-fashioned, with the familiar Muppet characters putting on a show to save an old theater. The danger? An evil character wants to tear the place down to get at the oil underneath."<ref name="first"/> Segel stated that he was the most enthusiastic about the project, also stating, "I just remember being 10 years old and for me Kermit was Tom Hanks. Kermit is like the original Everyman and I remember watching the old Muppets with my parents and seeing Peter Sellers and people like that on. I've always had Muppet pictures and figurines all through my house. Now that I'm getting to write it, I feel like all of my dreams are coming true."<ref name="coming"/>
They arrived in a city defended by what would soon be known as the "]", which then consisted of the 2nd and 3rd Battle Groups of the 6th Infantry, with Company F, 40th Armor. The battle groups were "pentatomic" (a flatter command structure with five battle groups instead of the old three regiments with three battalions, and also equipped with ]s), with 1,362 officers and men each. On August 16, Kennedy had given the order for them to be reinforced. Early on August 19, the 1st Battle Group, 18th Infantry (commanded by Col. Glover S. Johns Jr.) was alerted.


==Pop culture==
On Sunday morning, lead elements arranged in a column of 491 vehicles and trailers carrying 1,500 men divided into five march units and left the Helmstedt-Marienborn checkpoint at 06:34. At ], the Soviet checkpoint next to ] on the West German/East German border, U.S. personnel were counted by guards. The column was 160 km (~100 miles) long, and covered 177 km (~110 miles) from Marienborn to Berlin in full battle gear, with VoPos (East German police) watching from beside trees next to the ] all the way along. The front of the convoy arrived at the outskirts of Berlin just before noon, to be met by Clay and Johnson, before parading through the streets of Berlin to an adoring crowd. At 04:00 on August 21, Lyndon Johnson left a visibly reassured West Berlin in the hands of Gen. Frederick O. Hartel and his brigade of 4,224 officers and men. Every three months for the next three and a half years, a new American battalion was rotated into West Berlin by autobahn to demonstrate Allied rights.
Muppet-like and Muppet-inspired puppets star in the 2004 ]-winning ] musical '']'' (which disavows any relationship with Sesame Workshop or the Jim Henson Company). ]'s film, '']'' is another parody of the Muppets. '']'', '']'', '']'' and many other television shows and movies have referenced The Muppets - for a more comprehensive list, see ]. They also make an appearance in the band ]'s music video for "].


==The Muppets on YouTube==
The creation of the Wall had important implications for both German states. By stemming the exodus of people from East Germany, the East German government was able to reassert its control over the country: in spite of discontent with the wall, economic problems caused by dual currency and the black market were largely eliminated, and the economy in the GDR began to grow. However, the Wall proved a public relations disaster for the communist bloc as a whole. Western powers used it in propaganda as a symbol of communist tyranny, particularly after the shootings of would-be defectors (which were later treated as acts of murder by the reunified Germany). In 1987, ] gave a famous speech at the ], at which he challenged ] to "]". In West Germany, dismay that the Western powers had done nothing to prevent the Wall's creation led directly to the policy of ] or rapprochement with the east, in an effort to stabilize the relationship of the two German states.


A number of YouTube videos have been made featuring the Muppets and become viral videos. These originate from five YouTube accounts that appear to be run by several of the Muppets themselves (yet the biographies all link to muppets.com):
==Layout and modifications==
]
]


* (run by ])
The Wall was over 140 kilometers (96&nbsp;mi) long. In June 1962, work started on a second parallel fence up to 91 meters (100 yd) further into East German territory, with houses in between the fences torn down and their inhabitants relocated. A ] was created between the two barriers, which became widely known as the "death strip". It was paved with raked gravel, making it easy to spot footprints; it offered no cover; it was booby-trapped with tripwires; and, most importantly, it offered a clear field of fire to the watching guards.
* (run by ])
Over the years, the Wall went through four distinct phases:
* (run by ])
* (run by ])
* (run by ])


==See also==
# Basic wire fence (1961)
{{portal|Muppets}}
# Improved wire fence (1962–1965)
*]
# Concrete wall (1965–1975)
*]
# ''Grenzmauer 75'' (Border Wall 75) (1975–1989)
*]

*]
The "fourth-generation wall", known officially as "Stützwandelement UL 12.11" (retaining wall element UL 12.11), was the final and most sophisticated version of the Wall. Begun in 1975<ref></ref> and completed about 1980,<ref name = "cgqmzv">http://www.wall-berlin.org/gb/mur.htm</ref> it was constructed from 45,000 separate sections of reinforced concrete, each 3.6 meters (12 ft) high and 1.2 meters (4 ft) wide, and cost 16,155,000 ] or about 3,638,000 ].<ref></ref> The top of the wall was lined with a smooth pipe, intended to make it more difficult to scale. It was reinforced by mesh ], signal fencing, anti-vehicle trenches, ], dogs on long lines, "]" under balconies hanging over the "death strip", over 116 ],<ref></ref> and 20 ]s. This version of the Wall is the one most commonly seen in photographs, and ] of the Wall in Berlin and elsewhere around the world are generally pieces of the fourth-generation Wall. The layout came to resemble the inner-German border in most technical aspects, except the Berlin Wall had no landmines and no ]s.
*]

==Surrounding municipalities==
Besides the sector-sector boundary within Berlin itself, the wall also separated West Berlin from the present-day state of ]. The following present-day municipalities, listed in counter-clockwise direction, share a border with former West Berlin:
*'''] :''' ] <small>(partially)</small>, ], ], ]
*'''] :''' ], ], ]
*''']''' (Urban district)
*'''] :''' ], ], ]
*'''] :''' ], ]
*'''] :''' ] <small>(partially)</small>

==Official crossings and usage==
{{see also|Berlin border crossings}}

There were 8 border crossings between East and West Berlin, allowing visits by West Berliners, West Germans, western foreigners and Allied personnel into East Berlin, as well as visits by GDR citizens and citizens of other socialist countries into West Berlin, provided they held the necessary permits. Those crossings were restricted according to which nationality was allowed to use it (East Germans, West Germans, West Berliners, other countries). The most famous was the vehicle and pedestrian checkpoint at the corner of ] and Zimmerstraße, also known as ], which was restricted to Allied personnel and foreigners.

Several other border crossings existed between West Berlin and surrounding East Germany. These could be used for transit between West Germany and West Berlin, for visits by West Berliners into East Germany, for transit into countries neighbouring East Germany (], ], ]), and for visits by East Germans into West Berlin carrying a permit. After the 1972 agreements, new crossings were opened to allow West Berlin waste to be transported into East German dumps, as well as some crossings for access to West Berlin's ]s (see '']'').

]

Four ]s connected West Berlin to West Germany, the most famous being the ], which entered East German territory between the towns of Helmstedt and Marienborn (Checkpoint Alpha), and which entered West Berlin at ] (Checkpoint Bravo) in southwestern Berlin. Access to West Berlin was also possible by railway (four routes) and by boat using canals and rivers.

Westerners could cross the border at ] in East Berlin and at Checkpoint Charlie. When the Wall was erected, Berlin's complex public transit networks, the ] and ], were divided with it.<ref name = "cgqmzv"/> Some lines were cut in half; many stations were shut down. Three Western lines traveled through brief sections of East Berlin territory, passing through eastern stations (called ''Geisterbahnhöfe,'' or ]s) without stopping. Both the eastern and western networks converged at Friedrichstraße, which became a major crossing point for those (mostly Westerners) with permission to cross.

===Who could cross===
'''West Germans''' and citizens of other '''Western countries''' could in general visit East Germany. Usually this involved application of a visa at an East German embassy several weeks in advance. Visas for day trips restricted to East Berlin were issued without previous application in a simplified procedure at the border crossing. However, East German authorities could refuse entry permits without stating a reason.

'''West Berliners''' initially could not visit East Berlin or East Germany at all. All crossing points were closed to them between 26 August 1961 and 17 December 1963. In 1963, negotiations between East and West resulted in a limited possibility for visits during the Christmas season that year ("Passierscheinregelung"). Similar very limited arrangements were made in 1964, 1965 and 1966.

In 1971, with the ], agreements were reached that allowed West Berliners to apply for visas to enter East Berlin and East Germany regularly, comparable to the regulations already in force for West Germans. However, East German authorities could still refuse entry permits.

'''East Berliners''' and '''East Germans''' could at first not travel to West Berlin or West Germany at all. This regulation remained in force basically until the fall of the wall, but over the years several exceptions to these rules were introduced, the most significant being:

* Old age pensioners could travel to the west starting in 1964
* Visits of relatives for important family matters
* People who had to travel to the west for professional reasons (e.g. artists, truck drivers etc.)

However, each visit had to be applied for individually and approval was never guaranteed. In addition, even if travel was approved, GDR travellers could exchange only a very small amount of ]s into ]s (DM), thus limiting the financial resources available for them to travel to the West. This led to the West German practice of granting a small amount of DM annually ('']'', or "welcome money") to GDR citizens visiting West Germany and West Berlin, to help alleviate this situation.

Citizens of other '''East European countries''' were in general subject to the same prohibition to visit western countries as East Germans, even though there was variation in the applicable exception (if any) from country to country.

'''Allied military personnel''' and '''civilian officials of the Allied forces''' could enter and exit East Berlin without submitting to East German passport controls; likewise '''Soviet military patrols''' could enter and exit West Berlin. This was a requirement of the post-war ] Agreements. A particular area of concern for the Western Allies involved official dealings with East German authorities when crossing the border, since Allied policy did not recognize the authority of the GDR to regulate Allied military traffic to and from West Berlin, as well as the Allied presence within Greater Berlin, including entry into, exit from, and presence within East Berlin; the Allies held that only the Soviet Union, and not the GDR, had authority to regulate Allied personnel in such cases. For this reason, elaborate procedures were established to prevent inadvertent recognition of East German authority when engaged in travel through the GDR and when in East Berlin. Special rules applied to travel by '''Western Allied military personnel assigned to the ] accredited to the commander of Soviet forces in East Germany''', located in ].

Allied personnel were restricted by policy when traveling by road or rail to the following routes:

'''*Transit between West Germany and West Berlin:''' the Helmstedt-Berlin autobahn (A2) (Checkpoints Alpha and Bravo respectively). Soviet military personnel manned these checkpoints and processed Allied personnel for travel between the two points.

'''*Entry into and exit from East Berlin:''' Checkpoint Charlie

As with military personnel, special procedures applied to travel by '''diplomatic personnel of the Western Allies''' accredited to their respective embassies in the GDR, again with the intent to prevent inadvertent recognition of East German authority when crossing between East and West Berlin, in order not to jeopardize the overall Allied position governing the freedom of movement by Allied forces personnel within all of Berlin.

'''Ordinary citizens of the Western Allied powers''', not formally affiliated with the Allied forces, were authorized to use all designated transit routes through East Germany to and from West Berlin. Regarding travel to East Berlin, such persons could also use the Friedrichstraße train station to enter and exit the city, in addition to Checkpoint Charlie. In these instances, such travellers, unlike Allied personnel, had to submit to East German border controls.

===Escape attempts===
<!-- Image with inadequate rationale removed: ] officer ] ] to West Berlin during the wall early days in 1961.]] -->

During the Wall's existence there were around 5,000 successful escapes to West Berlin. The number of people who died trying to cross the wall or as a result of the wall's existence has been controversial. The most vocal claims by ], Director of the ] and widow of the Museum's founder, estimated the death toll to be well above 200 people <ref name="Goethe-Institut" /> while an ongoing historic research group at the ] (]) in Potsdam has confirmed 136 deaths.<ref>http://www.chronik-der-mauer.de/index.php/de/Start/Index/id/593792 Center for Contemporary Historical Research (Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam e.V) in German</ref>
Guards were told by East German authorities that people attempting to cross the wall were criminals and needed to be shot: "Do not hesitate to use your firearm, not even when the border is breached in the company of women and children, which is a tactic the traitors have often used", they said. <ref name="autogenerated1" />

Early successful escapes involved people jumping the initial barbed wire or leaping out of apartment windows along the line but these ended as the wall was fortified. In order to solve these simple escape attempts, East German authorities no longer permitted apartments near the wall to be occupied and any building near the wall had to have their windows boarded up. On August 15, 1961, ] was the first East German border guard to escape by jumping the barbed wire to West Berlin. Later successful escape attempts included long tunnels, waiting for favorable winds and taking a hot air balloon, sliding along aerial wires, flying ], and in one instance, simply driving a sports car at full speed through the basic, initial fortifications. When a metal beam was placed at checkpoints to prevent this kind of escape, up to four people (two in the front seats and possibly two in the boot) drove under the bar in a sports car that had been modified to allow the roof and wind screen to come away when it made contact with the beam. They simply lay flat and kept driving forward. This issue was rectified with zig-zagging roads at checkpoints.

Another airborne escape was by ], who landed a ]M light aircraft of the Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik, an East German youth military training organization, at ]. His aircraft, registration DDR-WOH, was dismantled and returned to the East Germans by road, complete with humorous slogans painted on by ] airmen such as "Wish you were here" and "Come back soon". DDR-WOH is still flying today, but under the registration ].

If an escapee was wounded in a crossing attempt and lay on the death strip, no matter how close they were to the Western wall, they could not be rescued for fear of triggering engaging fire from the 'Grepos', the East Berlin border guards. The guards often let fugitives bleed to death in the middle of this ground, like in the most notorious failed attempt, that of ] (aged 18). He was shot and bled to death in full view of the Western media, on August 17, 1962. The last person to be killed while trying to cross the border was ] on February 6, 1989.
]

===The Fall, 1989===
] delivers his famed speech at the Berlin Wall in June 1987, in which he called for ] ] to "]"]]
]
On August 23, 1989, ] removed its border restrictions with Austria, and in September more than 13,000 East German tourists in Hungary escaped to Austria. ] began in October 1989. The long-time leader of East Germany, ], resigned on October 18, 1989, and was replaced by ] a few days later. Honecker had predicted in January of that year that the wall would stand for a "hundred more years" if the conditions which had caused its construction did not change.
<!-- Unsourced image removed: ] -->

Protest demonstrations broke out all over East Germany in September 1989. Initially, they were of people wanting to leave to the West, chanting "Wir wollen raus!" ("We want out!"). Then protestors began to chant "Wir bleiben hier", ("We're staying here!"). This was the start of what East Germans generally call the "Peaceful Revolution" of late 1989. By November 4, 1989, the protests had swelled significantly, with a million people gathered that day in ] in East Berlin{{Fact|date=January 2008}}.

Meanwhile the wave of refugees leaving East Germany for the West had increased and had found its way through ], tolerated by the new Krenz government and in agreement with the communist Czechoslovak government. In order to ease the complications, the politburo led by Krenz decided on November 9, 1989, to allow refugees to exit directly through crossing points between East Germany and West Germany, including West Berlin. On the same day, the ministerial administration modified the proposal to include private travel. The new regulations were to take effect on November 10. ], the East German Minister of Propaganda, had the task of announcing this; however he had been on vacation prior to this decision and had not been fully updated. Shortly before a press conference on November 9, 1989, he was handed a note that said that East Berliners would be allowed to cross the border with proper permission but given no further instructions on how to handle the information. These regulations had only been completed a few hours earlier and were to take effect the following day, so as to allow time to inform the border guards. However, nobody had informed Schabowski. He read the note out loud at the end of the conference and when asked when the regulations would come into effect, he assumed it would be the same day based on the wording of the note and replied "As far as I know effective immediately, without delay". After further questions from journalists he confirmed that the regulations included the border crossings towards West Berlin, which he had not mentioned until then.

Tens of thousands of East Berliners heard Schabowski's statement live on East German television and flooded the checkpoints in the Wall demanding entry into West Berlin. The surprised and overwhelmed border guards made many hectic telephone calls to their superiors, but it became clear that there was no one among the East German authorities who would dare to take personal responsibility for issuing orders to use lethal force, so there was no way for the vastly outnumbered soldiers to hold back the huge crowd of East German citizens. In face of the growing crowd, the guards finally yielded, opening the checkpoints and allowing people through with little or no identity checking. Ecstatic East Berliners were soon greeted by West Berliners on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. November 9 is thus considered the date the Wall fell. In the days and weeks that followed, people came to the wall with sledgehammers in order to chip off souvenirs, demolishing lengthy parts of it in the process. These people were nicknamed "Mauerspechte" (wall woodpeckers).

] on December 21, 1989]]

The East German regime announced the opening of ten new ] the following weekend, including some in symbolic locations (], ], ]). Crowds on both sides waited there for hours, cheering at the bulldozers who took parts of the Wall away to reinstate old roads. Photos and television footage of these events is sometimes mislabelled "dismantling of the Wall", even though it was merely the construction of new crossings. New border crossings continued to be opened through summer 1990, including the ] on December 22, 1989.

West Germans and West Berliners were allowed visa-free travel starting 23 December 1989. Until then they could only visit East Germany and East Berlin under restrictive conditions that involved application for a visa several days or weeks in advance, and obligatory exchange of at least 25 ] per day of their planned stay, all of which hindered spontaneous visits. Thus, in the weeks between November 9 and December 23, East Germans could travel "more freely" than Westerners.

] is presented the famous but now obsolete 'you are leaving sign' at ] on September 14, 1990.]]

Technically the Wall remained guarded for some time after November 9, though at a decreasing intensity. In the first months, the East German military even tried to repair some of the damages done by the "wall peckers". Gradually these attempts ceased, and guards became more lax, tolerating the increasing demolitions and "unauthorised" border crossing through the holes. On June 13, 1990, the official dismantling of the Wall by the East German military began in ]. On July 1, the day East Germany adopted the West German currency, all border controls ceased, although the inter-German border had become meaningless for some time before that. The dismantling continued to be carried out by military units (after unification under the ]) and lasted until November 1991. Only a few short sections and watchtowers were left standing as memorials.

The fall of the Wall was the first step toward ], which was formally concluded on October 3, 1990.

===Celebrations===
{{see|Schicksalstag}}

On December 25, 1989, ] gave a concert in Berlin celebrating the end of the Wall, including ] ] ('']'') with the word "Joy" ''(Freude)'' changed to "Freedom" ''(Freiheit)'' in the text sung. The orchestra and chorus were drawn from both East and West Germany, as well as the United Kingdom, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States.<ref name="Naxos 2072038">{{cite web |url=http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=2072038 |title=Ode To Freedom - Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (NTSC)|accessdate = 2006-11-26 |author=Naxos |authorlink=Naxos Records |year=2006 |work=Naxos.com Classical Music Catalogue}} This is the publisher's catalogue entry for a DVD of Bernstein's Christmas 1989 "Ode to Freedom" concert. David Hasslehoff Sang during the fall of the Berlin wall</ref>

] ] the ] album '']'' in ] on 21 July 1990, with guests including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. ] performed his song "Looking for Freedom", which was very popular in Germany at that time, standing on the Berlin wall.

Some believe November 9 would have made a suitable German national holiday, since it both marks the emotional apogee of East Germany's peaceful revolution and is also the date of the declaration of the first German republic, the ], in 1918. However, November 9 is also the anniversary of the 1923 ] and the infamous '']'' ]s of 1938 and, therefore, October 3 was chosen instead. Part of this decision was that the East German government wanted to conclude reunification before East Germany could celebrate a 41st anniversary on October 7, 1990 {{Fact|date=November 2007}}.

==Legacy==
]
] in the United States.]]
]
]
]
]

Little is left of the Wall at its original site, which was destroyed almost everywhere. Three long sections are still standing: an 80-meter (263 ft) piece of the "first (westernmost) wall" at the site of the former ] headquarter half way between ] and ]; a longer section of the "second (easternmost) wall" along the ] River near the ] nicknamed ]; and a third section with hints of the full installation, but partly reconstructed, in the north at ], which was turned into a memorial in 1999. Some other isolated fragments and a few watchtowers also remain in various parts of the city. None still accurately represent the Wall's original appearance. They are badly damaged by souvenir seekers, as fragments of the Wall were taken and sold around the world. Appearing both with and without ], these fragments are now a staple on the online auction service ] as well as German souvenir shops. Today, the eastern side is covered in ] that did not exist while the Wall was guarded by the armed soldiers of East Germany. Previously, graffiti appeared only on the western side. Along the tourist areas of the city centre, the city government has marked the location of the former wall by a row of cobblestones in the street. In most places only the "first" wall is marked, except near Potsdamer Platz where the stretch of both walls is marked, giving visitors an impression of the dimension of the barrier system.

===Museum===
Fifteen years after the fall, a private museum rebuilt a 200-metre (656 ft) section close to ], although not in the location of the original wall. They also raised more than 1,000 crosses in memory of those who died attempting to flee to the West. The memorial was installed in October 2004 and demolished in July 2005.<ref>{{cite web | author=Furlong, Ray | title=Berlin Wall memorial is torn down | publisher=BBC News|date=July 5, 2005 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4651823.stm | accessdate = 2006-02-23}}</ref>

===Cultural differences===
Even now, some years after reunification, there is still talk in Germany of cultural differences between East and West Germans (colloquially '']s'' and '']s''), sometimes described as "Mauer im Kopf" ("The wall in the head"). A September 2004 poll found that 25% of West Germans and 12% of East Germans wished that East Germany and West Germany were again cut off by the Berlin Wall.<ref>{{cite web | author=Reuters | title=One in 5 Germans wants Berlin Wall rebuilt | publisher=MSNBC | date=September 8, 2004 | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5942091/ | accessdate = 2006-02-23}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]
* ]
* ]
* '']'', a film about a mass evacuation to West Berlin through a tunnel
* Diplomatic incident of October 1961 – See ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ], the Korean equivalent of the wall and the last standing front of the Cold War after the fall of the wall.

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}


==References== ==References==
<references />
* {{cite book | authorlink = William F. Buckley, Jr. | last = Buckley | first = William F., Jr. | title = The Fall of the Berlin Wall| location = ] | publisher = ] | year = 2004 | id = ISBN 0-471-26736-8 }}
* {{cite book| first = Curtis | last = Cate| title = The Ides of August: The Berlin Wall Crisis—1961 | location = New York City| publisher = M. Evans | year = 1978 }}
* {{cite book | first = Honoré M. | last = Catudal | title = ] and the Berlin Wall Crisis | location = ] | publisher = Berlin Verlag | year = 1980 }}
* {{cite book | author = Hertle, Hans-Hermann | title = The Berlin Wall | location = Bonn | publisher = Federal Centre for Political Education | year = 2007 }}
* {{cite web | author = ] | url = http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Speeches/JFK/003POF03BerlinCrisis07251961.htm | title = July 25, 1961 speech }}
* {{cite book | author = ] | title = Stalin's Nose: Across the Face of Europe | location = London | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 1992 }}
* {{cite book | author = ]| title = The Wall Jumper | location = London | publisher = Penguin Classics | year = 2005 }}
* {{cite book | author = Friedrich, Thomas (writer),and Harry Hampel (photos) | title = Wo die Mauer War/Where was the Wall? | location = Berlin | publisher = Nicolai | year = 1996 | id = ISBN 3875846958 }}
*Taylor, Frederick. The Berlin Wall: 13 August 1961 - 9 November 1989. Bloomsbury 2006


==External links== ==External links==
<!-- Please note that links may be removed if they are not consistent with external links guidelines (search for WP:EL). -->
{{Commons}}
* - Official site on ]
* Most comprehensive multi-media source of information on this topic
* Chronicle of the Wall in German * - fan site
* (in German) * - news blog
* ] - encyclopedia
*
* - podcast
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

===Images and personal accounts===
*
*
*
* Shockwave Player required
*
*
* {{it}} 2007 BW photo gallery.
*
* Panorama of the East Side Gallery
*
* , Chronicle of the Berlin Wall history includes an archive of photographs and texts
*
* , Descriptions, Videos, Images of Berlin Wall
*
*
* A large number of collected images in the

{{Cold War}}


{{Muppet films}}
]
{{Sesame Street}}
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]


]
{{Link FA|el}}
]
{{Link FA|eo}}
{{Link FA|fr}}
{{Link FA|hu}}
{{Link FA|vi}}


] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Revision as of 14:54, 3 October 2008

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

No issues specified. Please specify issues, or remove this template.

(Learn how and when to remove this message)
For the slang term, see Muppet (slang).
File:Jim Henson's Muppets.png

The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson. Individually, a Muppet is one of the puppets made by Jim Henson or his company's workshop. Although the term is often used erroneously to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show and Sesame Street characters, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark linked to the characters created by Henson.

The word "Muppet" itself was said by Henson to have been created by combining the words "marionette" and "puppet"; however, Henson was also known to have stated that it was just something he liked the sound of, and he made up the "marionette/puppet" story while talking to a journalist because it sounded plausible.

After earlier unsuccessful attempts, The Walt Disney Company bought the Muppets in 2004. Exceptions include characters appearing on Sesame Street (as they were previously sold to Sesame Workshop), the Fraggles of Fraggle Rock (which are still owned by The Jim Henson Company), along with the above-mentioned non-"Muppet"-brand characters. The legal trademark on the term "Muppet" is currently held by The Muppet Holding Co., LLC (now The Muppets Studio, LLC, a division of the Walt Disney Company); although Sesame Workshop and the Jim Henson Company continue to use the term on their characters with certain permissions.

After nearly a decade, a new movie is in the works. Disney recently enlisted Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller to create the next Muppet movie for the studio. This will be the first Muppet theatrical film since Muppets From Space.


Physical appearance

A common design for a Jim Henson Muppet is a character with a very wide mouth and large protruding eyes. The puppets are often molded or carved out of foam rubber, and then covered with fleece. Muppets may represent humans, anthropomorphic animals, realistic animals, robots, extraterrestrial creatures, mythical beings or other unidentified, newly imagined creatures, monsters or abstract characters.

Muppets are distinguished from ventriloquist "dummies"/"puppets", which are typically animated only in the head and face, in that their arms or other features are also mobile and expressive. Muppets are typically made of softer materials. They are also presented as being independent of the puppeteer, who is usually not visible—hidden behind a set or outside of the camera frame. Using the camera frame as the "stage" was an innovation of the Muppets. Previously on television, there would typically be a stage hiding the performers, as if in a live presentation.

Operation

The Muppeteer typically holds the puppet above his head or in front of his body, with one hand operating the head and mouth and the other manipulating the hands and arms, either with two separate control rods or by "wearing" the hands like gloves. One consequence of this design is that most Muppets are left-handed as the puppeteer uses his right hand to operate the head while operating the arm rod with his left hand. There are many other common designs and means of operation. In advanced Muppets, several puppeteers may control a single character; the performer who controls the mouth usually provides the voice for the character. As technology has evolved, the Jim Henson team and other puppeteers have developed an enormous variety of means to operate puppets for film and television, including the use of suspended rigs, internal motors, remote radio control, and computer enhanced and superimposed images. Creative use of a mix of technologies has allowed for scenes in which Muppets appear to be riding a bicycle, rowing a boat, and even dancing on-stage with no puppeteer in sight.

Muppets characters

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
File:Fishinvid1024.jpg
The Muppets in Weezer's 'Keep Fishin'"
See also: Category:Muppet characters

Famous Muppets from The Muppet Show and its numerous spin-offs include Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Rizzo the Rat, Gonzo the Great, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, Scooter, Statler and Waldorf, the Swedish Chef, Sam the Eagle, Sweetums, Pepe the King Prawn, Janice, Animal and Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem. Other well-known Muppets include Sesame Street characters such as Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Zoe, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, Grover, Abby Cadabby and The Count, as well as the main characters of Fraggle Rock.

The most widely known television shows featuring Muppets have been Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock and Bear in the Big Blue House. Other series have included The Jim Henson Hour, The Ghost of Faffner Hall, Dog City, Secret Life of Toys, Muppets Tonight, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss and Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony. A recurring adult-oriented cast of Muppets (in a setting known as The Land of Gorch) were featured throughout the first season of Saturday Night Live.

Guest stars on some of these programs have occasionally had Muppet versions of themselves. It was a regular practice for the first few episodes of The Muppet Show, and ZZ Top, among others, have appeared as Muppet versions of themselves on Sesame Street.

The puppet characters of Farscape, The Storyteller, Mother Goose Stories, The Hoobs, Construction Site and Dinosaurs, as well as from the films Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Buddy, The Country Bears and The Dark Crystal, are not considered Muppets, as they were made by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, rather than by Henson's Muppet Workshop. The puppet casts of Puppet Up! and Tinseltown are also not considered Muppets as they were made by The Jim Henson Company after the sale of The Muppets in 2004. The Star Wars character Yoda was voiced by Frank Oz, one of Henson's regular performers, and is often referred to as a Muppet in media and reference works; he is not, however, a Muppet and Henson's organization was not involved in the character's design.

The Muppets' popularity has been so expansive that Muppet characters have been treated as celebrities in their own right. The Muppets have presented at the Academy Awards and Emmy Awards; made cameo appearances in such feature films as Rocky III, An American Werewolf in London and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium; and have been interviewed on the newsmagazine 60 Minutes. Kermit the Frog was interviewed early on in Jon Stewart's run on The Daily Show, guest hosted The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and an April Fool's Day edition of Larry King Live; and the frog has served as Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade. The characters also appeared in-character on such sit-coms and dramas as The Cosby Show, The West Wing and The Torkelsons. The music video for the Weezer song "Keep Fishin'" is premised on the band performing on The Muppet Show and features appearances by several characters. On September 28, 2005, the United States Postal Service released a Jim Henson and the Muppets postage stamp series. The Muppets also appeared on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve for the 2008 countdown on December 31, 2007. Kermit, Rizzo and others welcomed in the new year with a series of messages to welcome viewers back from the advertising breaks. After one such segment, with Kermit in Time Square, co-host Ryan Seacrest thanked his pal "Kerms" for the help bringing in '08. Miss Piggy has appeared as a guest on The Late Show and Kermit the Frog appeared on Hollywood Squares.

On 25 July 2007 the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta announced the opening of a new Jim Henson Wing, which will house anywhere from 500 to 700 retired Muppets, including those from Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street. The new wing will also include films, sketches, and other materials from the Jim Henson Company archives. The wing, which will be a part of the Center's new building, is slated to open in 2010.

Discography

On September 17, 2002 Rhino released The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More. In addition to the many Sesame Street and Muppets movie soundtracks available, this collection compiles music from various Muppets sources. It includes the rare song Rainbow Connection which was previously available on CD only on the soundtrack for The Muppet Movie.

Filmography

Theatrical films

The Muppet Movie (1979)
The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D (1991)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Muppets from Space (1999)

Telefilms

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)

Television series

Sam and Friends (1955-61)
Sesame Street (1969-present)
Saturday Night Live (1975-1976)
The Muppet Show (1976-1981)
Fraggle Rock (1983-87)
Muppet Babies (1984-1991)
The Jim Henson Hour (1989)
Dog City (1989 special on NBC, regular show on Fox from 1992-1995)
Secret Life of Toys (1994-1996)
Muppets Tonight (1996-1998)

Television specials

Hey Cinderella! (1970)
The Frog Prince (1971)
The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (1972)
The Muppets Valentine Show (1974)
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
The Muppets Go Hollywood (1979)
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)
The Muppets Go To the Movies (1981)
Of Muppets and Men (1981)
The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show (1982)
Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets (1983)
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1985)
The Christmas Toy (1986)
The Tale of the Bunny Picnic (1986)
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
Song of the Cloud Forest (1989)
The Muppets at Walt Disney World (1990)
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (1990)
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1995)
Studio DC hosted by Dylan and Cole Sprouse (2008)
Studio DC hosted by Selena Gomez (2008)
A Muppets Christmas: Letters To Santa (2008) in post-production

Direct-to-video features

Muppet Classic Theater (1994)
Kermit's Swamp Years (2002)

Internet

Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony on Movies.com (2005-2006)
Disney Xtreme Digital (2008-present)
Stars & Stripes FOREVER! (2008)
Ode to Joy (2008)
Habanera (2008)
Classical Chickens (2008)

Future

After the consensus was reached that The Muppets' Wizard of Oz failed to deliver critically, the question hung in the air if whether or not another Muppet film would be made. A new film has been confirmed by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller, who both plan to produce the next Muppet film. They have also stated that they will both write the next picture, but only Stoller will direct.

On March 31 2008, First Showing revealed details about the new Muppet film. Coming Soon reported similar news. After an interview with Jason Segel, First announced, "it's going to be incredibly old-fashioned, with the familiar Muppet characters putting on a show to save an old theater. The danger? An evil character wants to tear the place down to get at the oil underneath." Segel stated that he was the most enthusiastic about the project, also stating, "I just remember being 10 years old and for me Kermit was Tom Hanks. Kermit is like the original Everyman and I remember watching the old Muppets with my parents and seeing Peter Sellers and people like that on. I've always had Muppet pictures and figurines all through my house. Now that I'm getting to write it, I feel like all of my dreams are coming true."

Pop culture

Muppet-like and Muppet-inspired puppets star in the 2004 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q (which disavows any relationship with Sesame Workshop or the Jim Henson Company). Peter Jackson's film, Meet the Feebles is another parody of the Muppets. The Simpsons, Family Guy, Robot Chicken and many other television shows and movies have referenced The Muppets - for a more comprehensive list, see Muppet Wiki. They also make an appearance in the band Weezer's music video for "Keep Fishin'.

The Muppets on YouTube

A number of YouTube videos have been made featuring the Muppets and become viral videos. These originate from five YouTube accounts that appear to be run by several of the Muppets themselves (yet the biographies all link to muppets.com):

See also

References

  1. "Marionette and Puppet". Muppet Wiki.
  2. findarticles.com "Disney buys Muppets as bid prospect fades" 2/18/04
  3. Variety, 3/11/08, Segel and Stoller take on Muppets
  4. Christopher Finch Jim Henson: The Works 1993, ISBN 0679412034
  5. TheDailyShow.com
  6. United States Postal Service (September 28, 2005). Jim Henson, Muppets, get stamps of approval. Press Release.
  7. New Year's Rockin' Eve 2008 (2007) (TV)
  8. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
  9. ^ Fleming, Michael. "Segel and Stoller take on Muppets." Variety. Retrieved: April 5, 2008
  10. ^ Billington, Alex. "Jason Segel Reveals New Muppets Movie Details". First Showing. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  11. ^ Newgen, Heather. "Exclusive: In the Future with Segel and Hader!". Coming Soon. Retrieved 2008-05-09.

External links

The Muppets
Characters
Television
Series
Segments
Specials
Films
Theatrical
Television
Direct-to-
video
Music
Albums
Songs
Web series
Video games
Other media
Related
Sesame Street
People
Production
Songs
Films
Cameos
U.S. spin-offs
Television
specials
Books
Literature
Video games
Attractions
Documentaries
Related
Category
Categories: