Jerry Juhl

• Name — Jerry Juhl • Birth Name — Jerome Ravn Juhl • Born — 28 June 1938 • Birthplace — Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. • Died — 25 September 2005 • Place of death — San Francisco, California, U.S. • Resting Place — San Francisco Columbarium & Funeral Home • Education — San Jose State University • Known for — writing and puppeteering for The Muppets

Juhl was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota; his family moved to Menlo Park, California, when he was 14. He received a bachelor's degree in theater arts from San Jose State University in 1961 and worked on children's shows for local television stations while in college. He met Frank Oz when they both worked for the Oakland Recreation Department's Vagabond Puppet Theater as teenagers. The two later met Henson at a puppeteer gathering in California. Juhl was recruited by Jim Henson as a puppeteer and writer on Sam and Friends. He focused increasingly on writing as other puppeteers, such as Frank Oz, joined the Henson stable. Juhl was the head writer on The Muppet Show from seasons 2 to 5 (season 1 had Jack Burns as head writer). He also wrote for the television shows Fraggle Rock and The Jim Henson Hour. He was involved in some capacity with all of the Muppet films from The Muppet Movie in 1979 to Muppets from Space in 1999. According to Lisa Henson, "So much of the humor, irreverence, caring and heart began with Jerry. He was, in many ways, the real voice of the Muppets." He appeared as himself in the 1981 documentary Of Muppets and Men: The Making of The Muppet Show, the 1984 documentary Henson's Place, and the 1994 documentary The World of Jim Henson. In addition to being interviewed in all three, he also appeared in archival footage in the last two. He was married to Susan Doerr Juhl and lived in Caspar, California. In his last few years he semi-retired from writing, but taught at local colleges, coached at local Mendocino Coast theatres such as Gloriana Opera Company, and spoke at puppeteer conventions. He died on September 25, 2005, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1955–1961 — Sam and Friends — Muppet performer • 1969 — The Cube • 1969–1975 — Sesame Street • 1970 — The Great Santa Claus Switch • 1971 — The Frog Prince — Taminella — Voice • 1972 — The Muppet Musicians of Bremen • 1974 — The Muppets Valentine Show • Tale of Sand — Co-writer; Originally written as a live-action screenplay, released in 2012 as a graphic novel, Jim Henson's Tale of Sand. • 1976–1981 — The Muppet Show — Head writer • 1977 — Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas • 1979 — The Muppets Go Hollywood • The Muppet Movie • 1981 — The Muppets Go to the Movies • The Great Muppet Caper • 1983–1987 — Fraggle Rock — Writer, creative producer • 1985 — Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff • Fozzie's Muppet Scrapbook • 1986 — The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years • 1987 — A Muppet Family Christmas • 1989 — The Jim Henson Hour — Writer, co-producer • Living with Dinosaurs — Co-producer • 1990 — The Muppets at Walt Disney World • The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson • 1992 — The Muppet Christmas Carol — Co-producer • 1996 — Muppet Treasure Island • 1999 — Muppets from Space