Jim The World S Greatest

In this episode of PBS' Great Performances, the history and legacy of puppeteer Jim Henson is explored, from his six-second commercial beginnings to a five-season run on ABC of The Muppet Show to several theatrically released films, including five Muppet movies, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.

Outrageous, controversial, politically incorrect and shockingly funny. The king of comedy is back with his most outrageous show yet! Filmed live at Jim’s court, Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, in front of his faithful squires, and their ladies. King Jim gives the crowd what they want with a show filled with tales of wanton women, pointless wars and her Majesty’s troops. All rise and salute King Jim and let him show you his world (if he had his way!)

One of his earlier pieces, Don Coscarelli (of Phantasm Phame) has a knack for seeing the world through the eyes and heart of a young boy. He offers a Peter Pan-esque adventure to men from the boomers to present day, with each generation being introduced to a more innocent time.

He dined with The Beatles and shacked up with the Rolling Stones. He rubbed shoulders with soul diva Mama Cass, folk troubadour Leonard Cohen and a fledgling Pink Floyd. He was a figurehead for a new generation of playwrights. After he was stopped at Munich airport with a bag full of blank ‘world passports’, he lectured bewildered German border police about the virtues of 'world government'. Today, at 83, Jim Haynes just won’t slow down. This ‘godfather of social networking’ organises open dinners every Sunday night in the Parisian artist studio that has been his home for the past 50 years. Total strangers, unknown both to him and to each other, meet in his living room and Jim’s friends show up to cook cheerfully for crowds of 60 or more. It’s simple: you sign up, you come over, you meet Jim. Meeting Jim composes an impressionistic portrait of Jim Haynes the man and the cultural phenomenon, as seen by the many and diverse people whose lives have been touched by his.