1989: Last Telecast of 'The Jim Henson Hour' on NBC
This day in 1989 marked the last telecast of The Jim Henson Hour on NBC.
The hour-long show, hosted by Henson and his "co-host" The Thought Lion, was generally divided into two parts. The first half hour was a variety-style show featuring Henson's familiar Muppets, as well as never-before-seen puppets from Henson's Creature Shop. Its premise was that of a television show, produced by Kermit, that featured skits and musical numbers, along with guest stars such as Louie Anderson, Ted Danson, k.d. lang and Smokey Robinson.
The last half hour was usually a longer story segment, such as repurposed episodes of Henson's series, The StoryTeller, which offered retellings of European folk tales. Actor John Hurt served as host, along with a puppet dog maneuvered and voiced by Henson's son, Brian Henson.
A handful of Henson Hour episodes consisted of one-hour movies, such as the faux, 1930s-style film noir, Dog City narrated by Rowlf the Dog.
Twelve episodes of The Jim Henson Hour were made, but only nine aired on NBC.
Watch the beginning of the show's second episode: