Jim Henson, 'Widow's Bay,' and Dolly Parton's Airport

Jim Henson was a 20th-century American puppeteer, director, writer, and producer best known for creating the Muppets, a cast of comedic puppets who have starred in projects like "The Muppet Show," "Sesame Street," and "Fraggle Rock."

> Watch Henson explain how to make a Muppet. (Watch)
> "Fraggle Rock" was the first American series to air in the USSR. (Read)

Henson became interested in puppeteering as a teenager and had his first TV show, "Sam and Friends," by 1955, while he was still in college. Henson's work through the '60s—both on experimental work and TV commercials—eventually led him to "Sesame Street" and "Saturday Night Live."

> Watch episodes of Henson's first show. (Watch)

> NBC brought Henson to "SNL" to try to tamp down Lorne Michaels' countercultural plans. (Read)

> Cookie Monster was originally a cheese-stealing creature named "Wheel Stealer." (Watch)

"The Muppet Show" became an international hit in the 1970s and led to a series of films that span multiple decades. Henson's 1980s films, "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth," were considered flops when they were released, though they've since become cult classics, noted for their innovative special effects and idiosyncratic storytelling.

> "The Muppet Show" debuted in the UK because it was rejected by every US network. (Watch)

> "Labyrinth" included the largest puppet Henson's company had ever constructed. (Watch)

Discover more: 

> Fascinated by 1960s counterculture, Henson tried to build a psychedelic nightclub. (Read)

> Henson and his team used complex optical illusions to make the Muppets appear as if they were walking through the real world. (Watch)

> Henson's lone Oscar nomination was for a short film that features no puppets. (Watch)

Behind the News 

1440 brings you the knowledge behind the week's stories:

"The Pitt" and "Widow's Bay" win big at the Emmy Awards. (More)

> "The Pitt" aims to be the most accurate representation of medicine on TV by using real doctors as consultants.

> "Widow's Bay" found success by blending comedy and folk horror.

"Lonesome Dove," the Pulitzer-winning western, is set for a Netflix adaptation. (More)

> Larry McMurtry's popular novel began as a screenplay.

> Explore the late author's massive home library.

"Free Blockbuster" boxes encourage people to share their favorite physical media. (More)

> Contrary to popular belief, Netflix didn't kill Blockbuster.

> The last Blockbuster Video location is still operating in Bend, Oregon.

Nashville International Airport to be renamed in Dolly Parton's honor. (More)

> Months before her death, a Tennessee children's hospital changed its name to Dolly Parton Children's Hospital.

> Parton consistently declined opportunities to align herself with politicians.

Cultural Context

Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.

Sweat the Technique

Counter Craft | Lincoln Michel. Here's a fascinating deep dive for fans of literature and those interested in the creative process. Michel, a science fiction novelist, walks through the idiosyncratic processes of several famous novelists, analyzing the successful methods of Don DeLillo, Vladimir Nabokov, Zadie Smith, and others. (More)

> Stephen King isn't sure writing can be taught, encouraging aspiring novelists to instead become "voracious readers."

> Mark Twain started writing "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" to distract himself.

How 9/11 Changed the Strokes' Debut Album

Inside Hook | Steven Hyden. The New York band's debut album was originally slated for release in the US on Sept. 25, but was delayed and altered to remove a song that had become a liability in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Hyden unpacks how—and why—the story behind "New York City Cops" has become disputed. (More)

> After the attacks, a US radio conglomerate banned 150 songs.

The Wildly Optimistic Style That Defined Postwar America

Moss & Fog | Ben VanderVeen. Googie architecture has a goofy name, but it's befitting the kitschy American style still found at roadside stops across the country. This explainer will give you the tools to start finding Googie-inspired buildings nearly everywhere you look. (More)

> Postmodern architect Robert Venturi designed a whimsical house for his mother, imagining it as a child's drawing.

Coffee's Sacred Beginnings

 Etcetera 

> Prior to his art-world stardom, Jean-Michel Basquiat played in a punk band.

> Hear drivers talk about what it feels like to crash a Formula 1 car.

> A 19th-century photographer claimed to have captured the ghost of a famous figure on film: Abraham Lincoln.

> The CIA covertly funded a film adaptation of George Orwell's "Animal Farm."

> Read an influential anthology that helped define the Harlem Renaissance.

> Before it became the home of 24-hour prestige TV, HBO used to sign off each night.

> Learn how to paint in Picasso's cubist style.
 

> Professional wrestling's unique lexicon comes from its carny roots.

> A New Mexican town named itself after the quiz show "Truth or Consequences."
 

> The first tattoo gun was based on an idea from Thomas Edison.

> Some believe existentialist Albert Camus was killed by the KGB.

> Explore a traffic-directed symphony, an exhaustive guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a football fan's epic catch at 1440's Society & Culture hub.