Kermit

Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character and one of puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous creations. Kermit was voiced by Henson until his death in 1990, and has been voiced by puppeteer Steve Whitmire since then.An early version of Kermit appeared in 1955, in a five minute puppet show for WRC-TV Sam and Friends. The prototype Kermit was created of a green ladies' coat and a couple of ping-pong balls for eyes. He and Rowlf, also created from scraps, were Henson's first puppets. The early Kermit was a sort of lizard-like creature; Kermit's first appearance as a frog was in the television special Hey Cinderella in 1969, and he's been a frog ever since.Kermit had his big break in 1971, with frequent appearances on Sesame Street as a news reporter interviewing nursery rhyme characters. One of his most memorable works was the song, It's Not Easy Being Green. Kermit's song "The Rainbow Connection" was also a big hit from The Muppet Movie and has become the signature song of The Jim Henson Company.In 1990, Kermit spoke at creator Jim Henson's funeral. In 1996, he gave a commencement speech at Southampton College in which he came out as an environmentalist. In 2001 he appeared in the TV show Hollywood Squares.Kermit also served as the mascot for The Jim Henson Company, until the sale of the Muppet characters to The Walt Disney Company.A statue of Henson and Kermit was erected on the campus of Henson's alma mater, the University of Maryland, College Park