Jim Henson (born September 24, 1936, Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.-died May 16, 1990, New York, New York) was an American puppeteer and filmmaker, creator of the Muppets of television and motion pictures. He coined the term Muppets as a meld of marionettes and puppets. His characters and those of his assistants included such familiar figures as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big Bird, and the Cookie Monster.