Jerry Juhl, R.I.P.
I can barely type this. Jerry Juhl passed away two nights ago, apparently from cancer.
More than the head writer for the Muppet Show and co-writer of a highly influential film in my life, The Muppet Movie -- Jerry was one of my heroes I've actually been able to meet and get to know, over the last twelve years. He was generous, witty, warm, friendly, and passionate about the good old days of the Muppets. But also encouraging to us new puppeteers and writers, believing that now was a fantastic time to get into creative projects and show them to the world via the Internet.
The first time we met was back at my first Puppeteers of America National Festival, in San Francisco. He and Dave Goelz visited those of us in Lee Armstrong's and Rick Lyon's video puppetry class. It's like taking music lessons and having Ringo and George drop by to say hello. (Frank Oz, or Paul in this simile had just visited us too). Then we kept running into each other at Guild events and animation festivals. In one serene occasion, he and I were alone in Tempe, Arizona, walking in the fiery heat to go join others at a Mexican restaurant, talking about The Muppet Movie. He recalled how they really didn't know what they were doing, but added that later when they did The Great Muppet Caper, planning everything and knowing a hell-of-a-lot more, it just wasn't as good [a film]. Interesting. Then when we talked about the music of the film, pondering whatever happened to composer Kenny Baker ("Drug rehab?" Jerry hypothesized), I suggested that if the film were made today, Kermit's song would have been more like Randy Newman's tunes in A Bug's Life, a-la "I'm a frog..." "In a swamp", sang Jerry in response.
In 2002, Jerry hosted a three day writing workshop down in Asilomar, the Holy ground where Jim met Frank. (You could feel their presence lurking, as if there were goofy little eyeballs everywhere, staring at you.) Somehow I got in, despite submitting 2 of the 10 page writing sample entry requirements. I guess he liked my idea enough. It was thrilling! I only wish we'd had more than 30 minutes to talk about each of our projects. But we caught a glimpse of what it might have been like to sitting at a table with him and the Muppet writers, trying to come up with ideas for next week's Muppet show.
I last saw Jerry and Susan about two years ago when he was in the hospital in San Francisco, but I hadn't heard of any recent health problems. Both of them loved to go see eclipses as far away as Antarctica and Africa.
Jerry, we miss you. Say hi to Jim, Don, and Richard for us.
More than the head writer for the Muppet Show and co-writer of a highly influential film in my life, The Muppet Movie -- Jerry was one of my heroes I've actually been able to meet and get to know, over the last twelve years. He was generous, witty, warm, friendly, and passionate about the good old days of the Muppets. But also encouraging to us new puppeteers and writers, believing that now was a fantastic time to get into creative projects and show them to the world via the Internet.
The first time we met was back at my first Puppeteers of America National Festival, in San Francisco. He and Dave Goelz visited those of us in Lee Armstrong's and Rick Lyon's video puppetry class. It's like taking music lessons and having Ringo and George drop by to say hello. (Frank Oz, or Paul in this simile had just visited us too). Then we kept running into each other at Guild events and animation festivals. In one serene occasion, he and I were alone in Tempe, Arizona, walking in the fiery heat to go join others at a Mexican restaurant, talking about The Muppet Movie. He recalled how they really didn't know what they were doing, but added that later when they did The Great Muppet Caper, planning everything and knowing a hell-of-a-lot more, it just wasn't as good [a film]. Interesting. Then when we talked about the music of the film, pondering whatever happened to composer Kenny Baker ("Drug rehab?" Jerry hypothesized), I suggested that if the film were made today, Kermit's song would have been more like Randy Newman's tunes in A Bug's Life, a-la "I'm a frog..." "In a swamp", sang Jerry in response.
In 2002, Jerry hosted a three day writing workshop down in Asilomar, the Holy ground where Jim met Frank. (You could feel their presence lurking, as if there were goofy little eyeballs everywhere, staring at you.) Somehow I got in, despite submitting 2 of the 10 page writing sample entry requirements. I guess he liked my idea enough. It was thrilling! I only wish we'd had more than 30 minutes to talk about each of our projects. But we caught a glimpse of what it might have been like to sitting at a table with him and the Muppet writers, trying to come up with ideas for next week's Muppet show.
I last saw Jerry and Susan about two years ago when he was in the hospital in San Francisco, but I hadn't heard of any recent health problems. Both of them loved to go see eclipses as far away as Antarctica and Africa.
Jerry, we miss you. Say hi to Jim, Don, and Richard for us.
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