The Muppet Movie - Wikipedia The Muppet Movie This article is about the original 1979 film. For the 2011 film, see The Muppets ( film ). The Muppet Movie Theatrical release poster by Drew Struzan Directed by James Frawley Produced by Jim Henson Written by Jack Burns Jerry Juhl Starring Jim Henson Frank Oz Jerry Nelson Richard Hunt Dave Goelz Charles Durning Austin Pendleton Music by Kenneth Ascher Paul Williams Cinematography Isidore Mankofsky Edited by Christopher Greenbury Production companies ITC Entertainment Henson Associates Distributed by Associated Film Distribution Release date May 31, 1979 ( 1979 - 05 - 31 ) ( United Kingdom ) June 22, 1979 ( 1979 - 06 - 22 ) ( United States ) Running time 97 minutes ( UK version ) 95 minutes ( US version ) Country United Kingdom United States Language English Budget $8 million Box office $76.6 million The Muppet Movie is a 1979 musical road comedy film and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Directed by James Frawley and produced by Jim Henson, the film 's screenplay was conceived by The Muppet Show writers Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns. An American and British venture produced by Henson Associates and ITC Entertainment between the first half and the second half of The Muppet Show 's third season, the film depicts Kermit the Frog as he embarks on a cross-country trip to Hollywood, California. Along the way, he encounters several of the Muppets -- who all share the same ambition of finding success in professional show business -- while being pursued by Doc Hopper, an evil restaurateur with intentions of employing Kermit as a spokesperson for his frog legs business. Notable for its surreal humour, meta - references and prolific use of cameos, The Muppet Movie was released in the United Kingdom on May 31, 1979 and in the United States on June 22, 1979, and received critical praise ; including two Academy Award nominations for Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher 's musical score and their song, `` The Rainbow Connection ''. In 2009, the film was deemed `` culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The success of The Muppet Movie spawned several sequels, none of which existed in the same continuity : The Great Muppet Caper ( 1981 ), The Muppets Take Manhattan ( 1984 ), The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ), Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) and Muppets from Space ( 1999 ). In 2002, the film series was given a prequel with Kermit 's Swamp Years. In 2011, the film series was rebooted with The Muppets and followed by Muppets Most Wanted in 2014. However, the latter acknowledges itself as the seventh sequel to The Muppet Movie. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 2.1 Muppet performers 2.2 Cameo guest stars 3 Production 3.1 Style 3.2 Prop vehicles 4 Music 5 Release 5.1 Box office 5.2 Critical reception 5.3 Home media 5.4 Accolades 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External links Plot The Muppets have gathered in a theatre, in a Hollywood film studio, to screen their new biographical film, The Muppet Movie. In the film - within - a-film, Kermit the Frog enjoys a relaxing afternoon in a Florida swamp, strumming his banjo and singing `` The Rainbow Connection '', when he is approached by Bernie ( Dom DeLuise ), a Hollywood talent agent who encourages Kermit to pursue a career in show business. Inspired by the idea of `` making millions of people happy '', Kermit sets off on a cross-country trip to Los Angeles, but is soon pursued by entrepreneur Doc Hopper ( Charles Durning ) and his shy assistant Max ( Austin Pendleton ) in an attempt to convince Kermit to be the new spokesman of Hopper 's struggling French - fried frog legs restaurant franchise, to Kermit 's horror. As Kermit continuously declines his offers, Hopper resorts to increasingly vicious means of persuasion. Meeting Fozzie Bear, who works as a hapless comedian in the El Sleezo Cafe, Kermit invites Fozzie to accompany him. The two set out in a 1951 Studebaker loaned to Fozzie by his hibernating uncle. The duo 's journey includes misadventures which introduce them to a variety of eccentric human and Muppet characters, including Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and their manager Scooter, who receives a copy of the script from the pair ( one of a number of self - references ) at an old Presbyterian church ; Gonzo, who works as a plumber, and his girlfriend Camilla the Chicken ; Sweetums, who runs after them after they mistakenly think that he has turned them down at a used car lot ; and the immediately love - stricken Miss Piggy at a fair. While Kermit and Miss Piggy form a relationship over dinner that night, Doc Hopper and Max kidnap Miss Piggy and use her as bait to lure Kermit into a trap. Using an electronic cerebrectomy device, scientist Professor Krassman ( Mel Brooks ) decides to brainwash Kermit in an attempt to force Kermit to perform in Doc 's commercials until an infuriated Miss Piggy knocks out Doc Hopper 's henchmen and causes the scientist to be brainwashed by his own device. After receiving a job offer, however, she promptly abandons a devastated Kermit. After an incident in the theater where the projector briefly breaks down, with film tangled around the Swedish Chef, who was the projectionist, which causes Animal ( a member of the Electric Mayhem ) to throw a wild temper tantrum and rip off a chunk of his own seat cushion, the film starts up again. Having been joined by Rowlf the Dog and reunited with Miss Piggy, the Muppets continue their journey to Hollywood. Fozzie 's 1946 Ford Woodie station wagon trade - in breaks down in the New Mexico desert. During a campfire that night, the group sadly considers that they may miss the audition the next day, and Kermit wanders off, ashamed of himself for seemingly bringing his friends on a fruitless journey. Upon consulting a more optimistic vision of himself, Kermit remembers that it was not just his friends ' belief in the dream that brought them this far, but also his own faith in himself. Reinvigorated, he returns to camp to find that the Electric Mayhem and Scooter have read the script in advance, and arrived to help them the rest of the way. Just as it seems they are finally on their way, the group is warned by Max that Doc Hopper has hired an assassin named Snake Walker to kill Kermit. Kermit decides he will not be hunted down by a bully any longer and proposes a Western - style showdown in a nearby ghost town occupied by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker, who invent materials that have yet to be tested. While confronting Hopper, Kermit explains his motivations, attempting to appeal to Hopper 's own hopes and dreams, but Hopper is unmoved and orders his henchmen to kill him and all his friends. They are saved only when one of Dr. Bunsen 's inventions, `` insta - grow '' pills, temporarily turns Animal into a giant, causing Hopper and his men to flee while Max turns around, laughs gleefully and waves his hat at the Muppets. The Muppets proceed to Hollywood, and after getting by his secretary, Miss Tracy ( Cloris Leachman ), via causing her allergic reactions to their dander and fur, are hired by producer and studio executive Lew Lord ( Orson Welles ). The Muppets attempt to make their first movie involving a surreal pastiche of their experiences. The first take goes awry when Gonzo, holding pastiche versions of the balloons he flew away on earlier, crashes into the rainbow, breaking it in half and sending it falling onto the rest of the set, bringing it down as well, then Crazy Harry pulls two levers in the control room, which overloads the electricity circuits and causes enough of an explosion to blow a hole in the roof of the studio. However, in their stunned silence of the whole chain of events, a rainbow suddenly shines through the hole into the studio right onto the Muppets. The Muppets, joined by the characters from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Emmet Otter 's Jug - Band Christmas, and the `` Land of Gorch '' segment of Saturday Night Live, sing the final verses of `` The Rainbow Connection ''. As the screening ends, Sweetums jumps through the theater 's screen, having finally caught up with the other Muppets. Cast Charles Durning as Doc Hopper, a businessman, entrepreneur, and restaurateur. Austin Pendleton as Max, Doc Hopper 's shy right - hand man and sidekick. Scott Walker as Snake Walker, an assassin who specializes in killing frogs. Lawrence Gabriel Jr as Sailor Ira F. Grubman as Bartender H.B. Haggerty as Lumberjack Bruce Kirby as Gate Guard Tommy Madden as One - Eyed Midget James Frawley as El Sleezo Café Waiter Arnold Roberts as Cowboy Melinda Dillon as a Woman with Balloon ( uncredited ) Muppet performers Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, Swedish Chef Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam Eagle, Marvin Suggs Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Lew Zealand, Camilla the Chicken Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, Janice, Sweetums, Beaker Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Zoot, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Doglion Caroll Spinney as Big Bird Frank Oz appears in a cameo as a biker who beats up Fozzie Bear while Steve Whitmire appears as a man in the Bogen County Fair. Also, director Tim Burton is one of the puppeteers in the final shot of the film. John Landis is also in the final shot, performing Grover. Landis and Burton were both uncredited. Cameo guest stars Dom DeLuise as Bernie, a Hollywood agent who meets Kermit in the swamp. The character 's name is a reference to Bernie Brillstein, talent agent and producer of The Muppet Show. James Coburn as El Sleezo Café Owner Madeline Kahn as an El Sleezo Patron, with the same rhotacism and personality Kahn used for Lili von Shtupp in Blazing Saddles Telly Savalas as El Sleezo Tough Carol Kane as `` Myth '' ( summoned by name ) Paul Williams as El Sleezo Pianist Milton Berle as Mad Man Mooney, a used car salesman for whom Sweetums worked as a jack. Elliott Gould as Compère, who announces Miss Piggy as the winner of the Bogen County Beauty Pageant Edgar Bergen as Himself and Charlie McCarthy, playing judges at the Bogen County Fair. This would be Bergen 's final film role, as he died shortly after his scene was filmed. Bob Hope as Ice Cream Vendor Richard Pryor as Balloon Vendor, a man who sells balloons to Gonzo at the Bogen County Fair. Steve Martin as Insolent Waiter, a sarcastic waiter that works at the motel that Rowlf used to work at. Mel Brooks as Professor Max Krassman, a mad scientist who is hired by Doc Hopper. Cloris Leachman as Miss Tracy, Lew Lord 's secretary who is allergic to animals. Orson Welles as Lew Lord, a Hollywood producer and studio executive. The character 's name is a reference to Sir Lew Grade, head of British company, ATV, which co-produced the original Muppet Show. Production The main obstacle the filmmakers were faced with during the development of The Muppet Movie was whether the Muppets would transition seamlessly from television to film. In 1978, director James Frawley, Jim Henson, and Frank Oz filmed several camera tests outside London to test how the characters would appear in real - world locations. To perform Kermit static on a log, Henson squeezed into a specially designed metal container complete with an air hose ( to breathe ), a rubber sleeve which came out of the top to perform Kermit and a monitor to see his performance, and placed himself under the water, log, and the Kermit puppet. He was also assisted in this operation by Kathryn Mullen and Steve Whitmire. This scene took five days to film. Before this, no film had a hand puppet act with its entire body appearing on - screen. That is, hand puppets were only seen from the waist up, and it became a major plot point to show Kermit with legs. To have Kermit ride a bicycle in a full - body shot, a Kermit puppet with legs was posed onto the seat and his legs and arms were attached to the pedals and handlebars. An overhead crane with a marionette system held the bicycle through strong strings invisible to the camera, guiding the bicycle forward. The crane and system was out of the camera 's frame of vision. Other shots required Muppets standing and acting in a full - body shot. Specially - made, remote - controlled puppets were placed on the set and controlled by puppeteers out of the frame. A dancing Kermit and Fozzie Bear were operated by Henson and Frank Oz in front of a blue screen, and were composited onto a separate reel of the stage. Both of these effects and the bicycle effect would be used again, and refined, in subsequent Muppet films. Austin Pendleton recalled that the film was shot on `` a very unhappy set, because Jim ( Frawley ) was very unhappy directing that movie. And I noticed that was the only time the Muppet people used an outside person to direct a Muppet movie. They never did that again. After that, it was either Jim Henson or Frank Oz. And I would have liked to have been in one of those, because those sets were very harmonious. But this was not. '' Filming locations included Albuquerque, New Mexico. The closing reprise of `` Rainbow Connection '' featured a crowd of more than 250 Muppet characters -- virtually every Muppet that had been created up to that point in time. According to Henson Archivist Karen Falk : `` 137 puppeteers were enlisted from the Puppeteers of America ( along with the regular Muppet performers ) to perform every Muppet extant. Prior to the day - long filming of the shot, Jim Henson gave the enthusiastic participants a lesson in the art of cinematic puppetry. Amazingly, it did take just one day. '' The Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter answered the question of `` How did they do it ? '' The response was `` There are 250 puppets in the last shot of the film, and they 're all moving. How ? 150 puppeteers in a 6 ' deep, 17 ' wide pit, that 's how. They were recruited through the Los Angeles Guild of The Puppeteers of America and almost every puppeteer west of the Rockies reported for pit duty. '' The film is dedicated to ventriloquist Edgar Bergen who appears in the movie in a cameo role and died during production in September 1978. Style The Muppet Movie uses meta - references as a source of humor, as characters occasionally break the fourth wall to address the audience or comment on their real - life circumstances. In one scene, Kermit and Fozzie encounter Big Bird on the road, offering him a lift to Hollywood, but he declines, heading to New York City to break into public television, referencing the character 's role in Sesame Street. In a particularly meta - fictional plot twist, Kermit and Fozzie actually give the screenplay to Dr. Teeth, who later uses it to find and rescue them after they have been stranded in the desert. Prop vehicles Several classic cars were specially selected by Henson for appearances in the film. The most prominent were a pair of 1951 Studebaker Commander Coupes driven by Fozzie Bear in the film. One car was painted but unmodified and driven by a person in the front seat. It was used for long, traveling shots. The second car was driven by a person in the trunk, who viewed the road through a TV set. The television received its image from a camera located in the center nose of the car 's front grille. This made it possible for Frank Oz to perform Fozzie Bear in the front seat, and have the character seemingly drive the car in close - up shots. This car is now on display at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana. Doc Hopper is chauffeured throughout the movie by Max in a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Limousine. The final car driven by the Muppets is a 1946 Ford Woodie station wagon, famous for its wood panel siding and a valuable collectible. Music Main article : The Muppet Movie ( soundtrack ) The film 's music was written by Kenneth Ascher and Paul Williams. Regarding the music 's composition, Williams said ; `` Jim Henson gave you more ( creative ) freedom than anybody I 've ever worked with in my life. I said, ' You want to hear the songs as we 're writing them ? ' He said, ' No. I 'll hear them in the studio. I know I 'm gon na love them. ' You just do n't get that kind of freedom on a project these days. '' `` Movin ' Right Along '', `` Never Before, Never Again '', and `` I Hope That Somethin ' Better Comes Along '' were shortened in the film, compared to their soundtrack versions, for continuity purposes. The latter, a duet between Rowlf and Kermit, contained references that the studio considered too mature for children, although the song appeared complete in the British theatrical and home video debut versions. In `` Finale : The Magic Store '', a line performed by Kermit in the film is sung by Fozzie on the soundtrack recording. Release Box office The film proved to be a huge hit at the box office during the summer of 1979 and ended up grossing $76,657,000 domestically ( adjusted for inflation, this would equal $265,703,546 in 2016 dollars ), making it the seventh highest - grossing film of 1979 and also, the second highest - grossing Muppet film after the release of The Muppets in 2011. The success of the film gave Jim Henson Productions an opportunity to release more Muppet productions theatrically. The film 's successful theatrical release encouraged Lew Grade into furthering his own film distribution company, which later backfired with the massive box office failures of Ca n't Stop the Music ( from EMI ) and Raise the Titanic ( from ITC ), both released by Associated Film Distribution just a year later. Critical reception The Muppet Movie received positive reviews. The film holds an 87 % approval rating on aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 8 / 10, based on 47 reviews. The site 's consensus says `` The Muppet Movie, the big - screen debut of Jim Henson 's plush creations, is smart, lighthearted, and fun for all ages. '' Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun - Times gave the film three - and - a-half out of four stars. In his favorable review, he was fascinated that `` The Muppet Movie not only stars the Muppets but, for the first time, shows us their feet. '' Vincent Canby of The New York Times offered equal praise, stating that the film `` demonstrates once again that there 's always room in movies for unbridled amiability when it 's governed by intelligence and wit. '' In 2009, it was named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being `` culturally, historically or aesthetically '' significant and will be preserved for all time. American Film Institute Lists AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Laughs -- Nominated AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs : `` Rainbow Connection '' -- # 74 AFI 's Greatest Movie Musicals -- Nominated Home media The Muppet Movie was the first film from ITC Entertainment to be released on home video when Magnetic Video issued it in January 1980, having acquired the video rights to ITC 's films. It was reissued a few times more by CBS / Fox Video before it was released by Jim Henson Video in 1993. The movie was reissued on VHS by Columbia Tristar Home Video and Jim Henson Home Entertainment in June, 1999. The film 's first DVD release was from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Jim Henson Home Entertainment on June 5, 2001. It was re-released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment on DVD and reissued as a Walt Disney Pictures release on November 29, 2005 as Kermit 's 50th Anniversary Edition. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released The Muppet Movie as the Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition on Blu - ray Disc and DVD on August 13, 2013. Accolades Awards Award Date of ceremony Recipients and nominees Result Academy Awards April 14, 1980 Best Original Song `` Rainbow Connection '' -- Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher Nominated Best Adaptation Score Songs by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher ; Adaption by Paul Williams Nominated Golden Globe Awards January 26, 1980 Best Original Song `` Rainbow Connection '' -- Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher Nominated Grammy Awards February 27, 1980 Best Album for Children Jim Henson and Paul Williams Won Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Nominated Saturn Awards July 26, 1980 Best Fantasy Film Won Satellite Awards February 23, 2014 Best Youth Blu - ray Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Nominated Footnotes ^ The film 's distribution rights were transferred to Walt Disney Studios in 2004, and was subsequently reissued in home media formats as a Walt Disney Pictures release in 2005. References Jump up ^ `` THE MUPPET MOVIE ( U ) ''. British Board of Film Classification. May 14, 1979. Retrieved July 27, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Jones, Brian Jay ( 2013 ). `` Life 's Like a Movie ''. Jim Henson : The Biography. New York : Ballantine Books. p. 296. ISBN 978 - 0 - 345 - 52611 - 3. Meanwhile, audiences made it ( The Muppet Movie ) one of the most profitable films of the decade, grossing over $65 million in its initial release -- not a bad return on ( Lew ) Grade 's initial $8 million investment. ^ Jump up to : `` Box Office Information for The Muppet Movie ''. The Numbers. Retrieved January 23, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Roessner, Beth ( March 22, 2014 ). `` First ' Muppets ' director recalls original ''. USA Today. Retrieved September 5, 2014. Jump up ^ Swansburg, John ( 6 December 2013 ). `` Muppet Man ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Jump up ^ Rabin, Nathan ( July 29, 2009 ). `` Austin Pendleton Film Random Roles ''. The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 21, 2012. Jump up ^ 100 years of filmmaking in New Mexico 1898 -- 1998. New Mexico Dept. of Tourism. 1998. p. 118. Jump up ^ The Muppet Show Fan Club newsletter ( vol. 2, no. 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Rainbow Connection ''. Songfacts.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009. Jump up ^ Lew Grade, Still Dancing : My Story, William Collins & Sons 1987 p 252 Jump up ^ `` The Muppet Movie ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved September 8, 2012. Jump up ^ Roger Ebert ( November 14, 1979 ). `` The Muppet Movie ''. Chicago Sun - Times. rogerebert.com. Retrieved February 1, 2012. Jump up ^ Canby, Vincent ( 22 June 1979 ). `` The Screen : Muppets Go to Hollywood : Roadiest Road Picture ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 9 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` 25 new titles added to National Film Registry ''. Yahoo News. Yahoo. December 30, 2009. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2009. Jump up ^ AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Laughs Nominees Jump up ^ AFI 's Greatest Movie Musicals Ballot Jump up ^ Truitt, Brian ( 9 August 2013 ). `` Kermit, Fozzie entertain in ' Muppet Movie ' camera test ''. USA Today. Retrieved 12 August 2013. Jump up ^ Kilday, Gregg ( December 2, 2013 ). `` Satellite Awards : ' 12 Years a Slave ' Leads Film Nominees ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 2, 2013. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : The Muppet Movie Official website at Disney.com The Muppet Movie on IMDb The Muppet Movie at the TCM Movie Database The Muppet Movie at Box Office Mojo The Muppet Movie at Rotten Tomatoes The Muppet Movie at Metacritic Tough Pigs : The Muppet Movie from Script to Screen The Muppets The Muppets Studio Characters Kermit the Frog Miss Piggy Fozzie Bear Gonzo Rowlf the Dog Scooter Pepe the King Prawn Rizzo the Rat Animal Walter Sam Eagle Dr. Bunsen Honeydew Beaker Swedish Chef Statler and Waldorf Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem Muppet performers Pam Arciero Bill Barretta Fran Brill Julianne Buescher Tyler Bunch Kevin Carlson Leslie Carrara - Rudolph Kevin Clash Stephanie D'Abruzzo Alice Dinnean - Vernon Dave Goelz Louise Gold Brian Henson Jane Henson Jim Henson John Henson Richard Hunt Eric Jacobson Jerry Juhl John Kennedy Tim Lagasse Peter Linz Noel MacNeal Drew Massey Joey Mazzarino Brian Muehl Kathryn Mullen James Murray Jerry Nelson Frank Oz Eren Ozker Bob Payne Karen Prell Mike Quinn David Rudman Martin P. Robinson Michelan Sisti Caroll Spinney John Tartaglia Allan Trautman Matt Vogel Steve Whitmire Victor Yerrid Television Series Sam and Friends ( 1955 -- 1961 ) The Muppet Show ( 1976 -- 1981 ) Muppet Babies ( 1984 -- 1991 ) Little Muppet Monsters ( 1985 ) The Jim Henson Hour ( 1989 ) Muppets Tonight ( 1996 -- 1998 ) The Muppets ( 2015 -- 2016 ) Muppet Babies ( TBA 2018 ) Segments The Jimmy Dean Show ( `` Rowlf the Dog '', 1963 -- 65 ) The Mike Douglas Show ( 1966 -- 79 ) The Ed Sullivan Show ( including The Great Santa Claus Switch, 1966 -- 71 ) Saturday Night Live ( The Land of Gorch, 1975 -- 76 ) Specials Hey, Cinderella ! ( 1969 ) The Muppets on Puppets ( 1970 ) The Frog Prince ( 1971 ) The Muppet Musicians of Bremen ( 1972 ) The Muppets Valentine Show ( 1974 ) The Muppet Show : Sex and Violence ( 1975 ) John Denver and the Muppets : A Christmas Together ( 1979 ) The Muppets Go Hollywood ( 1979 ) The Muppets Go to the Movies ( 1981 ) The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show ( 1982 ) Rocky Mountain Holiday ( 1983 ) The Muppets : A Celebration of 30 Years ( 1986 ) A Muppet Family Christmas ( 1987 ) Cartoon All - Stars to the Rescue ( 1990 ) The Earth Day Special ( 1990 ) The Muppets at Walt Disney World ( 1990 ) The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson ( 1990 ) Studio DC : Almost Live ( 2008 ) A Muppets Christmas : Letters to Santa ( 2008 ) Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular ( 2013 ) Films Feature The Muppet Movie ( 1979 ) The Great Muppet Caper ( 1981 ) The Muppets Take Manhattan ( 1984 ) The Muppet Christmas Carol ( 1992 ) Muppet Treasure Island ( 1996 ) Muppets from Space ( 1999 ) The Muppets ( 2011 ) Muppets Most Wanted ( 2014 ) TV It 's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie ( 2002 ) The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz ( 2005 ) Direct - to - video Muppet Classic Theater ( 1994 ) Kermit 's Swamp Years ( 2002 ) Music Albums The Muppet Show ( 1977 ) The Muppet Show 2 ( 1978 ) The Muppet Movie : Original Soundtrack Recording ( 1979 ) John Denver and the Muppets : A Christmas Together ( 1979 ) The Great Muppet Caper : The Original Soundtrack ( 1981 ) The Muppets Take Manhattan : The Original Soundtrack ( 1984 ) The Muppet Christmas Carol : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ( 1992 ) Ol ' Brown Ears is Back ( 1993 ) Muppet Beach Party ( 1993 ) Muppet Hits ( 1993 ) Muppet Hits Take 2 ( 1994 ) Kermit Unpigged ( 1994 ) The Muppet Treasure Island : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ( 1996 ) The Muppet Show : Music, Mayhem, and More ( 2002 ) Best of the Muppets featuring The Muppets ' Wizard of Oz ( 2005 ) The Muppets : A Green and Red Christmas ( 2006 ) A Muppets Christmas : Letters to Santa ( 2008 ) Muppets : The Green Album ( 2011 ) The Muppets ( 2011 ) Muppets Most Wanted ( 2014 ) Songs `` The Muppet Show Theme '' `` Rainbow Connection '' `` Bein ' Green '' `` Mahna Mahna '' `` When the River Meets the Sea '' `` Never Before, Never Again '' `` I Hope That Somethin ' Better Comes Along '' `` I 'm Going to Go Back There Someday '' `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' `` Man or Muppet '' Web series Statler and Waldorf : From the Balcony ( 2005 -- 06 ) The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora ( 2010 ) Video games Muppet Adventure : Chaos at the Carnival ( 1989 ) Muppets Inside ( 1996 ) Muppet RaceMania ( 2000 ) Muppet Monster Adventure ( 2000 ) Spy Muppets : License to Croak ( 2003 ) Muppets Party Cruise ( 2003 ) Disney Universe ( 2011 ) The Muppets Movie Adventures ( 2014 ) Other media Muppet * Vision 3D ( 1991 -- present ) Muppet Mobile Lab ( 2007 -- present ) The Muppets Present... Great Moments in American History ( 2016 -- present ) Comics series Before You Leap Puppet Heap The Jim Henson Company Creature Shop Fraggle Rock characters Sesame Workshop Sesame Street Muppets Muppets portal Films directed by James Frawley The Christian Licorice Store ( 1971 ) Kid Blue ( 1973 ) The Big Bus ( 1976 ) The Muppet Movie ( 1979 ) Fraternity Vacation ( 1985 ) Another Midnight Run ( 1994 ) On the 2nd Day of Christmas ( 1997 ) The Three Stooges ( 2000 ) ( ( Navbox name = richardPryor title = Richard Pryor state = autocollapse above = Mudbone listclass = hlist image = group1 = Albums list1 = Compilations Greatest Hits ( 1977 )... And It 's Deep Too ! ( 2000 ) The Anthology ( 1968 -- 1992 ) ( 2002 ) Evolution / Revolution : The Early Years ( 1966 -- 1974 ) ( 2005 ) No Pryor Restraint : Life In Concert ( 2013 ) Motion Pictures A Century of Cinema ( 1994 ) Adios Amigo ( 1976 ) Another You ( 1991 ) The Bingo Long Traveling All - Stars & Motor Kings ( 1976 ) Blue Collar ( 1978 ) Brewster 's Millions ( 1985 ) Bustin ' Loose ( 1981 ) The Busy Body ( 1967 ) California Suite ( 1978 ) Car Wash ( 1976 ) Carter 's Army ( 1970 ) Critical Condition ( 1987 ) Dynamite Chicken ( 1972 ) Greased Lightning ( 1977 ) Harlem Nights ( 1989 ) Hit ! ( 1973 ) In God We Tru $ t ( 1980 ) Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling ( 1986 ) Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) The Lion Roars Again ( 1975 ) Live & Smokin ' ( 1971 ) Lost Highway ( 1997 ) The Mack ( 1973 ) Mad Dog Time ( 1996 ) Moving ( 1988 ) The Phynx ( 1970 ) See No Evil, Hear No Evil ( 1989 ) Silver Streak ( 1976 ) Some Call It Loving ( 1973 ) Some Kind of Hero ( 1982 ) Stir Crazy ( 1980 ) Superman III ( 1983 ) The Three Muscatels ( 1991 ) The Toy ( 1982 ) Uncle Tom 's Fairy Tales ( 1968 ) Uptown Saturday Night ( 1974 ) Wattstax ( 1973 ) Which Way Is Up ? ( 1977 ) Wholly Moses ( 1980 ) Wild in the Streets ( 1968 ) The Wiz ( 1978 ) You 've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You 'll Lose That Beat ( 1971 ) Television The Richard Pryor Show ( 1977 ) Pryor 's Place ( 1984 ) Concert films Live & Smokin ' ( 1971 ) Live in Concert ( 1979 ) Live on the Sunset Strip ( 1982 ) Here and Now ( 1983 ) Documentaries I Ai n't Dead Yet ( 2003 ) The Funniest Man Dead or Alive ( 2005 ) Richard Pryor : Omit the Logic ( 2013 ) Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad ( 1973 ) Doc Savage : The Man of Bronze ( 1974 / 75 ) The Holes ( 1976 ) Oh, God ! ( 1977 ) Heaven Can Wait ( 1978 ) The Muppet Movie ( 1979 ) Somewhere in Time ( 1980 ) Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) The Dark Crystal ( 1982 ) Something Wicked This Way Comes ( 1983 ) Ghostbusters ( 1984 ) Ladyhawke ( 1985 ) The Boy Who Could Fly ( 1986 ) The Princess Bride ( 1987 ) Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( 1988 ) Ghost ( 1989 / 90 ) Edward Scissorhands ( 1991 ) Aladdin ( 1992 ) The Nightmare Before Christmas ( 1993 ) Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) Babe ( 1995 ) Dragonheart ( 1996 ) Austin Powers ( 1997 ) The Truman Show ( 1998 ) Being John Malkovich ( 1999 ) Frequency ( 2000 ) The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 ) The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers ( 2002 ) The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King ( 2003 ) Spider - Man 2 ( 2004 ) Batman Begins ( 2005 ) Superman Returns ( 2006 ) Enchanted ( 2007 ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008 ) Watchmen ( 2009 ) Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 ( 2011 ) Life of Pi ( 2012 ) Her ( 2013 ) The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies ( 2014 ) Cinderella ( 2015 ) The Jungle Book ( 2016 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Muppet_Movie&oldid=802525022 '' Categories : 1979 films English - language films The Muppets films American films American independent films 1970s adventure films 1970s musical films 1970s musical comedy films American children 's adventure films American musical comedy films British musical comedy films British films Films directed by James Frawley Films featuring anthropomorphic characters Films featuring puppetry Films set in Florida Films set in Georgia ( U.S. state ) Films set in Los Angeles Films set in New Mexico Films set in studio lots Films shot in Los Angeles Films shot in New Mexico American road movies 1970s road movies Self - reflexive films United States National Film Registry films ITC Entertainment films The Jim Henson Company films Walt Disney Pictures films Films about Hollywood Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from July 2013 Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Български Deutsch Español Français Italiano עברית Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Română Русский Suomi Svenska Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 26 September 2017, at 18 : 28. 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Question: when did the first muppet movie come out
Answer: June 22, 1979