Jerry Juhl Jerome Ravn Juhl ( July 27 , 1938 - September 26 , 2005 ) was the head writer for the Muppets and " Fraggle Rock " for nearly four decades . He played a key role in developing the personalities of many of the best known Muppet characters , and scripted five Muppet movies . Early Years . Born in St . Paul , Minnesota , Juhl began his puppetry career as a young man , building puppets and putting on shows in such venues as the St . Paul Children ' s Library at the age of 11 . Three years later , his family moved to Menlo Park , California . He continued puppeteering , and in 1955 , while still in high school , founded the Menlo Marionettes troupe , who performed in schools and parks around the region . Juhl subsequently worked with the Oakland Recreation Department ' s " Vagabond Puppeteers , " where he first met and befriended Frank Oz . He attended San Jose State College , where he would receive an Associate Bachelor ' s degree in speech and drama , and also met his future wife , Susan , the daughter of the mayor . While at college , Juhl worked on a local television program , " Sylvie and Pup " , which debuted on KNTV in 1958 . With Sylvia Cirone , he developed the concept for a stage presentation , and then adapted it for television with Producer - Director Mel Swope . Jerry also designed and performed the puppet , Pup , and built all other characters and props . In 1961 , Jerry Juhl performed his original script , " The Witch Who Stole Thursday " , at the Puppeteers of America National Festival , Asilomar CA , along with Frank Oz and another puppeteer . Jim Henson saw the performance and was impressed with Juhl and Oz . Henson hired Juhl to work for his fledgling company , which at the time was being run out of the basement of his and his wife Jane ' s home in Maryland . He began as a puppeteer , filling in for Jane Henson on the final season of " Sam and Friends " . Juhl moved with the Hensons to New York , working as a puppeteer and beginning to branch out as a writer . In 1963 , the future Susan Juhl came to visit her old college friend in New York , and then again in Washington DC , and they began dating ( and would wed shortly thereafter ) . While his wife worked as one of Jim Henson ' s secretaries , Jerry Juhl performed on some of the Muppets ' variety show guest spots , but moved away from puppeteering as they went on : Juhl ' s most notable contribution as a puppeteer was performing Taminella Grinderfall , who debuted in the " Tales of the Tinkerdee " and went on to appear in the " Shrinkel and Stretchel " industrial film and " The Muppets on Puppets " television special . Juhl reprised the role years later , providing the voice only , in " The Frog Prince " . From Puppetry to Writing . Eventually , Juhl discovered his true forte was writing . Although he became a freelance television writer in 1968 , working mostly for PBS , he continued to write for numerous Muppet productions , and would do so for the next thirty years , limiting any future outside writing : Projects ranged from industrial films ( Muppet Meeting Films ) to special proposals ( " Johnny Carson and the Muppet Machine " ) to the non - Muppet experimental drama " The Cube " . He wrote scripts for television specials , including " The Great Santa Claus Switch " , and penned both book and lyrics for " The Frog Prince " and " The Muppet Musicians of Bremen " . He wrote for " Sesame Street " , creating Grover ' s alter - ego Super Grover and writing song lyrics and special linking material for , as well as contributing to " The Sesame Street Storybook " and " The Sesame Street Library " . After penning the pilot special " The Muppets Valentine Show " , Juhl joined the writing staff of " The Muppet Show " in 1976 , and replaced Jack Burns as head writer starting with season 2 . He joked , " The guest stars posed problems because it was the first time I had to write for feet ! " Juhl remained as head writer through the show ' s final season . Following the end of that series , Juhl became head writer for the entire run of " Fraggle Rock " . Outside of television , he wrote or co - wrote five of the six Muppet theatrical movies : " The Muppet Movie " , " The Great Muppet Caper " , " The Muppet Christmas Carol " , " Muppet Treasure Island " , and " Muppets from Space " . Speaking jokingly of his work on " Treasure Island " , Juhl summarized the collaborative process as follows : After retiring from writing , Juhl continued to make appearances at special screenings of Muppet film work in N . Y . and L . A . For his final addition to the Muppet legacy , Juhl contributed many of the trivia facts that appear on the Season 1 DVD ' s for " The Muppet Show " , released in August of 2005 . Juhl died of cancer on September 26 , 2005 . Fans on the Tough Pigs message board have decided that September 26th should be celebrated as Jerry Juhl Day - - a day to do honor Juhl ' s memory by doing silly things . At the 22nd Annual KidFilm Festival in January 2006 , Dave Goelz spoke of Juhl : External links . _ _ NOWYSIWYG _ _