Jim Henson was a puppeteer on The Muppet Show .
James Maury `` Jim `` Henson -LRB- September 24 , 1936 -- May 16 , 1990 -RRB- was an American puppeteer , artist , cartoonist , inventor , screenwriter , film director and producer who achieved international fame as the creator of the Muppets .
Jim Henson