The Jim Henson Company Launches Popular Collectible Toys as Animated
Character Property
Exclusive Premiere on Yahoo! Kids
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jim Henson Company has
acquired the rights to The Skrumps, the quirky artist-driven vinyl toys
created by John Chandler and made popular by his line of collectible
figures and illustrated storybooks. The Company plans to launch the
property across all media including on-line content and television
productions as well as ancillary platforms including merchandising and
publishing. The announcement was made today by Lisa Henson, co-CEO of The
Jim Henson Company.
The Skrumps, a uniquely colorful troupe of Skrumpland residents, have
been in active development as part of the company's slate of animated
television projects. The characters have been developed with puppeteers and
performed using the Henson Digital Performance Studio, the Company's
proprietary animation system that allows CG characters to be performed by
puppeteers in real-time. A music video and additional web content has also
been created. Beginning today, audiences can meet The Skrumps, send
e-cards, download coloring pages and see the world premiere of their rock
video, directed by Brian Henson, exclusively at Yahoo! Kids
(http://www.yahookids.com) for a limited time.
The Company has included existing characters like drummer Skrumpy and
has also extended the Skrumps family with new characters like lead singer
Wishbone and his lovelorn groupie Raisins. Brian Henson, Lisa Henson, John
Chandler and Craig Bartlett ("Hey, Arnold!") will executive produce and
Bartlett will also be a writer on the project.
Lisa Henson said, "The Skrumps have a great new look that is very
striking. Each character has its own quirky personality with a rich
background and they all share strong relationships that feel quite real. In
this way, The Skrumps demonstrate the very same qualities that have defined
our company's strongest character groups. We are excited to realize these
characters and introduce the world to Skrumpland."
John Chandler said, "When you create something like The Skrumps, you
hope that people will see them in the same light as other beloved
characters in popular culture. I couldn't be more pleased to see that The
Skrumps have found a home at The Jim Henson Company."
About the Skrumps
* Wishbone (to see Wishbone's blog, visit http://www.yahookids.com) Wishbone
is a dreamer, an optimist, a stargazer and a believer whose dream is to
become a famous rock star with millions of adoring fans. He is the lead
singer and guitarist of the band Grumblebelly with his best buddy Skrumpy
and just squeezes by on the money he makes doing odd jobs. From the
outside, it looks like Wishbone really has it all together, but on the
inside he is always questioning the meaning of his life, searching for the
answers and wondering what is beyond the next horizon.
* Skrumpy (to meet Skrumpy's blog, visit http://www.yahookids.com) Skrumpy is
Wishbone's roommate and enjoys a cozy life under the wing of his
charismatic buddy. Always feisty and ready for action, Skrumpy is ready to
accompany Wishbone on his many adventures in life. He is a hard core rocker
who drums in Wishbone's band and accepts no creative compromise. He is very
loyal to Wishbone and willing to put up with any sort of adversity that may
come their way. If Wishbone finds himself in a pickle, Skrumpy is always
there to help. They are the perfect team.
* Raisins (to meet Raisins' blog, visit http://www.yahookids.com) Her name
says it all. Raisins doesn't generate excitement; she is smart, sensible
and helpful. She has a huge crush on Wishbone and is a bit of a tomboy,
always wanting to tag along on Wishbone's many adventures. Her talents tend
to go utterly unrecognized, but deep down inside, Wishbone knows that he
would be lost without her.
About The Jim Henson Company ...
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family
entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator
in puppetry, animatronics and computer graphics. Best known as creators of
the world famous Muppets (the rights to which are now owned by The Walt
Disney Company), Henson is the recipient of over 50 Emmy Awards and nine
Grammy Awards. Credits include the Saturn Award-winning "Farscape" and the
features "MirrorMask", "Five Children and It" and "Good Boy!" With
additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is
headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot complete
with soundstage and post-production facilities. The Company is also home to
Jim Henson's Creature Shop, a pre-eminent character-building and visual
effects group with international film, television and advertising clients,
as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top
recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state of the art
and vintage equipment. The Company recently launched "The Jim Henson
Company's Puppet Up! - Uncensored", a live puppet improvisational show that
has played to sold out crowds in Aspen, Hollywood and Edinburgh and
premiered as a special on TBS. The Company also announced the creation of
Jim Henson Designs, a merchandise collection inspired by Jim Henson's
earliest sketches. The Jim Henson Company's website is located at:
http://www.henson.com
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