Jim Henson worked in an industry.
James Maury `` Jim '' Henson ( September 24 , 1936 -- May 16 , 1990 ) was an American puppeteer , artist , cartoonist , inventor , screenwriter , film director and producer who achieved international fame as the creator of the Muppets . Feeling the need for more creative output , Henson founded Muppets Inc. in 1958 ( which would later become the Jim Henson Company ) . Henson died of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome on May 16 , 1990 , at age 53 , twenty hours after experiencing a medical emergency -- an unexpected event that was widely lamented in the film and television industries .