Jim Henson would’ve turned 85 today (September 24,) and out of all of his magical creations, perhaps his most beloved was The Muppet Show.

Running from 1976-1981 for a total of 120 episodes, the classic variety show attracted a diverse group of guest stars from all over the entertainment landscape. Here are just nine incredible examples.

• Buddy Rich

  Buddy Rich, one of the greatest drummers ever, vs. Animal in a drum battle. Need we say more?

• Diana Ross

  Ms. Ross’ performance of “Love Hangover” with the addition of some of Jim Henson’s trippiest creations is simply sublime.

• Steve Martin

  Steve Martin is so goofy, he’s practically part Muppet. Plus, anytime he gets to play banjo is a good time.

• Rita Moreno

  Moreno’s performance on The Muppet Show was so great, she won an Emmy for it! Here she is trying to perform “Fever,” but Animal didn’t get the memo on making sure his drumming was subtle.

• ‘Star Wars’ Cast

  Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), C-3P0 and R2-D2 appear in this February 1980 episode of The Muppet Show, which was three months out from the highly-anticipated release of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.

• Harry Belafonte

  Harry Belafonte’s appearance featured this funny rendition of “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” with Fozzie Bear.

• Elton John

  Many cite Sir Elton’s performance of “Crocodile Rock” from this classic episode, but there’s something incredibly special about his performance of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” with the Electric Mayhem.

• Julie Andrews

  One of the series’ tenderest moments was when Andrews and Kermit performed “When You Were a Tadpole and I Was a Fish.”

• Alice Cooper

  Last, but definitely not least, is Alice Cooper, who might just be the most memorable guest The Muppet Show had in its five-season run. From interacting with all the Muppets to his performances, you could tell he was having the best time ever.

Get The MMR Insider Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

Get the good stuff sent straight to your inbox: Rock news, concert info, what's happening around town, plus exclusive contests, games, and more.

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.