David Lazer, Longtime Muppet Producer and Jim Henson Collaborator, Has Passed Away
David Lazer, a longtime collaborator of Jim Henson who helped bring some business sense to Henson Associates, has passed away at the age of 89.
Born January 23, 1936, Lazer’s career began in business. As an executive at IBM, Lazer hired Jim Henson and his Muppets to star in a series of short films for a sales meeting in 1965,
Seeing the potential in Henson and his motley troupe, Lazer would join Henson Associates (later renamed the Jim Henson Company) a decade later.
Photo: Tumblr
“What David brought to the company was class,” Brian Henson remembered. “Even my dad would say you couldn’t call Muppets Inc. classy. Up until then, it was a bunch of beatniks making weird stuff.”
A Driving Force Behind The Muppets
Eventually, Lazer would serve as an executive producer on The Muppet Show, helping oversee production, and perhaps more importantly, serving as a liaison for guest stars.
David Lazer (left) receiving an Emmy for The Muppet Show
His other credits included The Muppet Movie, The Great Mupet Caper, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.
President of Henson Associates
Following Jim Henson’s death in 1990, Lazer served as acting president of Henson Associates.
“David sort-of came and lived with us for a while there just to help figure it all out. I’d say that David Lazer was probably the biggest influence, through that period, to help figure out how we were going to go forward,” Brian Henson recalled.
Photo: Muppets Wiki
When Brian Henson assumed the presidency of The Jim Henson Company in 1991, Lazer stayed on as vice president. He finally retired in 1994.
Lazer Passed Away Last Month
Lazer’s likeness inspired the creation of a Muppet look-alike who appeared in numerous productions. Sporting curly hair, bushy eyebrows, and a tailored, tan suit, the Muppet was a good-hearted spoof of the Henson executive.
Photo: Muppets Wiki
David Lazer passed away on April 10 at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 89.
He will be remembered not only by his family and friends but also by millions of Muppet fans around the world for the joy he helped bring.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below. One of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond-level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, Thanks for reading!
