Henson closes NY office

guysmiley4ever

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this NY office closing has me slightly confused...what does that mean for sending Fan Mail? is that still the same place or something different?

sigh, I always had a dream of going to NY to see the Henson sites, CA is long away.
 

dmx10101

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Mark Filton said:
DmX are you trying to be a wise guy or something :sleep:

Try harder :boo:
Uh, no wise guy here. Just saying I have no comment on the matter, that's all.
 

Luke

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Mark Filton said:
You're trying to talk down to me like a little kid and (pretending quote) "Oh, don't be upset, there are so many buildings all over the world, nice things happened everywhere, but it's time to move on."

The NYC building was bought in 1977, right? So it's been owned by therm for over 25 years. You and I both know that OWNING is different from hanging out in Canada or London in someone's studio to make Fraggle Rock or the Muppet Show. Come on, I know the difference :stick_out_tongue:
Apparently you don't. Henson do OWN their offices and puppet workshop in London - it's called the Creature Shop in Camden. They got it around 25 years ago and Jim probably did as much creative Muppet work there than New York because it was their base throughout the TMS years. He also owned his own home there and yes, the studios were rented but they are some pretty historic studios - TMS stuff is still displayed there today. What i'm saying is that if this is all about the 'Muppet Magic' myth - that this building is the centre of all that was special then it's actually untrue and a lot of places were equally important. While some creative stuff did go on there about 80% of the time it has been used for all the boring admin, aside puppet building in the workshop of course. It's probably been a more important building for Sesame Street in recent years - Jim didn't simply hang out at the other places, he lived there for years. You think selling again with the Townhouse included as real estate is a good option, it isn't. One of the reasons lots of companies were put off buying Henson was that they didn't want to take on all the real estate Henson owned, and the bloated staff and ways of doing things. Media companies aren't interested in real estate - they want the character rights and the programmes.

Mark Filton said:
THen you are changing the subject a bit. Did Jim try to sell to Disney? Yes. I have no problem with that. He was trying to do that so all his characters wouldn't get scattered and weak and lost...which is what is happening now, so I AGREE with you on that one :zany:
I'm not changing the subject at all. I used an example from Jim's past to demonstrate what is going on here. Yes, Jim tried to sell to Disney to make the brand stronger and that is exactly the same here. The Jim Henson Company could do with some cash to put back into their funds which have been in need of help for a long time and maybe this move will make the company stronger in lots of ways for the future. It amazed me the kids even bought back the company and we know they only did so to prevent it being ripped apart by a smaller company just interested in certain things. Perhaps they did it with the foresight that they will be able to sell again at a good price in the future but right now I don't think it is fair to expect they fund the company by yet another $13 or so million dollars which is what the company would need (remember EMTV took all their cash assets in the buyback) without this sale. Especially when it makes no actual business sense for them to keep the place on whatsoever right now and it'd just be an empty shell. Maybe the actual family could afford to keep it for sentimental reasons but it's their choice and they have decided not to whether in your opinion you think they will regret it later or not.

It is a great idea for a fan to take a video camera in there and do a walkaround video to be archived on the MC website. If anybody has good quality equipment and can get to New York then contact Phillip and maybe he can arrange some access with Henson. I couldn't see the PR or Archive people turning down a request like that.
 

Mark Filton

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Hey guys this is only the beginning...I have to answer all your letter, but for right now I give you this


New York State Of Mind Lyrics
Artist(Band):Billy Joel
(Print the Lyrics)

Sing along with the song in your mind, please

:sing: :cool:

Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I'm taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I'm in a New York state of mind

I've seen all the movie stars
In their fancy cars and their limousines
Been high in the Rockies under the evergreens
But I know what I'm needing
And I don't want to waste more time
I'm in a New York state of mind

It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and blues
But now I need a little give and take
The New York Times, The Daily News

It comes down to reality
And it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide
Don't care if it's Chinatown or on Riverside
I don't have any reasons
I've left them all behind
I'm in a New York state of mind

I'm just taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line
'Cause I'm in a New York state of mind

:sing: :cool:

Yes, A NEW YORK state of mind!!!

There is a feel for that city. Jim went from a dreamer to the big time in New York. The GREATEST city in the world as David Letterman says! The shining place of our country! THE STATUE OF LIBERTY :attitude: My love of a great American man is Jim Henson, his place of hard work and fun, where he added things to the building and decorated it everywhere. Where the stained glass tribute to him is in the window. A living tribute to a great man, in a city that was hurt by ROTTEN TERRORISTS!

NEVER should a place of a great man allowed to be sold. New York has a special feel. What is the interest rate of even 1,000,000.00 per year? Keep it please
 

WiGgY

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As Luke said, it's their building. You are taking this WAY too seriously. It's sad, yes, but it is not the end of the world. If they still owned Sesame Street I could see why they would need to stay in New York, but they don't own it. Nothing is going on in New York for them anymore. Let's face it, they aren't doing the amount of work the use to do. It makes miore sense to concentrate their resources in one place.

As a New Yorker, there was always something about the idea of the town house being the center of the JHC that I liked. I guess I just liked the fact that they were here. But they can't stay anymore. How do you know they don't NEED to sell? Maybe they really do need that 20 million. Maybe that 20 million is going into a HUGE muppet production to kick off the 50th anniversary. Maybe they can use that 20 million to buy back Sesame Street. I don't know, but I'm sure they have their reasons to sell.
 

Fozzie Bear

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Ooh! Buy back SS Muppets! YES!! Then, we might get to see cross-overs again; and maybe even movie cameos! YES!! YESS!!!
 

Luke

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I doubt Sesame Workshop would EVER part with those rights for any amount unless they needed it real bad - it was quite a coup them getting those while Henson was in a tricky position and the family out of the decision loop. Maybe Sesame Workshop could buy the Townhouse and move there ?
 

Ol' Buddy Bert

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Luke said:
Maybe Sesame Workshop could buy the Townhouse and move there ?
I doubt that as well. Caroll Spinney mentioned during his book tour that the Sesame Workshop was extremely out of pocket after they bought the rights to the SS characters.
 

BoyRaisin2

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Well, they must have had enough cash to bankroll a bid with Classic Media to buy Henson back in the spring. But by then, thank goodness, the Henson family came into the picture.
 

SarahFraggle

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Artwork of the workshop

I really hope they don't do anything to the mural of the theater or the stained glass with Mr. Henson and Mr. Oz. :mad: That Mural is the most beautiful thing I've seen, so wonderfully done. :excited: I would die if something happened to either of those things. :cry:
 
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