The Grapevine: Jim Henson, Elton John, Kirk and Anne Douglas

The late puppeteer Jim Henson was honored, this past weekend, in his boyhood hometown of Leland, Miss.
The Grapevine: Jim Henson, Elton John, Kirk and Anne Douglas
9/26/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015

Jim Henson Remembered in Hometown

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/cropKermitTheFrog83675183.jpg" alt="Kermit the Frog (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)" title="Kermit the Frog (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)" width="150" class="size-medium wp-image-1797238"/></a>
Kermit the Frog (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
The late puppeteer Jim Henson, best remembered for his Sesame Street and Muppets characters, was honored this past weekend in his boyhood hometown of Leland, Miss., according to The Hollywood Reporter, on what would have been his 75th birthday.

The town has renamed one of its bridges “The Rainbow Connection,” after Henson’s 1979 film and has painted it ‘Kermit’ green. A celebration for the event took place Saturday, which also marked the 20th anniversary of the Jim Henson Museum, which features honors to Kermit the Frog, Muppet memorabilia, and photos from Henson’s family album. Henson died in 1990 at the age of 53.

Elton John Biopic in the Works

Sir Elton John, 64, is working with a team to bring his own story to the big screen in a biopic titled Rocketman, according to a report from Entertainment Weekly. The story is said to chronicle the entertainer’s ups and downs regarding his life and career, which will all be set to musical sequences. The script is completed, and the team is searching for a director and lead actors to play Elton at different ages.

Kirk and Anne Douglas Honored in California

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/KirkAnneDouglas93406714.jpg" alt="Kirk, Anne Douglas (Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images)" title="Kirk, Anne Douglas (Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images)" width="200" class="size-medium wp-image-1797240"/></a>
Kirk, Anne Douglas (Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images)
Iconic actor Kirk Douglas, 94, and his wife Anne were honored in Beverly Hills, Calif., last week by the Los Angeles Mission during its 75th Anniversary celebration, according to LookToTheStars.org. The event marked the first “Anne Douglas Center for Women Award,” recognizing the couple’s work supporting the mission’s women’s center.

The black-tie evening included a gourmet dinner that was prepared in collaboration with the chefs of the Four Seasons Hotel and the Los Angeles Mission. Entertainment for the affair was provided by musical talents Ben Vereen, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Debby Boone, and Deniece Williams. Master of Ceremonies for the event was Byron Allen.

The Los Angeles Mission was established in 1936 and is a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, and long-term residential women’s rehabilitation center.


Compiled by Michele Goncalves