Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas + Book Signing

Dir. Jim Henson. 1977, 60 mins. (plus additional clips). Digital projection. With Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, Marilyn Sokol. Written by Jerry Juhl, Featuring original songs by Paul Williams. As we continue our celebration of the 70th anniversary of the beginning of Jim Henson’s professional career, we screen one of Henson’s most beloved television specials, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, written by his longtime collaborator Jerry Juhl with a score by the incomparable Paul Williams. The classic production, based on the book by Russell and Lillian Hoban, tells the story of Ma Otter and her son Emmet, who both secretly enter a talent contest to win money for each other’s Christmas presents. Since 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of Sam and Friends, the first project Henson and Juhl worked on together, author and Jim Henson Legacy President Craig Shemin will present rare clips from that historic program, and discuss his second book about the show, The Sam and Friends Script Book. Part of Jim Henson’s World and Jim Henson’s World for the Holidays.

Introduced by Craig Shemin, President of the Jim Henson Legacy, followed by a book signing of Shemin’s The Sam and Friends Script Book on Saturday, November 29.