The man who saved The Muppets from American network rejection
In short: In the mid-1970s, Jim Henson faced a major hurdle: American networks were rejecting his new variety project because they saw him only as a children's programmer. One man's intervention changed television history, providing the platform that allowed The Muppet Show to become a global phenomenon.
Lew Grade, a British media proprietor and former professional dancer, was the pivotal figure who championed Jim Henson's vision. When Henson sought assistance for a new variety show starring his Muppet characters, he was struggling with American networks that were hesitant to move beyond his success with Sesame Street. Grade recognized the potential of the project and allowed Henson to realize it in Britain, providing the necessary infrastructure and international distribution through his company, ITC.
The Muppet Show debuted on television in 1976 thanks to Grade's pivotal role. The series was recorded at the ATV Elstree Studios and achieved significant success, running until 1981. This partnership was a hallmark of Grade's ability to identify high-quality content that others overlooked. He also famously backed Gerry Anderson’s 'Supermarionation' series, such as Thunderbirds, where he insisted on lengthening episodes to fill one-hour slots and provided generous budgets of £22,000 per episode.
Grade's career was defined by a massive expansion of media interests. He founded the Incorporated Television Company (ITC) in 1954 and eventually became a life peer, known as Baron Grade of Elstree. His influence spanned from managing the London Palladium to acquiring the Lennon–McCartney song catalogue. However, his career also faced significant setbacks, most notably the 1980 flop 'Raise the Titanic,' which cost $36 million but returned only $8 million in rentals, eventually leading to his loss of control over his major media empire.
Despite the financial volatility of high-budget filmmaking, Grade's legacy remains tied to his role as a tastemaker. He was a survivor of the Russian Empire's pogroms, emigrating to London as a child in 1912. From a dancer whose career was cut short by knee problems to a media mogul who negotiated a record-breaking $12 million revenue for the mini-series 'Jesus of Nazareth,' Grade's trajectory illustrates the power of identifying and scaling cultural intellectual property.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Lew Grade
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