Puppeteer John Henson, son of the late Jim Henson, passed away Friday after a heart attack at the age of 48.
John Henson was the youngest son of Jim Henson, the creator of the popular Muppets series, reports Variety . He performed and voiced the character of Sweetums for many years, acting in several of the Muppets movies such as Muppet Treasure Island , It's A Vert Merry Muppet Christmas Movie , and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz . John Henson was also a board member and shareholder of the Jim Henson Company .
The Henson Company released a statement on their Facebook page , saying, "It is with great sadness that we confirm that John Henson, son of Jim and Jane Henson and brother to Lisa, Cheryl, Brian and Heather, died at age 48 of a sudden massive heart attack on Friday, February 14, while at home with his daughter." Henson leaves behind two daughters and a wife. The family plans to have a private service to commemorate the life of John Henson.
His puppet character, Sweetums, is a large ogre who's rough exterior hides his sweet and gentle nature. Check out this clip from Muppets Take Manhattan that stars Henson as Sweetums.