History Literature / AHippieInTheHouseOfMouse

*** Unfortunately, this timeline's equivalent of ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' is pushed up by overconfident Disney execs and gets eaten alive at the box office in '82, only finding its audience after the home video release -- mirroring what happened with ''Film/{{TRON}}'' IOTL. ''TRON'', for its part, is saved ITTL by opening around Christmas of 1982, when ''E.T.'' is not dominating the box office to quite the same degree.

** In a complicated series of deals, Disney Studios buys Marvel Comics about 20 years earlier than in our timeline, and Marvel buys TSR, Inc. -- meaning that Disney now owns and publishes ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', and Creator/GaryGygax has a seat on the board at Marvel right next to Creator/StanLee.

Most people are aware of the fact that, towards the end of his life, Creator/JimHenson had made an attempt in the late Eighties to get Disney to purchase The Muppets[[note]]barring ''Series/SesameStreet''[[/note]] in order to have more freedom to pursue his own projects. At the same time, he was struggling with projects that either [[Film/TheDarkCrystal underperformed]] or [[Series/TheJimHensonHour flopped outright]], before ultimately dying in 1990 from a disease that he was too busy to properly notice. [[WhatIf But what if he decided to get his foot in the door earlier?]]

** In our timeline, Creator/TimBurton left Disney in 1984 after a short film he made (the original version of ''WesternAnimation/{{Frankenweenie}}'') was canned by the board for being too scary for children; he was then tapped by another studio to direct ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', with results we all now know. In the Henson timeline, Tim remains at Disney and becomes one of their rising stars, providing concept art for ''The Black Cauldron'' and directing a short-film version of ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''.

** As creative director, Jim is invited to the opening of Tokyo Disneyland. While vacationing in Japan, he rediscovers ''bunraku'' puppetry... and is exposed to Japanese animation for the first time, which leads in the end to Disney cutting a distribution deal with Creator/HayaoMiyazaki much earlier than IOTL. Disney becomes an early supporter of Creator/StudioGhibli, dubbing and releasing ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'' in 1985 and ''Anime/CastleInTheSky'' the next year.

*** Unfortunately, this timeline's equivalent of ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' is pushed up by overconfident Disney execs and gets eaten alive at the box office in '82, only finding its audience after the home video release -- mirroring what happened with ''Film/{{TRON}}'' IOTL.

** Brian Henson interns at Imagineering. As a result, the Figment, from Journey to Imagination, is that much more ambulatory, and there's a walk-around/meet-and-greet version roaming around Future World in the 1980s.
** One of the Sponsors of the Imagination Pavilion is Commodore.

** Production and post-production on ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' is delayed six months, meaning it opens up after hype for ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' has died down. This makes it a minor hit rather than the flop it was IOTL. Unfortunately, this timeline's equivalent of ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' gets pushed ''up'' by overconfident Disney execs and gets eaten alive at the box office, only finding its audience after the home video release -- mirroring what happened with ''Film/{{TRON}}'' IOTL.

[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/a-hippie-in-the-house-of-mouse-jim-henson-at-disney-1980.489210/ A Hippie in the House of Mouse (Jim Henson at Disney, 1980)]] is thread and timeline on Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom by Geekhis Khan, with the PointOfDivergence occuring in late 1979, when Jim Henson and his business manager Bernie Brillstein raise sufficient money to buy roughly 10% of Disney common stock, gaining seats on the Board of Directors for himself and his legal adviser Al Gottesman. The changes from reality pile up from there.

** After the successful release of the ''Film/{{TRON}}'' arcade game (which also happened IOTL), Jim develops a newfound interest in video games -- and winds up working with Creator/Nintendo's Creator/GunpeiYokoi and Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto on an arcade adaptation of ''Film/TheDarkCrystal''.

** Production and post-production on ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' is delayed six months, meaning it opens up after hype for ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' has died down. This makes it a minor hit rather than the flop it was IOTL. Unfortunately, this timeline's equivalent of ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' gets pushed ''up'' by overconfident Disney execs and gets eaten alive at the box office, only finding its audience after the home video release -- mirroring what happened with ''Film/{{Tron}}'' IOTL.

[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/a-hippie-in-the-house-of-mouse-jim-henson-at-disney-1980.489210/ A Hippie in the House of Mouse (Jim Henson at Disney, 1980)]] is thread and timeline on Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom by Geekhis Khan, with the PointOfDivergence occuring in late 1979, when Jim Henson and Company raise sufficient money to buy roughly 10% of Disney common stock, gaining himself places on the Board of Directors for himself and his business manager, Bernie Brillstein. The changes from reality pile up from there.

* ScrapbookStory: The chosen format for the thread. Book excerpts, video transcripts, and forum posts are all used to assemble the plot.

-->'''Caroline Ahamson''': [[spoiler: Gentlemen, isn’t it obvious? There’s a company that’s a perfect fit. They have existing IP that’s a seamless match for Disney’s brand. We’ve even been working with them for years now: Henson Associates.]]

** Production and post-production on ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' is delayed six months, meaning it opens up after hype for ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' has died down. This makes it a minor hit rather than the flop it was OTL. Unfortunately, this timeline's equivalent of ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' gets pushed ''up'' by overconfident Disney execs and gets eaten alive at the box office, only finding its audience after the home video release.

[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/a-hippie-in-the-house-of-mouse-jim-henson-at-disney-1980.489210/ A Hippie in the House of Mouse (Jim Henson at Disney, 1980)]] is thread and timeline on Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom by Geekis Khan, with the PointOfDivergence occuring in late 1979, when Jim Henson and Company raise sufficient money to buy roughly 10% of Disney Common stock, gaining himself places on the Board of Directors for himself and his business manager, Bernie Brillstein. The changes from reality pile up from there.

In late July, 1979, Jim Henson was struggling to get ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' off the ground, with no film studio having any desirable interest in picking up the [[PlayingAgainstType decidedly un-Kermit-like pitch]]. At the same time, Disney was struggling to remain afloat, with the death of Creator/WaltDisney almost an entire decade prior effectively making the company a chicken with the head cut off: flailing around with no clear direction. And had it not been for [[ForWantOfANail a wayward thought crossing Jim's mind while having drinks with his manager]], these paths wouldn't cross for several more years.

** [[invoked]] ''The'' nail occurs while Jim and Bernie are having drinks following another failed attempt on Jim's part to successfully pitch ''Film/TheDarkCrystal''. Bernie had attempted to talk Jim into proposing [[OneForTheMoneyOneForTheArt a two-film deal]] with Lord Lew: [[Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper a sequel]] to ''Film/TheMuppetMovie'' in exchange for ''Film/TheDarkCrystal''. But then, without thinking, Bernie mentioned that the only real way Jim would be able to get his vision made on his own terms was to have his own movie studio...
--->"I know, Jim," I said. "Hollywood is hell. Unless you own the studio, your vision is at the whim of some asshole with an MBA more concerned with returns than with making magic." I ordered another round and we went back to small talk. I began to put the whole thing behind me.
--->Apparently, he didn't. About half an hour later he said, "Bernie, do you think I could buy Disney?"

** Production and post-production on ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' is delayed six months, meaning it opens up after hype for ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' has died down. This makes it a minor hit rather than the flop it was OTL.

* NoJustNoReaction: Just like IOTL, Disney wasn't interested in [[spoiler:picking up ''Film/BackToTheFuture'']] because of [[spoiler:the "incest subplot" concerning Marty's mom falling in love with him]]. ''Unlike'' IOTL, however, Jim and Bernie vouching for it winds up leading to it getting greenlit for the Fantasia Films label[[note]]which he and Jim founded along with Ron Miller, "specifically as a place to distribute and showcase outside talent like [[spoiler:''Film/TimeBandits'']]"[[/note]].

* NoJustNoReaction: Just like IOTL, Disney wasn't interested in [[spoiler:picking up ''Film/BackToTheFuture'']] because of [[spoiler:the "incest subplot" concerning Marty's mom falling in love with him]]. ''Unlike'' IOTL, however, Jim and Bernie vouching for it winds up leading to it getting greenlit for the Fantasia Films label[[note]]which he and Jim founded along with Ron Miller, "specifically as a place to distribute and showcase outside talent like [[spoiler:''Film/Time Bandits'']]"[[/note]].

In late July, 1979, Jim Henson was struggling to get ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' off the ground, with no film studio having any desirable interest in picking up the [[PlayingAgainstType decidedly un-Kermit-like pitch]]. At the same time, Disney was struggling to remain afloat, the death of Creator/WaltDisney almost an entire decade prior effectively making the company a chicken with the head cut off: flailing around with no clear direction. And had it not been for [[ForWantOfANail a wayward thought crossing Jim's mind while having drinks with his manager]], these paths wouldn't cross for several more years.

** It's purely because of Jim vouching for the two of them that Disney decides to pick up two certain movies that were pitched to them (which they chose not to IOTL): [[spoiler:''Film/Ghostbusters1984'' and ''Film/BackToTheFuture'']].

''I felt like I’d just handed Don Quixote his spurs, or Captain Ahab his harpoon. And I thought to myself “Bernie, you putz, you’re in it now.” And with that I consigned myself to weeks of pouring through accounting books, consulting lawyers, calling in favors, twisting nuts, and setting up Hollywood lunches. All to answer the simple question: “how does a frog swallow a mouse a hundred times his size?”''
From ''Where Did I Go Right?'', by Bernie Brillstein. (InUniverse)

Imagine a scenario where the Muppets gained an association with Disney twenty-five years early. Now imagine the possible events that could have made it possible.

In July 1979, Creator/JimHenson feels that time is running out. Henson Associates is doing well, but it's still not bringing him quite the fortune and fame he was hoping for, and he's fearing that the industry will relegate him to niche status. Discovering that the current Walt Disney Company is currently undervalued by Wall Street, Jim puts together a business plan with a daring goal: Join the Disney board of directors.


[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/a-hippie-in-the-house-of-mouse-jim-henson-at-disney-1980.489210/ A Hippie in the House of Mouse {Jim Henson at Disney, 1980}]] is thread and timeline on Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom by Geekis Khan. The Point of Divergence from recorded history happens in late 1979, when Jim Henson and Company raise sufficient money to buy roughly 10% of Disney Common stock, gaining himself places on the Board of Directors for himself and his business manager, Bernie Brillstein. The changes from reality pile up from there.

This timeline features the following tropes:

* ForWantOfANail: Brian Henson interns at Imagineering. As a result, the Figment, from Journey to Imagination, is that much more ambulatory, and there's a walk-around/meet-and-greet version roaming around Future World in the 1980s.
** One of the Sponsors of the Imagination Pavilion is Commodore...
** production and post-production on ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' is delayed six months, meaning it opens up after hype for ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' has died down. This makes it a minor hit rather than the flop it was OTL.

[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/a-hippie-in-the-house-of-mouse-jim-henson-at-disney-1980.489210/ A Hippie in the House of Mouse {Jim Henson at Disney, 1980}]] is thread and timeline on Website/AlternateHistory.Com by Geekis Khan. The Point of Divergence from recorded history happens in late 1979, when Jim Henson and Company raise sufficient money to buy roughly 10% of Disney Common stock, gaining himself places on the Board of Directors for himself and his business manager, Bernie Brillstein. The changes from reality pile up from there.

* One of the Sponsors of the Imagination Pavilion is Commodore...

* production and post-production on ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' is delayed six months, meaning it opens up after hype for ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' has died down. This makes it a minor hit rather than the flop it was OTL.