STATLER: Waldorf, you old fool! We're heroes! We saved the pig and the frog. WALDORF: Well, it was too late to save the movie.

"I just love the characters who are just there. They don’t have any lines, they just contribute to the atmosphere. And they’re all rodents for some reason." Happy Birthday, Steve Whitmire!

"When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there." #HappyBirthdayJim

"Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It's a good life, enjoy it." #HappyBirthdayJim

"The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from more than what you tell them. They don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are." #HappyBirthdayJim

"I've always tried to present a positive view of the world in my work. It's so much easier to be negative and cynical and predict doom for the world than it is to try and figure out how to make things better. We have an obligation to do the latter." #HappyBirthdayJim

"I know that it's easier to portray a world that's filled with cynicism and anger... What's a whole lot tougher is to offer alternatives, to present other ways conflicts can be resolved, and to show that you can have a positive impact on your world." #HappyBirthdayJim

"There's great value in being able to step back and laugh at yourself, at life and at attitudes. Laughter helps you put everything into perspective." #HappyBirthdayJim

"I know I drive some people crazy with what seems like ridiculous optimism, but it has always worked for me." #HappyBirthdayJim

"Life is meant to be fun, and joyous, and fulfilling." #HappyBirthdayJim

ELMO: How was your New Year celebration? MOISHE OOFNIK: Ah, terrible. Too much happiness and sweetness. Just telling you about it makes me sick. Happy Rosh Hashanah, Muppet fans!

RIZZO: Oh, wait a minute. Hosted by us? That's ridiculous. Gonzo, you and me hosting a show. Nobody's going to go for that. GONZO: But we go on the air in one minute. RIZZO: Well, what are we waiting for? We got a show to host! I'll go get the tuxedos.

"I think the subliminal message of ["The Magic Store"] is that you’re special and you can do all the things that we’ve done. I think that was Jim’s message. I think Jim’s message was not that I’m special, but that you’re special." Happy Birthday, Paul Williams!

"I love sharing the Henson work with people. That’s one of the most exciting parts of what I do now... There is so much great stuff that doesn’t get seen, that is either not available publicly, or people just don’t know about it." Happy Birthday, Craig Shemin!

CLIFFORD: We'll take care of this, chief. POLICE CHIEF: Oh, good, 'cause I wanna get over to Donut World before they run out of those cream-filled Betty cakes.

ROBIN THE FROG: Can we stay here while we work on our next merit badge? STATLER: Merit badge in what? ROBIN THE FROG: Grumpiness.

KERMIT: Uh, Beverly, I'm terribly sorry. Listen, you don't have to sing country music or tap-dance or anything. BEVERLY SILLS: Don't stop me now, honey, I'm just getting the hang of it.

"Instead of going for my final year of college, I started on Sesame Street, which was an education in itself.... And at that time, this was pretty much like the puppet show on television, especially here in New York. So that was quite an education." Happy Birthday, Noel MacNeal!

KERMIT: Now, listen. Uh, later on, Liberace is doing an entire concert for us, so I'd like some dignity on the show. ANIMAL: Dignity! Dignity! Dignity!

KERMIT: You hear me, New York? We're gonna be on Broadway! Because... Because I'm not givin' up! I'm still here and I'm stayin'! You hear that, New York? I'm stayin' here! The frog is stayin'! We love New York, today and every day.

(On performing Big Bird in The Muppet Movie finale) "At the wrap party, the shop foreman asked me if I was aware of the politics... He told me Kermit Love had threatened not to send “The Bird” for the finale unless I performed him. I had no idea." Happy Birthday, Michael Earl!

STATLER: The question is, what is a "Mahna Mahna?" WALDORF: The question is, who cares?

GONZO: She's beautiful! And, and she's got this cute little nose. And she's intelligent, and talented. And I'm very happy. So you see, breaking up with you isn't painful at all. MISS PIGGY: Not until now! HI-YAH!

HILDA: It's everything that you ordered. There is roast chicken, and salad, and French bread. CHARLES AZNAVOUR: But, Hilda, this is not French bread. BREAD: Voyons, cheri, mais j'ai l'accent Francais. AZNAVOUR: Of course, I could be wrong.

WALDORF: Oh, doesn’t that look beautiful? STATLER: Yeah… too bad they’re gonna spoil it with a pig.

BEAUREGARD: Are you sure you really need all this luggage? I mean, you don't have to dress for the alligators, you know. MISS PIGGY: Alligators? Are we going to see alligators? ALLIGATOR: Only if you're really really lucky!

MOKEY: ♫ I'd like to tell the story Of what my work is for A tale of toil and gathering and radishes, and more! ♫ RED: ♫ But don't forget my mighty job The lonely tough routine: I dive and crash and swim and splash To keep the water clean! ♫ Happy Labor Day, Muppet fans!

GONZO: Scooter! Scooter! There’s a telephone call for you. It’s urgent. SCOOTER: Oh, thanks! GONZO: Yeah, yeah... I got him. We don't have a telephone!

MOOKIE WILSON: Count, tell me: where did you learn to play ball? COUNT VON COUNT: Oh, I used to play it when I was a little nipper in the old country. Of course then, we used to play with real bats!

MR. SNUFFLEUPAGUS: Oh dear, I missed it. I'll never hit that ball! KEITH HERNANDEZ: Snuff, sure you will. You just had your eyes closed. You gotta keep your eyes open when you try to hit. MR. SNUFFLEUPAGUS: Oh, keep my eyes open! What a great inside tip!

BIG BIRD: It's Ron Darling of the New York Mets! Gosh, maybe if I'm really lucky, he'll show me how to pitch a fastball. RON DARLING: Would you like to see my fastball, Big Bird? BIG BIRD: Whoa! I really am lucky!

ROB RIGGLE: I need your help. MISS PIGGY: You need a licensed therapist.

DR. TEETH: I don’t trust anything with no buttons. JANICE: Like, even we have belly buttons. Mine’s an innie. ZOOT: I got both kinds. In and out.

STATLER: Oh, Jaye P. Morgan is terrific. WALDORF: Yep, but that number was for the birds. STATLER: You had to do that joke, huh? WALDORF: One of us had to and I lost the toss.

"My favorite thing about working on all these shows is that any project Henson's is involved in has such integrity and I always love to work with the puppeteers who are all brilliant performers and wonderful human beings." Happy Birthday, Louise Gold!

"If these songs had not all been performed by the Muppets, probably no one would care about them. You have these geniuses performing things that you write and making them 10 times funnier than they would’ve been otherwise." Happy Birthday, Christopher Cerf!

(On auditioning for Jim Henson:) "Instead of trying to make something up, I made the puppet as nervous as I was." Happy Birthday, Rickey Boyd!

"When I came to the thing, I was 18, and I was really energetic. I'd say 'yeah, sure, everything you wanna do, boss, no problem.' I talked a lot like [Scooter], because he was my voice when I was younger." Happy Birthday, Richard Hunt!

KERMIT: What's happening? FLOYD: At the moment, we're what's happening!

WALDORF: You know, I hate to admit it, but I'm enjoying Kermit's birthday party. STATLER: Yeah, me too. Hey, when was your last birthday, Waldorf? WALDORF: Years ago. STATLER: Yeah, I stopped havin' 'em too.

FLOYD: Well that's a tough question, but you know what? That's why they call you ToughPigs, ain't it? We'd like to wish a very happy 24th birthday to our parent site, @toughpigs.com!

PHILO: Sheesh. Give 'em an inch and they'll take a periscope.

"I don’t think any of us realized how important Jim’s influence was going to be in the world of entertainment... He was approachable and funny and appreciative. A buddy. One doesn’t expect a buddy to become a worldwide influence." Happy Birthday, John Lovelady!

"What I love about Sesame [Street] is that it’s a world of universal acceptance: where humans, animals, monsters, fairies, and Snuffleupaguses can live in harmony." Happy Birthday, Alan Muraoka!

NIGEL: Oh, well, in that case, can somebody fetch me a double-decaf short, dry cappuccino? With a little twist? TECHIE: All we have is water. NIGEL: That'll do.

"I believe most puppeteers are fundamentally generous people. They put a living soul into an inanimate object. There is a great love between the puppeteer and the puppet. It's not romantic love, but there's a real affinity." Happy Birthday, Cheryl Henson!

"I was delighted to take the role of Mr. Hooper... It's a big part, and it allows a lot of latitude. But the show has something extra, ­that sense you sometimes get from great theater, the feeling that its influence never stops." Happy Birthday, Will Lee!

FOZZIE BEAR: Kermit? What if we drift out to sea? What if we're never heard from again? What if there's a storm? Or we get struck by lightning? GONZO: That'd be neat. KERMIT: Listen, nothing's gonna happen. These are just the opening credits.

COUNT VON COUNT: That is 278 incredible, colossal credits! Ha-ha, I love motion pictures! Wonderful! Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! #FollowthatBird40

MISS FINCH: Well… you did go to look for him so that must mean you care, and he does seem to have lots of friends. Not feathered, but... Alright. Big, from now on, Sesame Street is your home. #FollowthatBird40