Howdy Doody

The puppet that put puppets on the map, Howdy Doody set the stage for children's programming for decades to come. The puppet told jokes, interacted with his human costars, and most importantly made kids around the country laugh.

Image: Wikipedia

Lamb Chop

When Howdy Doody ended its run 1960, another famous puppet took over in the same time slot. The Shari Lewis Show introduced the country to Lamb Chop, a precocious 6-year-old "girl," and her friends Hush Puppy and Charlie Horse.

Lamb Chop's spunk stole the show and gave her longevity in show business few puppets have ever had. In the early 1990s, Lamb Chop was given her own show on PBS called Lamb Chop's Play-Along. Unfortunately, since the untimely death of Shari Lewis in 1998, Lamb Chop's popularity has faded considerably. 

Image: A&M Video

Kukla and Ollie

At the same time Howdy Doody entertained kids in the morning, Kukla and Ollie entertained them at night. On the show Kukla, Fran and Ollie, the two puppets proved you didn't always need real actors on primetime television. Kids and adults alike were fans of the show, including Orson Welles and John Steinbeck. 

Image: The Kuklapolitan Website

Topo Gigio

By the 1960s, puppets took the form of humans and animals, but perhaps the most unusual was this Italian mouse. Topo Gigio was already a star in his native Italy, as well as in Spain. But like the biggest foreign talents of the day, the mouse didn't become a sensation in the United States until he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Image: CBS

Kermit the Frog

The undisputed king of puppets, Kermit the Frog is still around today. But the Muppet we saw on the recently canceled 2015 sitcom The Muppets is a far cry from the one Jim Henson created.

Kermit is the fair and levelheaded leader of the Muppet gang, and his influence can still be felt around the world. He's more of celebrity than a puppet, headlining movies, starring in entertainment specials, appearing on talk shows, and even charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Image: Associated Film Distribution

Big Bird

We could have included any one of the puppets on the long-running children's program Sesame Street, but there's no doubt Big Bird is the face (and feathers and wings) of the show. The energetic and friendly bird was constantly learning new things and exploring the world around him, just like we were as children. His character was used to teach us big lessons, too. Remember when Big Bird learned about death after Mr. Hooper passed away? We get choked up just thinking about it. 

Image: Sesame Workshop

Bert and Ernie

We couldn't mention Sesame Street without bringing up Ernie and Bert. They're best friends who do everything together, but they constantly get on each other's nerves. Watching this duo argue and work out their problems taught us how to deal with others while growing up, and that was a valuable lesson to learn. 

Image: Sesame Workshop

King Friday XIII and Sara Saturday

The two best days of the week are also the names of two of the best puppets on television. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, these two monarchs let us into their kingdom every morning and made us feel like royal family. To this day, we still think every Friday the 13th is King Friday's birthday. 

Image: PBS

Garfield Goose

Although Garfield Goose and Friends didn't receive widespread attention like other puppets did on children's television during the 1950s and 1960s, people from Chicago will definitely remember the titular water fowl. A hallmark of local programming, Garfield Goose led its show for over 20 years, becoming not only an icon for children, but also for the city of Chicago. 

Image: Wikipedia