Quite a few iconic TV characters made their first appearances in 1955: James Arness’ Gunsmoke lawman, Matt Dillon. Hugh O’Brien’s Wyatt Earp. Phil Silvers’ Sgt. Bilko. Alfred Hitchcock’s droll, rotund self.

But only one of these legends’ peers is still with us and, amazingly, still getting work: Kermit the Frog.

Kermit will be the front man – or should we say front amphibian? – of The Muppets, an update/revival of The Muppet Show, a Peabody Award-winning hit that was in first-run syndication for five seasons (1976-81). The new ABC edition is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, September 22, at 8 p.m. EST.

Being green, according to a beloved Muppet song, isn’t easy. Being evergreen is more difficult still. Forget about Kermit’s frail human contemporaries. Not even his puppet peers have fared as well. When did you last see Kukla the dragon or Lamb Chop on your flat screen?

Kermit, the primordial Muppet, was first glimpsed 60 years ago as a character on Sam and Friends, a children’s TV show that innovative puppeteer Jim Henson created for a local station in Washington, D.C. Within a year, Kermit and other Muppets from Henson’s stable, were making prime-time guest appearances with Arthur Godfrey and Steve Allen. By 1960, Kermit and his fuzzy, felt friends were showing up regularly on NBC’s Today Show by way of live cut-ins from Sam and Friends’ home at WRC-TV in Washington.