Bear in the Big Blue House was an American children's television series created by Mitchell Kriegman and produced by Jim Henson Television for Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney preschool television block. Debuting on October 20, 1997, it aired its last episodes in 2006. In 2006, this show was replaced by a Mickey Mouse show called Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. In 2004, the Jim Henson Company sold the Bear in the Big Blue House franchise (along with The Muppets franchise) to the Walt Disney Company. The characters and show are currently owned by the Disney subsidiary, the Muppets Studio.