From: Angusson-AT-aol.com
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:14:32 EDT
To: alangregorycook-AT-msn.com, puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Puppetry Journal/celebrity puppet portraits


Hi Alan:

Rufus and Margo Rose were commissioned by Mae West to build a portrait 
marionette back in the '50s or early '60. She came to Waterford with her 'entourage' 
and Margo mentioned that Miss West was pleasant, real and quite business 
savvy. I saw the finished marionette but never knew how it was ultimately used. It 
was a departure for the Roses in that the face, made of Plastic Wood, had a 
latex 'skin' over to conceal the mouth joint.   I don't know why Mae chose the 
Roses, but perhaps she had seen their portrait marionette of chanteuse, 
Beatrice Kaye, used in their 'Marionette Variety.' Miss Kaye had   a similar 
hourglass figure to Miss West and was also of ample proportion. 

Rufus and Margo made and used portrait marionettes of dancers Fred Astair and 
Ginger Rogers in their 'Marionette Variety.'   Margo sculpted the George 
Rector marionette used in the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. He was the 'Chef Supreme' 
of the U.S. and was used as the Master of Ceremonies for the 'A&P Marionette 
Carnival' there. 
There were other portrait puppets used in the A&P Carnival like Babe Ruth, 
Bernard Shaw and others, but I am not sure if these were made by the Roses or by 
Tony Sarg. 

They had a marionette of Polish pianist Ignatz (Ignacy) Jan Paderewski used 
in Variety. 

They also made several portrait marionettes of Sonja Heine, the Norwegian ice 
skater, and used them over the years in their show. Margo told of an audience 
member who was so thrilled with the skater and especially the fact that 
during her routine, she was able to push her pillbox hat from one side of her head 
to the other. Margo, ever gracious, thanked the lady for her comments. She 
didn't have the heart to tell her that the hat was cast as part of the head and 
couldn't move at all....

While not quite in the category specified in your email, the Roses used a 
portrait of Rufus for a while to introduce their show. They abandoned that idea 
in favor of Rufus appearing out front in person. To many of us puppeteers, the 
Roses were celebrities...

There may be others but I'll have to check my notes.

Best,
Fred Thompson

> How many puptcritters have made or used puppet portraits of people 
> considered celebrities?
> 
> I need photos and background information.
> 
> My preliminary list based on memory includes the following who made celeb 
> puppets:
> 
> Tatterman Marionettes (1930s) Myrna Loy marionette (currently on display at 
> Great Arizona Puppet Theater)
> 
> Steve Hansen hand puppet of Richard Nixon=A0
> 
> Lillian Faulkner--various vodvil stars n miniature (1920s/30s)
> 
> Lillian Owen- Greenwich Village Follies (on Broadway) 1920s portrait 
> marionettes of Maurice Chevalier, Harry Lauder & others
> 
> Tony Urbano: various stage & screen stars (many used in Hollywood at 
> Universal Studio Tour Show years ago) including Edith Piaf, Bob Hope, Phyliss 
> Diller)
> 
> Mantell Manikins (1930s, maybe earlier) Jimmy Durante marionette
> 
> Yale Puppeteers (Harry Burnett) Franklin Roosevelt, Helen Hayes, Garbo, 
> Marie Dressler, Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons, Ramon Navarro, Aimee Semple 
> MacPherson (the vanishing evangelist), Albert Einstein (who was photo'd wih his 
> puppet, as was Helen Hayes with hers), Gary Cooper etc.
> 
> Krofft Puppets: Jayne Mansfield, Brigit Bardot, Jackie Gleason and many 
> others
> 
> Scott Land-Michael Jackson
> 
> Phillip Huber--Liza Minelli
> 
> Bil Baird- a host of celebs, including FDR and Ed Sullivan.
> 
> The use of portrait puppets is widespread. Should YOU be added to this list? 
> Do you know of other puppeteers who should be added?
> 
> Also, have any of=A0 you made self-portrait puppets? Frank Paris did a hand 
> puppet version of himself which he could operate while seated (following an 
> accident in NYC which temporarily ended his working marionettes).
> 
> ALAN COOK
> 
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