Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:44:52 -0400
From: "Bell, John" <john.bell-AT-uconn.edu>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Jannsen Sisters of Munich Germany 1914


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Wow, thanks Alan for your amazing and inspiring short dissertation on Ellen Van Volkenburg!  It is greatly appreciated!

john bell

________________________________

From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org on behalf of Alan Cook
Sent: Fri 6/22/2007 1:52 PM
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] Jannsen Sisters of Munich Germany 1914



As noted, Ellen van Volkenburg visited the Jannsen sisters in Munich. She sought information on string puppet building. She may even have had trouble getting trade secrets from professionals, so that may partly account for her visit to amateur puppeteers in Germany.

Ellen van Volkenburg had other people work the string puppets so she could sit out front and direct them. She needed a term other than "hey you", she knew of the word "muleteer" for a mule driver and figured that "puppeteer" would work equally well for a puppet driver.

I don't know any additional bits about the Jannsen Sisters marionettes, tho there were enough amateur puppet performers to justify the existence of shops that not only sold commercial hand puppets and marionettes, but also sold marionette parts (arms, torsos, legs, heads. etc.) which could be purchased then assembled by the buyer.

Marionette parts, I've been told, were available from shops at least up to the rise of Hitler.

Around 1979-80 at the Library of Congress I saw a photo file which showed Nazi officers visiting a puppet exhibition in the 1930s/40s. The photo document(s) had been captured by U.S troops.

Ellen van Volkenburg's last residence was in Los Angeles. She lived into her nineties. To meet her was like a visit with proper royalty---a royalty known in theater in those day: elegance of movement, rounded tones. I called on her along with Marjorie Batchelder McPharlin and Bruce David Schwartz Bruce brought one of his exquisite puppets to show Ellen. We had tea in the backyard.

 Marjorie, as we ended the visit, walked ahead of me and Bruce, about 5 feet ahead, so we'd not see the tears in her eyes. Marjorie did not like to seem "emotional". (She had donated her body to science in her will). Bottom line: Ellen was a major influence upon Marjorie as well as on Paul McPharlin who credited Ellen as a major force in the USA as part of the "artistic revival" of puppetry.

If Marjorie had particular admiration for anyone, Ellen was at the top of her list.
The visit was an emotional experience for her, and it was an emotional experience for me both to simply be there and to witness Marjorie spend time with Ellen.

Ellen directed a show for Tony Sarg Marionettes, which furthered her influence on Amercan puppetry.

I add my congratulatons to John Bell and his new position.

ALAN COOK

I don't remember how I tracked Ellen down.

I'd reported that visit previously to puprit but there are now new puppet folk to hear of it.

Puppeteers of America gave a special award to Ellen as was fittng.


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