From: Angusson-AT-aol.com
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:17:39 EDT
To: kathodavid-AT-mac.com, puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Tony Sarg Articles on the Net


Hi Kathy:

Thanks for the link. 

Actually, some of these are articles written by Rufus Rose following the 
success of their marionette performances at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, - 'A 
Century of Progress.' 

Technically, Rufus and Margo DID work at the fair for Tony Sarg, but 
circumstances dictated that Tony's skills were needed elsewhere at the fair at that 
time. (It's an interesting story...) 
So Rufus took charge of the marionette half of   'The A&P Carnival' 
presentation. Some of the puppets were Tony's but Rufus and Margo made many new ones 
for the variety pieces shown.
Bil Baird also helped out the Roses by building several marionettes. (Another 
interesting story.) 

The 'other' half of the A&P Carnival, BTW, featured Harry Horlick and his 
orchestra. The set up was unique in that the huge stage revolved and the audience 
got to see two shows. Sponsored by the 'Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea 
Company' (A&P) this was a free show. Margo speculated that the full houses they had 
for almost every show had more to do with that fact than anything they were 
showing. She said it was one of the few free places one could SIT at the fair. 

The Roses had left Tony Sarg's company earlier and formed their own touring 
marionette show. Margo said that they were '...crazy' to undertake such an 
enterprise in the depths of the depression. 
They had a tough time booking shows. But they survived.

Tony called Rufus and Margo to see if they might be available to help him 
out. Margo mentioned that 
the call came just at the right moment. At the time, their future looked 
rather bleak. 
The fair put them back in business with agencies like the School Assembly 
Service and others eager to handle their bookings. 
This really was the beginning of a great career in puppetry.

The Rose's famous clown, TOGO, was used as a kind of symbol of the show and 
was used in every marionette variety presentation for years afterward, right up 
until Rufus died in 1975. 
Margo actually created TOGO earlier, before the fair, but Rufus took on TOGO 
as his 'alter-ego' and totally enjoyed bringing him to life. He was one of the 
Roses most popular characters. He has seen several 'incarnations.'

Best,
Fred Thompson

> While looking for something else I ran across a blog that are scans=A0
> of Popular Mechanics from back in the day.
> 
> Including this article by Tony Sarg on making marionettes. There are=A0
> a couple of other articles linked to this one that I haven't looked=A0
> at yet but they look interesting.
> 
> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/06/03/the-secrets-of-making-
> marionettes/
> 
> Kath
> 




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