To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 23:37:07 -0400
From: dhpuppet-AT-aol.com
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Bob Baker, Sky Highchief, and Disney...oh my.


I?find this so facinating, I have heard that when Roy Etherington and Lucille Cole worked together the result was some very good shows. Now to add another name into the mix. I worked on a TV show in St. Louis briefly with a puppeteer named King Halldoes he fit into the mix somewhere with the California bunch. I beleive he work on Les Pupe [sp]


-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Cook <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Sent: Fri, 15 May 2009 10:16 pm
Subject: [Puptcrit] Bob Baker, Sky Highchief, and Disney...oh my.



I first met Sky Highchief in Los Angeles at the backdoor of Bob Baker's 
apartment on New Hampshire Avenue.

He came barging out the door with the ANNOUNCEMENT that now the GREATEST PUPPET 
TALENT OF THE EAST COAST (Sky, formerly of New Jersey/New York) was joining 
forces with the Greatest Puppet Talent of the West Coast (Bob Baker) and that 
history would soon be made as a result.

Well, looking back, Bob has made a lot of history, so it was half accurate.

I can't remember which year Sky did Cruise Ship shows (late 1970s/ or so) with 
puppeteer David Janzow assisting him. (Jack Shafton's nephew by marriage to 
Jack's last wife, Ellie). 

But when the tour ended, and some weeks had gone by, an IRATE Sky called me to 
complain that I was spreading vicious rumours about the cruise job, telling 
people that Sky had been caught outside his room stark naked  in the hallway and 
no key to his locked door. How dared I? Who told me such slander? I had to laugh 
and remind Sky that the source of that story was none other than Sky himself.

He claimed to have bedded countless movie stars. He claimed he had forged his 
mother's Will in New Jersey in Sky's favor (well, I believe it was a possibility 
since he did not seem to be close to family members). He never spoke fondly of 
any family members in my hearing.

He created wax figures for Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park CA, and they 
looked good to me. I had a VW van in those days---would I help him deliver the 
latest figure for a PLANET OF THE APES scene to that commercial museum (now 
closed) and he would pay me. After the delivery, He did pay me not in cash, but 
with a couple of old OZ marionettes which he said he copied when he worked with 
a New Jersey troupe.  

Over the years he managed to make casts of various puppet heads made by other 
people. I am not sure how he got access to those puppets, but do know he 
sometimes borrowed puppets "to study"---which may have had a different meaning 
for him than for others. A lot of those head casts were sold by Gary B
usk on 
e-bay without the full history behind them

Anyway, the figure for the APES scene was not of  any actor in the film. It was 
cast live from Sky's housemate Ricky, whom Sky frst met when Ricky was hustling 
on Hollywood Blvd. It was a COMPLETE casting of Ricky's body. He represented one 
of the humans imprisoned by the apes, and was scantily clad with a moveable loin 
cloth. According to Sky, new emplpyees at the museum were taken on a tour of the 
wax figure collection, which concluded with the lifting of the loin cloth. 

When Movieland closed, a lot of the wax figures were sold off. I wonder who, if 
anyone, purchased Ricky, who was so unknown by the public.

Ricky was from Central America, a very child-like sweet-natured person who fed 
stray cats, having lived something like a stray, himself . He did his best to 
encourage Sky "to be nice" with mixed results.

Sorry to tell, Ricky predeceased Sky.

Sky's living room was painted black, and decorated in Early Dungeon style I 
think it expressed his interest in S & M, and left some visitors feeling 
unsettled, which was probably the desired effect..

Sky often spoke of writing an autobiography. I don;t know if he ever started it. 
If finished, it should have been flled under FICTION. But here is my meagre 
conribution to the true story  Perhaps oher puptcritters can add tidbits?

Over time it became best to put as much distance between us as possibe, though I 
had worked for Sky (with Roy Raymond aka Roy Etherington who held the record for 
beng fired at Bob Baker's Theater more often than any other puppeteer who ever 
worked there. Roy also worked in Chicago with the Cole Marionettes.).

Puppeteers are a varied lot. Roy did some good work and was likeable too. 
Puppets were his world, so I could relate to that.. One day he just dropped dead 
on a Los Angeles sidewalk. At the end, he seemed awfully lonely and too 
dependent on alcohol, which did not help. But I can say I saw him do good work. 
And he'd be pleased if others knew that.

Alan


___________
____________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives: http://www.driftline.org

_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives: http://www.driftline.org