From: Alan Cook <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:42:09 GMT
Subject: [Puptcrit] Myerberg Stop-motion Hansel & Gretel -Don Sahlin


Marjorie Batchelder McPharlin recognized the importance of Don Sahlin on page 621 of the expanded edition of The Puppet Theatre in America -by Paul McPharlin with updates (1969) by Marjorie. There are now a  couple of new books celebrating Sesame Street's TV history, and Don is very briefly mentioned. One title is Street Gang, the other title is  Sesame Street....

Don did his own shows prior to touring for Stevens School Assemblies (Martin & Olga Stevens) workig with George Latshaw on the road. I met Don and George in 1948 at the National Puppetry Festival in Oklahoma City. 1949 Don worked at Bob Baker's studios in Los Angeles, among other duties, painting heads for Bob's commercial toy marionettes sold at Bullocks' Dept Store (which catered to carriage trade to some extent). Don revelled in the Santa Monica CA beach scene under the California sun.

He worked with Remo Bufano in NYC, with Burr Tillstrom in Chicago and Los Angeles during the Democratic Convention, so I got to see Burr do a run-through for camera cues, then perform live for East Coast transmission, then again for West Coast transmission (mid 1950s)--Burr had the use of a red sports car that week in L.A.

He was an Animator for Myerberg's "Hasnsel & Gretel" and did more film work for Martin Stevens, then back in Hollywood with Bob Baker. He worked in Hollywood with Geoge Pal (of Puppetoons fame) on "Tom Thumb", "Time Machine" and (1962) "Wonderful World o the Brothers Grimm" .

With Jim Henson from 1963 to Don's  passing. Known for turning Jim's little sketches into three-dimensional Muppets, he was able to work in many diferent styles for many puppeteers.


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