From: Alan Cook <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com>
To: valerie.nelson-AT-latimes.com
Date: Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:33:55 GMT
Cc: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.orgLAGOPIPM
Subject: [Puptcrit] Steve Meltzer obit today-L.A. Times Dec 7, 2009


Dear Valerie Nelson---

Many thanks for a fine obit for Steve Meltzer in today's Los Angeles Times. He is the first President of the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry to die in office, so his passing has left us puppeteers with a double loss.

I guess his last official act as President was a conference call last October from the convalescent hospital in Santa Monica where he was receiving therapy, after surgery at UCLA, and before moving into  his elderly mother's apartment. He had hoped to go back to his own place, but needed someone around all the time. His cancer was advanced, the prognosis not good for survival, but he tried to survive anyway.

He also was a Trustee of Puppeteers of America, Inc. and attended the 2009 National Puppetry Festival at Georgia Tech last July 13-18 in Atlanta. While there he fell or collapsed briefly, perhaps a stroke? But he brushed it off as nothing serious.
Later, back home, when he was rushed by ambulance to UCLA Medical Center it quickly became obvious that things were very, very serious.

For 12 years he ran the Santa Monica Puppetry Center (basically a one-man operation) in three Santa Monica locations. He had a way of connecting with young audiences---They loved the silly parts and laughed a lot. Those kids will miss Steve Meltzer.

In October 2008, he organized "The First Annual Santa Monica Puppetry Festival" which had an impressive line-up of events including some top talent and puppet films and early TV puppet clips. Sadly, the event was not well-publicized, relying too much on an inadequate webpage, so he lost money. But for those attending, they got to see the Huber Marionettes (major puppeteering in "Being John Malkovich", and applauded in Europe, on international cruise ships, etc., Chuck McCann (an unscheduled appearance at a reception) who did an impromptu hand-puppet routine, and at the Aero Theatre, there was a special screening of MGM's 1953 gem of a musical, "LILI" starring Leslie Caron who attended the event and spoke. Some of Los Angeles' top puppeteers of many decades performed at the Aero--Bob Baker, Rene Zendejas, Tony Urbano, Scott Land.
To have them all on the same bill was magical.
 
I lent three puppets from LILI for a lobby exhibit at the Aero, along with a later film poster showing Leslie with the 4 puppets in the film. The poster was in a frame so I could not get it autographed by Leslie Caron. Last Friday, Leslie Caron was in Pasadena for a book signing tour, and that poster is now signed less than a week after Steve Meltzer's passing.

Steve saluted Paul Winchell with a sold-out public appearance by Winchell, as your obit notes. I think that was Paul's last major appearance, and another magical event.
   
If this country had the same universal healthcare that many other  countries
have, Steve's illness might have been recognized early enough for successful treatment.

Thank you for another helpful obit for a puppeteer--the one you did for Lettie C. Schubert will be referred to by future researchers, and this one for Steve will be too. I know Steve would have appreciated this one a great deal.

I wish that Steve knew that Leslie Caron is getting a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame tomorrow at 11:30. Well, we can always say his spirit will be there since he was  big fan of hers.

I don't know how many fan letters are sent for obituaries, but Steve, if he'd been able, would have sent you a big THANK YOU. 

And on his behalf, I add my thanks.

ALAN COOK
International Puppetry Museum
www.puppetrymuseum.org


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