File puptcrit/puptcrit.0912, message 145


Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:32:49 -0500
From: Steve Abrams <sapuppets-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Passing of Mark Ritts


I grew up with the Ritts puppets too. They were great.

The Ritts Puppets: Sir Geoffrey Giraffe, Calvin the Crow, Albert the
Chipmunk, and Magnolia the Ostrich were the delightful creations of Paul
Ritts (1920-1980) and Mary Ritts (1910-2006). Paul Ritts  was an early TV
pioneer in Philadelphia working at WCAU on Chestnut St. From 1951-1953 =93In
the Park=94 with the Ritts Puppets and actor Bill Sears was seen on the CBS
network. The Ritts Puppets continued on local TV. The NBC show =93Exploring=94
1962-66 also featured the work of this talented couple. Paul and Mary
appeared in the 1961 film =93Errand Boy=92 starring Jerry Lewis. After retiring,
Mary Ritts lived in Princeton.  http://www.tvparty.com/lostny2ritts.html

Son, Paul Ritts, born in Pennsylvania, began puppeteering with his parents
in the 1970s. A Harvard grad, Paul has many TV credits including: =93Candy
Apple News Company=94 WCAU 1979, =93Star Stuff,=92, =93The Real Adventures of
Sherlock Jones=94, and the award winning  =93Storytime=94 on KCET in Los Angeles.
Mark was a puppeteer on =93Beakman=92s World=94 the show hosted by Paul Zaloom.

On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 9:23 AM, Les Lamborn <llamborn-AT-rbc.org> wrote:

> I grew up with the Ritts puppets on Philadelphia TV. see
> http://www.tvacres.com/puppets_ritts.htm short obit at the bottom of
> article.
>  Les
>
> On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 5:31 AM, Andrew <puppetvision-AT-gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I am bit behind on reading the digest version of the list, so apologies
> if
> > this was already reported...puppeteer Mark Ritts (Lester the Lab Rat on
> > Paul
> > Zaloom's "Beakman's World") died of cancer Monday at his home in
> > California.
> > According to his obituary, he was a second generation puppeteer (which I
> > did
> > not know), the son of puppeteers Paul and Mary Ritts, whose work I am
> sadly
> > not familiar with.
> >
> > http://bit.ly/8KtF84
> >
> > - Andrew
> > _______________________________________________
> > List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> > Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
> > Archives: http://www.driftline.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Les Lamborn
> Sr. Radio Prod.
> RBC Ministries
> WWW.RBC.org
> _______________________________________________
> List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
> Archives: http://www.driftline.org
>
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