search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
Ed Sullivan Show Puppeteers


Many puppets on the Ed Sullivan Show, The Muppets and Topo Gigio among them, achieved worldwide acclaim


T


he archive of The Ed Sulli- van Show has video clips of more than 60 puppeteers! Performances by Topo Gigio, Señor Wences, and


the Muppets on The Ed Sullivan Show were puppetry landmarks of the 1950s and 1960s. Ed Sullivan (1901–1974) was (and is) famous for his often- parodied stiff, awkward introductions and of course for presenting the Beatles on network television. Digging a little deeper, it was astonishing to learn that nearly 70 puppeteers and ventriloquists were on the Sullivan show. A gig on the Sullivan show, with 12 million viewers, was a career highlight that was always included in a performer’s resume. There were approximately 250 puppet performances. Nearly one out of four Sullivan shows had puppetry. Setting aside the obvious nostalgic appeal of the Sullivan show, it seems im- portant to note three overlooked facts. 1. Nearly 70 puppeteers and ventrilo- quists were presented on the show. 2. Important international companies were seen by millions of viewers. 3. Most of the puppet performers did work for adult audiences.


The general view of puppet history seems to have missed that all through the 1950s and 1960s, millions of prime-time adult viewers saw puppetry that was originally intended for adult audiences in nightclubs, theaters and casinos.


TV Guide cover story, December 12, 1970 "The Great Santa Claus Switch."


Puppet performances from 11 countries on the Sullivan show included legendary companies: Salzburg Marionettes (Aus- tria), Teatro dei Piccoli (Italy), Sergei Obrazstov (USSR), Yves Joly (France), and the Braunschwieg Puppets (Germany). The number and diversity of shows are


surprising, but another overlooked fact might be even more interesting. From Howdy Doody to Sesame Street, the history of puppetry in the United States is domi- nated by accounts of puppetry for children. Nearly all of the performers who appeared on the first eight seasons of the Sullivan show were nightclub performers. Swanky nightclubs of the 1950s were certainly not venues for children or family audiences.


By Steve Abrams 27


The vaudeville format of the Sul- livan show had an impact as well. Over the centuries, the variety show has morphed many times. Vaudeville, a collection of short, diverse acts with no connecting plot or charac- ters, began to take shape in France, the United States, and Great Britain (where it was known as Music Hall) in the 1870s. By 1928, vaudeville had started a slow decline. The Sullivan show was very much a postwar version of vaudeville. In the 21st century, America’s Got Talent is yet another version of the variety format. Just five years after the Sullivan show went off the air, in 1976, The Muppet Show achieved worldwide acclaim. The variety show format featured a crazily diverse array of acts, with special guest stars from film, theater, pop music, and even opera and ballet, all presented in an old vaudeville theater. The format was both a parody and a loving tribute to the style of The Ed Sullivan Show.


Toast of the Town (later The Ed Sullivan Show) began in 1948 and continued on CBS for 23 seasons, until June 6, 1971,


continued on next page


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44