CUT THE STRINGS

A look at some famous puppets

Puppets and puppet shows have existed for centuries across almost all civilizations, with written records dating back to the fifth century B.C. in Greece, China, India, Asia and beyond in the form of hand or glove puppets, marionettes (string puppets), rod puppets and ventriloquist

The names of puppeteers of the ancient world are mostly lost on us today.

Because of radio, TV and stage, we are able to recognize the talents of those who entertain us in modern times like Bob Smith and Frank Paris (Howdy Doody) and Bill Baird (Charlemane the Lion).

Here are several other notable puppets and their puppeteers.

Kukla and Ollie

Puppeteer Burr Tillstrom was the creator of the TV series Kukla, Fran, and Ollie that ran from 1947 to 1957. Kukla and Ollie were puppets (Ollie was a dragon). There were also other puppets, all controlled by Tillstrom, with no script. The show was a huge hit among both children and adults.

Lamb Chop Shari Lewis was a ventriloquist who was so good at what she did that she is remembered more as a puppeteer. The children she performed for often had no idea that she was the one speaking for the puppet Lamb Chop. She and her puppet Lamb Chop appeared on The Captain Kangaroo Show in 1956, and she got her own network series in 1960, The Shari Lewis Show Other puppets on the series included Hush Puppy, Charlie Horse, and Wing Ding, although none were more popular than Lamb Chop.

Daniel Striped Tiger, King Friday XIII, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, Henrietta Pussycat and X The OWL

Before he became the host of the classic children’s TV show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Fred Rogers was an ordained minister and songwriter whose hobby was puppetry. His first TV show had no budget, so he wrote the scripts, built the puppets, and operated and voiced them as well.

The Muppets

All the previous puppeteers had an influence on the man who became the most beloved puppeteer of them all: Jim Henson. Henson’s first TV show, Sam and Friends, introduced the puppet Kermit, who would become Henson’s alter ego and main sidekick for the rest of his life. The Henson empire expanded to include Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, The Jim Henson Hour, and a series of feature films cast with Muppets.

Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Grover, Cookie Monster and Bert Henson hired puppeteer Frank Oz in 1963 when his wife retired to raise their children. Oz learned the art of puppetry from his parents, who were both professional puppeteers (and also fought the Nazis with the Dutch Brigades). As a child, he performed with his parents and siblings as part of the Oznowicz Family Marionettes troupe. He later operated the puppet character Yoda in three Star Wars movies.

Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch Caroll Edwin Spinney was an American puppeteer, cartoonist, author, artist and speaker, most famous for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street from its inception in 1969. World Puppetry Day is celebrated on March 21.

—Compiled by Christy Hinko