The American Puppet

Remember Tony Sarg? Sue Hastings? Remo Bufano? Okay, how about Edgar Bergen? Shari Lewis? Jim Henson? The pioneering puppetry work of early 20th century artists Sarg, Hastings, and Bufano, among others, paved the way for the contemporary mass audience appreciation of Charlie McCarthy, Lamb Chops and Kermit the Frog. Combining wonderful archival footage and interview clips with puppetry scholars and puppeteers such as the late Shari Lewis, The American Puppet, narrated by Dan Lauria, takes viewers all the way back to the mid-18th century, when itinerant colonial puppeteers pasted broadsides in New England towns announcing performances with "peddler dolls." In November of 1776, while somewhat busy with the struggle for American freedom, General George Washington took time out for a "puppet show" as noted in his meticulous account keeping. In the 19th century, puppeteers performed in circuses during the summer months, supplementing their income with museum shows in winter. With the advent of vaudeville, previously hour-long-plus puppet "shows" were trimmed to 12 minute puppet "acts," and it would be many years before puppetry would resume a truly preeminent place in American arts and popular culture. An entertaining and informative history, with wonderful, nostalgic clips of Charlie McCarthy, Howdy Doody, the Yale Puppeteers (whose story is chronicled in Turnabout [VL-5/94]), Jerry Mahoney, Lamb Chops, Kermit the Frog, and Kukla, Fran and Ollie, this is enthusiastically recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)