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House of Deception Library: Ventriloquism History
| Author | Title | Publication Year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbury, Kelly | Dummy Days: America's Favorite Ventriloquists from Radio and Early TV | 2003 | Angel City, Santa Monica, CA |
| Bergen, Edgar | How to Become a Ventriloquist (Try Your Hand at Ventriloquism) | 2000 | Dover, New York |
| Burns,Stanley | Other Voices: Ventriloquism from B.C. to T.V. | 2000 | author |
| Connor, Steven | Dumbstruck: A Cultural History of Ventriloquism | 2001 | Oxford University Press |
| Vox, Valentine | I Can See Your Lips Moving: The History and Art of Ventriloquism | 1993 | Plato, London |
| Winchell, Paul | Winch | 2004 | Authorhouse, Bloomington. IN |
HouseofDeceptio n.com Sacramento 916.451.8170 info@houseofdeception.com |
Welcome to the Ventriloquism History Portal This page is here to help you build a ventriloquism history library of your own and to assist with research. |
Origins The Greeks called this gastromancy and it was often closely aligned with aspects of necromancy in that it was used to make it seem that the spirits of the dead had returned to pass on information retrieved from beyond the grave. In the Middle Ages it was thought to be similar to witchcraft. As spiritualism led to stage magic and escapology, so ventriloquism became more of a performance art as, starting around the 16th century, it shed its mystical trappings. The Modern Era - 19th Century to Present The most familiar type of ventriloquist seen today is a nightclub performer sitting on a stool with a wooden dummy on his or her lap. This comedic style of ventriloquism is, however, a fairly recent innovation, which began in the days of vaudeville in the late 19th century. The vaudeville acts did not concentrate on humor as much as on demonstrating the ventriloquist's ability to deceive the audience and his skill in switching voices. For this reason, many of the performers used multiple figures, switching quickly from one voice to another. Jules Vernon was one of the more famous American vaudeville ventriloquists who used multiple figures. Englishman Fred Russell pioneered the use of a single figure with his dummy Coster Joe. Perhaps the most famous vaudeville ventriloquist, however, The Great Lester, used only one figure, Frank Byron Jr., and it is The Great Lester's success which paved the way for the ventriloquist-with-one-figure routine which is so ubiquitous today. Ventriloquism was immensely popular in the middle of the 20th century, thanks in great part to the work of one of the Great Lester's students, Edgar Bergen. Bergen popularized the idea of the comedic ventriloquist. Bergen, together with his favorite figure, Charlie McCarthy, hosted two radio programs that were broadcast from 1937 to 1956. The original broadcast was the #1 program on the night it aired. Bergen continued performing until his death in 1979, and his popularity inspired many other famous ventriloquists who followed him, including Paul Winchell, Jimmy Nelson, and Senor Wences. Ventriloquism's popularity waned for a while, due likely to modern media's electronic ability to convey the illusion of voice, the natural special effect that is the heart of ventriloquism. A number of modern ventriloquists have developed a following as the public taste for live comedy grows. Louis Albert Russo made his first network appearance in 1949. Billed as The One Man Twosome, Louis Russo (aka Russ Lewis) employed as his primary figure character Brooklyn Birch. His career saw him through burlesque, circus, and night clubs, as well as vaudeville at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. There followed the Steve Allen Show, Ed Sullivan Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Dean Martin Show, Rowan and Martin, and Mike Douglas and Joey Bishop talk shows. In total, the ventriloquist logged over 30 national TV guest appearances. He starred in Las Vegas' major showrooms and on world tours with numerous legends of the entertainment world including Liberace, Jayne Mansfield, and Alan King, as well as on USO shows in Vietnam and distant Strategic Air Command bases. The actor ventriloquist was a member of the first USO troupe to cross the Arctic Circle to entertain American troops and the first to be invited to perform for a U.S. President, Jimmy Carter. Russo Louis continued to perform into the early 21st century. Ramdas Padhye, ventriloquist , puppeteer and puppet maker from India, has been performing for over 40 years, and is famous all over India with his dummy Ardhavatrao and his other puppet Bunny. Satyajit Padhye, son of Ramdas and a veterinarian, is a 3rd generation ventriloquist and puppeteer who has actively performed since 1980. With his vent partner Johnny, he had staged more than a thousand shows by the year 1990 all over India; therafter, although he is still performing, he is more or less a quasi professional because of his professional commitments. Together with many other disciples, he learned this ventriloquism from Prof. M. M. Roy, who is one of the oldest professional ventriloquists in India, responsible for making this art popular among the masses in India. David Strassman performs his ventriloquism in theaters throughout the British Comonwealth and uses robotics to augment his characters' movements, expanding upon an idea originated in the early 1950's by New York ventriloquist Stanley Burns. From 1971 to 1978, Jay Johnson co-starred on the sitcom Soap with his dummy Bob. He is currently appearing both on and off Broadway with his one man (but many-dummy) show entitled "The Two and Only." Ronn Lucas and his figure Scorch "burn up" the Las Vegas showrooms. Terry Fator, the 2007 winner of the NBC reality show America's Got Talent (Season Two), is known for impersonating famous singers through his puppets. He has repeatedly expressed that one of his goals is to bring ventriloquism back into the popular culture as a valid art form. Jeff Dunham is a modern ventriloquist with several puppets: Peanut, Walter, Jose Jalapeno, Sweet Daddy Dee, Bubba J, and recently Melvin the Super Hero Guy and Achmed the Dead Terrorist . His constant self mockery and the diversity of the puppets has led him to winning Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic at the American Comedy Awards twice, an honor shared with the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy, and Robin Williams. Additionally, viewers recently voted Dunham to third place (for the second time in two years!) in Comedy Central's Standup Showdown, which he finally won in January 2008. Jeff tours the comedy circuit and has appeared on many television shows, including his own Comedy Central special, which was made into a double-platinum DVD entitled Arguing with Myself and another DVD entitled Spark of Insanity. Many ventriloquists attend conferences such as the Vent Haven ConVENTion and I-Fest to hone their skills and to connect with others in their performing community. These gatherings offer performances, competitions, panel discussions, and workshops for beginners and professionals alike. The article above has been edited and adapted by the House of Deception from Wikipedia Encyclopedia and may be read in its original, uncredited form at Wikipedia.org. |
History of Ventriloquism |
On this page you fill find: .: a bibliography of books on the history of ventriloquism. .: ventriloquism photos from the Golden Age of Show Business. .: a selective list of ventriloquism history links. .: a list of movies and TV shows with ventriloquism themes. .: a list of novels and short stories with ventriloquism themes (coming soon). .: an article on the history of ventriloquism. .: paintings and other works of art with ventriloquism themes. |
Ventriloquism History Books |
Ventriloquism History Links |
Please bookmark & link to HouseofDeception.com - New titles are added periodically. |
Dan Willinger's Ventriloquist Central - Tribute to Ventriloquism 18th and 19th centuries | 1900-1930 | 1930-2000 | 21st century Index | Forum Vent Haven Museum Hundreds of images, vintage sound files and video clips. Talking Comedy Review of Dummy Days by Kelly Asbury Review of Other Voices by Stanley Burns Article on Edgar Bergan and Max Terhune Romanticism on the Net Article by John A. Hodgson (Princeton University)- An Other Voice: Ventriloquism in the Romantic Period Student Paper in Communication Ventriloquism: A Disassociated Perspective by Angela Mabe Balast Quarterly Review Vol 18 No 4 (Summer, 2003) Article by Roy R. Behrens, Professor of Art, University of Northern Iowa Ventriloquism for Dummies, or Knock on Wood: An Insider's View of Belly Speaking Franklin Love and Eddie Garland Article by Maria Marquez - A Vent Alone Video Clip - Opening theme from The Eddie Garland Show (1937) |
Ventriloquism in Fine Art |
Ventriloquist Frantisek Tichy Czech modern artist (1896-1961) West Bohemian Gallery in Pilsen, Czech Republic |
Ventriloquist and Crier in the Moor, 1923 Paul Klee Swiss/German exressionist painter (1879-1940) The Berggruen Klee Collection |
Ventriloquist Jasper Johns US painter and printmaker (1930-) Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas |
Edgar Bergen with His Ventriloquists Dummy Charlie Mccarthy Who is Always Pert and Quick-Witted Samuel Misenson allposters.com |
Edgar Bergen and Charlie Mccarthy His Ventriloquist's Dummy Samuel Misenson allposters.com |
John Hurt as The Ventriloquist Stuart Pearson Wright English Painter (1975-) National Portrait Gallery, London |
Display at Vent Haven Museum The world's only museum dedicated to the art of vetriloquism. 33 West Maple Avenue Fort Mitchell, Kentucky 41011 |
Movie Poster for Charlie McCarthy, Detective (1939) Frank Tuttle, Director |
Paul Winchell (1922-2005) with his Jerry Mahoneys Courtesy Jim Fitzpatrick Collecection. Jim is a ventriloquist, magician, roller derby skater, trainer, referee & author. |
Paul Winchell with Jim Fitzpatrick, expert practitioner of theatrical deception. The figure is Jim's replica of Jerry Mahoney. |
Edgar Bergen (1903-1978) with Charlie McCarthy |
Display at Vent Haven Museum The world's only museum dedicated to the art of vetriloquism. 33 West Maple Avenue Fort Mitchell, Kentucky 41011 |
Movies 1911: The Ventriloquist's Trunk - Comedy, starring John Bunny 1921: The Ventriloquist - Animation, starring "Mutt & Jeff" 1925: The Unholy Three - Crime drama, starring Lon Chaney; director Tod Browning 1929: The Great Gabbo - Musical drama starring Erich von Stroheim; writer Ben Hecht 1930: The Unholy Three - Talkie remake of the 1925 silent version 1938: The Goldwyn Follies - Musical, with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy 1938: Letter of Introduction - Comedy/drama with Bergen, McCarthy and Snerd 1939: Charlie McCarthy, Detective - Comedy with Bergen, McCarthy, and Snerd 1939: You Can't Cheat an Honest Man - W.C. Fields comedy with Bergen & McCarthy Complete Edgar Bergan Filmography - Internet Movie Database 1939: Mr. Moto's Last Warning - Peter Lorre stars; villain (Ricardo Cortez) is a vent 1943: The Dummy Talks - British mystery starring Jack Warner 1945: Dead of Night (The Ventriloquist's Dummy) - Michael Redgrave stars 1950: Ventriloquist Cat - Animation, directed by Tex Avery 1954: Knock on Wood - Comedy; Danny Kaye stars as a ventriloquist 1964: Devil Doll - Horror (British); Bryant Haliday plays an evil ventriloquist/hypnotist 1978: Magic - "A Terrifying Love Story" starring Anthony Hopkins and Ann-Margret 1988: Pin: A Plastic Nightmare - Canadian "low-budget descendant of Psycho" (IMDb) 1988: Child's Play - Horror; first in the Chucky series 1990: Child's Play 2 1991: Child's Play 3 1995: The Dummy - Horror; director Dante Falconi 1998: Bride of Chucky 2004: Seed of Chucky 1999: Cradle Will Rock - true drama of politics and art in the 1930's; Bill Murray is a vent 2000: The Dummy - Horror; writer/director Steve Singleton 2002: Dummy - Adrien Brody plays a ventriloquist; writer/director Greg Pritikin 2005: Dummy - Low-budget horror; writer/director Matthew Graves Radio 1937: The Chase and Sanborn Hour - NBC live radio 1948: The New Edgar Bergen Hour - CBS live radio TV 1949: Studio One (The Rival Dummy) 1950: The Edgar Bergen Show Featuring Charlie McCarthy 1956: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (And So Died Riabouchinska) 1957: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (The Glass Eye) 1962: Twilight Zone (The Dummy) 1964: Twilight Zone (Caesar and Me) 1977-1981: Soap 1990: Tales from the Crypt (The Ventriloquist's Dummy) 1990-1991: What a Dummy |
Ventriloquism in Film & Radio |
Movie Poster The Great Gabbo (1929) |
Movie Poster The Goldwyn Follies (1938) |
Movie Poster You an't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) |
All Rights Reserved Copyright Duff Johnson 2004-2008 No text or image may be copied or reproduced without written permission. |
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Paul Winchell (1922-2005) Autograph House of Deception Collecection (formerly Duane Echols collection) |