Who's Who of  
American Puppeteers

Vaudeville Manikins

Vaudeville was the organization of halls that presented variety shows including multiple acts.  It originated at the Gaiety Museum in Boston in 1883 under the direction of B. F. Keith.  He codified a program consisting of: an opening act of acrobats (something to let the noisy audience settle down), a succession of singers, dancers, instrumentalists, leading up to anything from a one-act drama to a monologue by a notorious figure (this was seen as the climax), followed by anything dull to clear the house.  In this setup most marionette acts either began the show or were used as the dramatic one-act.

Important Players in Vaudeville

Till's Royal Marionettes     1878-1882?
This group performed mainly in and around New York  Some of their more famous shows included: Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast.   Researchers are not sure what became of this group.  They seem to have faded away.

Deaves' Marvelous Manikins   1864-1919
Walter Eugene Deaves is said to have begun working with marionettes at such a young age that he had to stand on a box to reach over the leaning rail.  He joined the Black Crow company and when it broke up he continued traveling around California and performing with the puppets.  In 1883 he married Mary Hanks; she began working with him in the marionette shows.  A year later he took his younger brother Harry into the company.   Later Walter and Mary's children, Ada and Edwin, would get into the act at very young ages.  The Deaves Company traveled around the world performing whenever possible as a complete family.
     Deaves is most noted for his ingenuity in stage design and puppetry.  One stage had a proscenium with grand painted draperies, boxes were applauding puppets sat, and an orchestra of puppets in the orchestra pit.
     The death of Walter  Deaves in 1919 brought about the end of the Deaves Company.

Middleton's Marionettes     1883-1946
Another famous family-run puppet company was Middleton's Marionettes.  After the death of their father who had been a puppeteer in the Royal Marionette troupes in London, Harry and George Middleton began working together with marionettes.  In 1884 Harry died and George married Jenny.  George, his mother Sarah, and his wife Jenny continued with the shows.  George and Jenny continued delighting audiences well into their later years.  The death of George in 1946 broke up the company and ended a record of sixty years of puppet showmanship.

Puppetry Revival

"In the United States, it has been seen, the revival of puppetry as an inventive art was due to the work of a handful of pioneers...(McPharlin 348)"

Gordon Craig     1907-?
Although he was in Italy, the writings of Gordon Craig had great influence on puppetry in America.  He worked with puppets and even taught puppetry.  He wrote both on the theory and technique of working with marionettes.  In one article he argued that the marionette should replace the live actor.

Ellen Van Volkenburg    1915-1917
Ellen Van Volkenburg, Nelly, worked with the Chicago Little Theater.  She went to Munich to find out how to make and manipulate marionettes.  She developed puppets based on those of Papa Schmid of Munich.  She is also the one who coined the term "puppeteer".  Her marionette troupe was successful with The Deluded Dragon which she wrote based on a Japanese legend.  The group was also able to produce Columbine, The Little Mermaid, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.  The Little Theatre was obliged to close in 1918 due to WWI. 

Tony Sarg     1914-1942
Tony Sarg was an illustrator in New York who gave a few private studio performances with marionettes to close friends.  In one of these private shows a theatrical producer named Winthrop Ames asked Sarg to perform professional productions.  Sarg began the productions with The Three Wishes, a piece from Papa Schmid's old repertory.   Sarg was known for big productions and his attention to detail.  he would have full sets for his marionettes.  He was also known for using trick marionettes, such as a come-apart skeleton for The Green Suit.  Sarg set up an ideal for American puppetry which included: a good play, puppets, scenery, lights, properties, and printed programs.  All of these had to be worked out to perfection and each one exhibited artistry.

Remo Bufano  1914- ?
He grew up in New York and became a professional puppeteer.  In 1920, he went on a coast-to-coast tour with marionettes.  His most notable work was with large marionettes.  He operated 12 foot puppets on a 30 foot turntable stage for From Sorcery to Science at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.  He is one of the only puppeteers to receive a Gugenheim Award to travel and do research regarding marionettes.

Nicholas Nelson     1934
In 1934 his marionettes were televised in Chicago.  Their images were projected on a 11 foot square screen for the first time.

Puppeteers of America    1937
The first official puppetry organization in America was founded in Cincinnati after many failed attempts.

Amanda Gross.
Copyright © 2001 by University of North Texas. All rights reserved.
Revised: 27 Aug 2001 09:56:47 -0500

Erica Melchior operates one of her
large night club marionettes.

Origins of American Marionettes

A Visit with Le Theatre de Marionette

Interview with a Modern Puppeteer

Chronology

Digital Bibliography

Return to Marionettes in America Index

"Acting is not an art...the actor, swayed by emotions, is an imperfect instrument...realistic scenery... calls for realistic acting...the actor must go and in his place the inanimate figure  the Ubermarionette."
  --Craig (The Mask)

Poster for Sarg's Rip Van Winkle, first produced in 1921 and revived in 1929.