Remember the Puppets In A Can? Twelve different character puppets, each packed in a gallon can. Your hand entered the puppet from the bottom of the can so when the top lid was removed - up popped the puppet for fun and action. They were wonderful.
This was the final new item produced by Lovik World for sale through Maher Studios. The year was 1997. We were on a roll, offering a lager selection of ventriloquist puppets, figures, and related products than at any other time in the history of Maher Studios. Then suddenly, with absolutely no warning, the bottom fell out. Totally unannounced and unexpected, Craig left his family, his shop, his business, and his partnership with me and disappeared into his own private future without a goodbye to anyone. We were all devastated and the days were bleak. I scrambled frantically to fill orders as best I could from inventory on hand while at the same time hurriedly reprinting catalogs to eliminate the many products no longer available.
I'll be forever grateful to Pat (Craig's ex) and Keith (their son) for eventually picking up the pieces of the figure making business and going into production of the Knee Pals themselves, keeping Maher Studios supplied with figures for the few years remaining until my retirement. I believe this is the first I've written publicly about those dark days. There's no need to go into further details, but it is a part of Maher Studios history and should be on the record.
This being the Final Day #15 of our Newsy Vents give-away, I would like to once again thank Bob Abdou from providing all the back issues I have been giving away for these two weeks. Bob actually has (or had) more copies of Newsy Vents that I have! Several of you have asked about the possibility of purchasing back issues. Unfortunately, I have none to sell. So this rare opportunity of going through and sharing some miscellaneous back issues has been most enjoyable to me, and I hope enjoyable for you as well.
I'm awarding this final set of five back issues today to Jessica Woolsey. Enjoy!
Clinton I still have two of the puppets in a can I believe one is the critic and the other cream puff. They are stil great puppets.
ReplyDeleteChuck Lyons
Thanks for saying what became of Mr. Lovik Clinton. I used to have a "Hank" {living mouth} & had wondered. Feel real sorry for his family! That's terrible!
ReplyDeleteI always wondered about that as well. I have a Craig Lovik living mouth figure that started out as a black woman with a living mouth and drop through neck who I am slowly but surely turning into an old white lady with a slot jaw and ball and socket neck. Did a minimum of research regarding Craig Lovik, but could never quite puzzle out why I wasn't finding much after his association with Maher, and exactly what happened.
ReplyDeleteThere is, apparently, a very sad story in the entire telling. You have given us as much as a man of taste and consideration could give publicly. It's more than I knew up till now, and I (among others, I am sure) appreciate it.