Travel by Airlines

From Steve at The Dummy Shoppe

We were recently contacted by an Evangelist friend who had completely stopped flying with his hard figure because of the problems he was having with damage inflicted by TSA people.  He wanted to keep going, but had gotten where he would only travel with his figure when his engagement was one where he could drive.

He sent us a picture of his figure (left) and we did him a remake in soft sculpture puppet and now he feels completely comfortable in flying with the new old guy (right).  Problem solved.

 http://www.thedummyshoppe.com/  

Any advice?

I had a question from Hugh Troyer about the best way to travel by airlines with his vent figure, "Joe".  It's been so long since I have flown, I am hesitant to offer advice in light of today's travel regulations and restrictions.  If you have experience in airline travel with your vent figure(s), both Hugh and I would appreciate your comments.

Professor King Token 1875

When Mark Cahill made inquiry as to how he could order ventriloquist collector coins to be added to his collection, he sent me pictures of a couple rare ventriloquist coins from his collection.  The photo here shows one, a copper & brass token (about the size of a US one cent piece).  The obverse side reads: PROFESSOR KING IS THE BEST VENTRILOQUIST LIVING.  The reverse side reads: KING THE GREAT PRESTIDIGITATEUR (SIC) AND MODERN SAMPSON. 

Dated 1875, I would be curious to know how many of these were placed into circulation initially and what their value night be on today's market. 

I'd be even more curious to know what the collector coins I'm putting into circulation today will be selling for a century from now!  Of course, I'll never know, but I can tell you they will likely be even more rare at that point than the coin you see here is today.  Especially this year's $7  2011 7/11 coin - less than 100 are in circulation even now.  Do you have yours?    See the margin listings at http://maherstudios.blogspot.com/

Charlie T-Shirt Poll

Thank you to all of you who participated in the voting to select the winner of the Charlie McCarthy T-Shirt. 

Congratulations to Brian Brolin, winner!

(I have now added all four applicant names to the 10/6/11 post containing their entries.)

More than skin deep

Perhaps I should have added Neale Bacon to the list of candidates for the Charlie McCarthy T-shirt prize.  And person whose admiration for Bergen results in tattoos of Charlie and Mort certainly reflects more than surface fan enthusiasm!

Can you indentify the maker?

This is "Harry", owned by Willem Stapleberg of South Africa.  Harry has moving eyes and he can wink.  Both top and bottom lip move.  Teeth are made of wood.  I'm wondering if someone reading this can identify the maker?  At first glance, I thought it might be an Insull, but all the figures built by Insull that I have seen had teeth made of metal.

Sam's back!

You may remember the sage of Brent Vernon's figure, Sam (far left) being stolen during the night from his vehicle. A few weeks later Canon John Jordan came to the rescue by offering to sell his "Sweeny," a very similar character (below) to Brent. But Sweeny's hair and eye colors did not match Sam's. So Sweeny was sent to me for a make over.

But then came the problem of trying to duplicate the plastic brown iris for the eyes which the manufacturer had discontinued. Several of you sent iris' to me, for which I am very grateful. But none were a perfect match in size, shape, and or color until Keith Lovik sent me several pair from his remaining stock along with several small vials of paint with which to paint the back side of the iris for a perfect match.

Sweeny has now been fully repainted, new wig in place, eyes changed out and - presto - Sam's back! Only the people involved and, you, the reader's of this blog know the full story!

Technical question

Question: During practice rehearsing vent, I am working on the resonant areas in the head.  I am trying to hollow them out as much as possible, but frequently they seem to "clog up" fast.  I can't keep the resonant areas open long until I hear that area close.  Is there a remedy or is this some kind of a medical issue?  While working on that, I sometimes hear my jaw snap some.  I know some ventriloquists work hard at some things, but should I continue this?  JP
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From Mr. D:  The sinus cavities provide the resonant areas.  I suffer similar issues with my sinuses at times.  This is primarily a medical issue as you suggest.  I'm sure people have suggestions for favorite remedies - everything from nasal irrigation to over the counter medicines.  Best to check with your physician or pharmacist.

Setting that issue aside for the moment, I am going to suggest you simply go ahead and practice your vent voice using other qualities to achieve voice contrast: tonal pitch, vocabulary, inflection of speech, tempo of speaking, dialect, etc.  Perhaps you will not feel resonance, but there likely will be some and when performing closeup, in the classroom, or with a sound system, the amount of resonance (or lack thereof) should not be a major issue.

Try to keep your jaw motionless, but relaxed.  If you feel "snapping", I fear you are holding it too tightly and forcefully rigid.  There is no need be that forceful.  If you feel that happening, take a break and perhaps try a few short "stretching" exercises with your jaw (opening and closing the mouth widely several times, etc) to help relax the facial muscles.

Hard work is important and will be rewarded, but try to keep it enjoyable.  Practice with your vent figure as much as possible.  Ask him questions, have fun with his answers.  As his character and personality develop, so will your skills of voice contrast and manipulation.  Enjoy!

It was worth it!

After spending far more than the usual amount of time required to wig a vent figure, I did finish this fellow, and I must say, he did end up looking pretty sharp.

More photos here: http://mrdsfigures.blogspot.com

Vote for the Charlie T-shirt winner!

Yesterday I posted a photo of a  tee shirt with Charlie McCarthy's silhouette, offering to give it to the person who could give me the best reason why I should choose them.  Well, a good number of you responded and I must say, you made the choice difficult.  So much so that I'm going to ask you, the reader's of this blog, to make the decision by voting for the winner.  Please!  I've selected four applicants from which to choose and printed excerpts from their entries below.  Read them, make your choice, and cast your vote in the voting box provided in the top margin.  Voting has ended (see post for 10/11).
Applicant #1:  "While still in my early teens I would help an older lady with odd chores on weekends.  Turned out, she was Marion Schreyer, the daughter of Lester The Great.  I often helped clean out boxes stored in her closets ...always fantasizing about suddenly finding a figure of her Dad's stashed in a dark corner!  She eventually told me the things from her father's vaudeville days were all gone, off to museums.  She also told me several times that her father had taught a guy named Edgar Bergen how to do ventriloquism.  Long after her death I came across a book that confirmed her story.  I always watched Bergen and McCarthy with a sense of connection to performing in public.  The "shadow" of Charlie McCarthy falls on me too in a very small but significant way.  I would wear the Charlie t-shirt and remember the strange connections God gives us through our journeys."  Brian Brolin

Applicant #2: "I am a Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen fan.  I would love to wear it in the Subway sandwich shop in the WalMart where I sit with my friends nearly every day with my conversion Charlie McCarthy and my other figures.  The shirt would look really great and be a conversation piece."  James Tucker

Applicant #3:  "The Charlie t-shirt is just my size and as I wear it around the children in my church they can ask who it is.  Some who have been in my office might recognize the shadow on the shirt to be like the picture on my wall (Smithsonian cover of Charlie) and I can tell them about Charlie, Edgar Bergen, and ventriloquism.  The shirt is a discussion starter that ends in encouraging boys and girls to take up ventriloquism and have a lifetime of fun and service."  Dr. Jeff Scott

Applicant #4:  "My fiance introduced me to Charlie McCarthy.  Every night I listen to Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen's old 1930 tapes and fall asleep.  I completely fell in love with Charlie without knowing anything about ventriloquism.  I actually thought Charlie was an adorable little boy, unknown to me that it was Edgar.  My favorite shows are 'Edgar Gets Amnesia' and when Charlie tries to have a frog farm.  I always loved listening to Charlie and W.C. Fields go at it.  We have our living room decorated in dolls and collectibles of Charlie McCarthy and other famous vents.  Now, after being exposed to the art of ventriloquism, we make a special vacation to the Vent Haven every year, in July.  I would love to have the Charlie McCarthy t-shirt."  Tamara Mann

Quick Change

Vent Comment: I am putting snaps and fake buttons on the clothes of my vent figure so my assistants can make a quicker change of the clothes during the program. Del B.

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From Mr. D: Excellent idea. If you will be making costume changes on your figure frequently (during shows or between shows even), I can give you another option that many vents use effectively. That is to purchase a second duplicate body for the figure. You can then permanently dress the bodies in different costumes and to change clothes, you simply move the figure's head from body to body. Generally speaking, an extra body costs approximately 1/3 the cost of a full figure.

Tuesday Gold

Yesterday Adelia and I took a road trip into the nearby mountains to enjoy the beauty of the Creator's Fall colors.  If you care to take a peek, I've posted a few photos here: http://tuesdaygold.blogspot.com/ 

All pictures from the Golden Gate State Park and Central City area.

Could you use this T-shirt?

This T-Shirt with Charlie McCarthy silhouette is actually a past prize that went unclaimed. Rather than draw another name, I'm going to let you decide who wins it.  See blog post for Thursday, Oct. 6th. 

For Sale

"Talking" Jack-o-Lantern Puppet for sale.  This puppet is one I built as a prototype several years ago.  I've decided to sell it now knowing I won't be building any others of its type this year.  You will find it listed for eBay auction and when the auction ends I'll ship it to the winner by Priority Mail (free shipping) to insure speedy delivery by mid-October. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290616458480

P.S. And for this one auction can we pretend that his name is "Gummy"?  :-)

Funny but true

From Wilson KindredIt was at one of the venues during our 'VBS' trip through central and eastern Canada a father came to my wife and me, and reported that his four year old daughter had come home from 'Evan's Clubhouse' and asked her daddy if he had a black suitcase that wasn't being used.  When the girl's daddy asked her why, she said, "I want you to fold me in half and put me in the suitcase so that I can be just like Evan."  I don't know how the little girl knew about Evan being folded in half, because I do that out of the children's view.

Cases?

Question: I'm interested in purchasing more cases - probably at least five of the size that holds a 40" figure. Is it possible for you to produce more?
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From Mr. D: As I announced last Spring, I've retired from the Custom Carrying Case business - at least for now. I hope to concentrate on building figures during the next few months. Come Spring 2012, who knows, I may review my decision on custom cases...
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From Wes Green: "The two new 'homes' arrived in good condition. Thanks for creating a safe haven for my friends. My family will receive instructions that in case of emergency, after my pets, they need to search for the black boxes with my friends."

Vintage Suit For Sale

I've had an inquiry concerning purchase of the hand sewn vintage suit pictured in a previous post. That particular suit in blue tone colors has been sold, but I do have this similar style suit, hand made by the same seamstress, red, black & white plaid. (Sold)

Number two

If you have followed this blog for any time at all, you know the story of the set of three unfinished heads I started building 25 years ago, eventually gave to my son, and then more recently obtained back from him in the same unfinished state.

I now have completed the second of the trio (photo left). You can see additional photos at: http://mrdsfigures.blogspot.com

Amazing Lady!

Lottie Moon was born in 1840 and in 1861 was one of the first women in the South to receive a master's degree. After teaching school in Kentucky, Georgia, and Virgina, she left for China in 1873, where she served 39 years as a missionary to the women and girls of that country.

Lottie frequently wrote letters to the United States, detailing Chinese culture, missionary life and the great physical and spiritual needs of the Chinese people. She challenged Southern Baptists to go to China or give so that others could go. By 1888 the Southern Baptist women had organized and collected funds to send workers needed in China. This tradition continues today and a Christmas offering in Lottie's name is collected every year to help support about 5,000 missionaries worldwide.

When Jim Burke first contacted me about building a "Lottie Moon" figure for his presentations about this amazing missionary pioneer I was a bit challenged as to how to approach the task. But as I learned more about the work of this lady, small in stature (only 4 feet, 3 inches tall as reported by someone who knew her), but a giant in missionary history, I felt an increasing desire and inspiration to complete a figure in her semi-likeness. Thus, today's "Lottie Moon" came to be. Jim has several engagements lined up for the fall to use her in presentations regarding support for international missions. The programs will be entitled, "Lottie Moon Alive (almost)."

Older Catalog Merchandise

Reader Comment & Question: I was thumbing through some of the older Maher Catalogs I collected. There were some ideal puppets I am still interested in - some bird and monkey puppets. Are they still available? I am also interested in replacing a teaching tape by Liz VonSeggen. John P.
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From Mr. D: I enjoy perusing through the old Maher Catalogs myself, and am glad to know I'm not alone in doing so. However, please do not try to order from them, because while I can deliver on a few of the products, the puppets are not among them! Prices have likely changed as well. :-) The bird and monkey puppets were probably from Steve Axtell. His puppets can be seen and purchased at www.axtell.com

Liz Von Seggen's teaching tapes, CD's, and DVD's were produced and sold by One Way Street. One Way Street did close its doors August 31, 2011. But Dale and Liz Von Seggen assumed the remaining OWS inventory and are providing many of the same products and services under the name of their new business, Creative Ministry Solutions: www.creativemin.com