Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 11:42:01 EST
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Kukla, Lip Synch & History


 
Shari Lewis did astounding lip-synch work with soft sculpture puppets on  
television beginning in the 1950's (often using a puppet on each hand at the  
same time). I believe Jim Henson's work is closer in style to hers than  others 
he acknowledged.
 
     -Steven->
 
 
In a message dated 1/14/2006 8:03:46 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
steve-AT-axtell.com writes:

I joined  puptcrit 10 or 12 years ago to gain an 
understanding of the field with the  specific 
purpose of broadening my awareness of styles, 
different  views, and learn more about the history 
of puppets.  This is one of  the great values of this list.

As a kid I loved Kukla Fran and Ollie  but was 
always really bothered by Kukla's lip sych  
manipulation.   The comic brilliance of Burr 
Tillstrom  aside, Kukla's mouth usually opened and 
closed, biting the words rather  than speaking 
them.  I was always pre-occupied by that.    (Keep 
in mind this was long before I saw Henson's work)

On a  rec.arts.puppetry post from many years ago I found this.....

"Henson  was quick to acknowledge the work of puppeteers before him. He
particularly  admired Edgar Bergen. While KFO was good, it's style was much
the same as  it had been since the middle-ages. But whereas KFO used a
traditional style  comeplete with stage, Henson was the first to make the TV
screen the stage.  This was a revolution in puppeteering. Henson was also one
of the first to  lip-sync the puppet's mouth movements with their speech.
This made the  characters appear real enough so that one could forget they
were  puppets.   Patrick Joseph McNamara"

Is that accurate?   Was lip synch never an issue 
in puppetry before Henson?   It's  hard to believe 
that with all the effort to create the illusion 
of  life, that there wasn't an effort to move the 
mouth as if it were real  speech.

I'm really curious.  Were mouth puppets not 
common  before TV?  I doubt it but I don't 
know.  Punch & Judy had  an Crocodile, but did it 
ever talk?  What other early mouth puppets  were 
there before Kukla?  What is the time line?

I look  forward to learning.....thanks.


Steve Axtell Expressions,  Inc.




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