To: Leslie Evans <lae21-AT-yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:31:04 GMT
Cc: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] Burr Tillstrom's use of proscenium stage on early TV


Burr was such a TV pioneer.In current puptcrit chat, much has been made how he worked on a puppet stage rather than moving about the studio space with puppets. But if he had wanted to use the full studio space it would not have worked. THE STUDIOS WERE REALLY S-M-A-L-L, ie: SMALL! 

For the studio audience when I saw him in Chicago, there were a few folding chairs, and the light & sound and camera crew were not only working, they were part of the audience too. People are usually unaware how LITTLE,  early studio space was.

Since Burr worked behind a scrim he could see the back view of the puppets, but the TV monitor (Placed at his right as shown in that LIFE Magazine article) provided a needed front view--so he could direct himself. TV cameras were huge and expensive, hard to move in a tight space, so working just as he did was the most practical way at the time. 

Once he did an elaborate Easter bunny special in which the set was enlarged, and a host of bunnies on the assembly line were certainly not operated by just Burr. Fletcher rabbit did an interview with the other puppets

One of my favorite Muppets was Kermit He was also an adept reporter on camera.
I think it is neat that two important American puppet characters. both played similar roles.

I have mentioned before that Kukla and Kermit appeared on a puppet stage together in the early 1980s in the Recital Hall at the Detroit Institute of Arts. It was a thrilling once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And at the First-Day-of-Issue ceremony last September in North Hollywood CA, Kermit & Miss Piggy made appearances on a puppet stage. So when circumstances required, Muppets have appeared on traditional proscenium stages, just like KFO.

ALAN COOK

_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org
Archives: http://www.driftline.org