To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 01:19:55 GMT
Subject: [Puptcrit] Mr Bingle in New Orleans


I'm still catching up going through paper stuff, and just read the Los Angeles Times for Dec. 25, with an article about Mr Bingle, a cone-hatted snowman with hollyleaf wings. A huge (2-story) version decorated the front of Maison Blanche Department Store on Canal Street during the holidays, beginning in 1948. 

Smaller versions of Mr Bingle were animated in the many display windows on Canal Street, and body-suit versions walked about inside the store. THERE WERE MR BINGLE PUPPET SHOWS and short appearances of Mr Bingle before evening TV news (not sure if that was with. puppets, but could be).

I was in New Orleans during Christmas 1967, and high tech had invaded those display windows. I don't remember if Mr Bingle was involved, but most-likely he was.

Puppeteers from the Bourbon Street troupe of Les Poupees took notice that animatronic puppetry had replaced live-action puppets or cam-operated figures in the display windows that yea.

I made countless trips to see the window displays, always to find the same damn window sign: OUT OF ORDER.

It would have been cheaper, more efficient and far more satisfying if LIVE PUPPETEERS had replaced technology.

I assume the MISTAKES were corrected in following years, and that Mr Bingle reigned every holiday season until Maison Blanche closed in 1998 and the building became a hotel.

Dillard's Dept. Stores tried transferring a large Mr Dingle to a suburban mall, but the Times says it was not the same. So into storage he went. It would have cost $45,000 to restore him to a condition of glory.

In 2004, Sean P. Doles had his book published, "SAVING MR BINGLE"---a work of fiction about Mr Bingle being returned by popular acclaim.  

While doll versions of Mr Bingle had continued to be available, the big display version was buried in a warehouse.

Katrina lashed out at the warehouse district, but the building survived where Mr Bingle was entombed.

The Azby Fund rounded up big money in support of an annual light show in City Park, New Orleans (the light show staff was cut from 260 to 23) and Phoenix-Bird-like, Mr Bingle showed up in the display. Through much volunteer work, both the lights and Mr Bingle were back through Dec 30th. Granted, the scale of the light show was trimmed from previous years, but in the dark, candlelight can be seen at some distance.

Organizers rounded up old  recordings from the puppet shows & TV spots: "Jingle Jingle Jingle---Here comes Mr Bingle".

OK so what about the puppeteer, a former street performer named Isentrout, who died in 1985 and was buried  in an unmarked grave (shades of Mozart, another sometime puppeteer)?

Sean P. Doles donated money from his book sales for a gravestone with a picture of Mr Bingle on it, at Hebrew's Rest Cemetary #3. L.A. Times writer Scott Gold notes that the New Orleans Christmas voice was Jewish.

"I like that" said Sean Doles, "It creates a nice bridge between faiths during the holiday season."

And in December, puptcrit was discussing contemporary problems doing Christmas/winter holiday puppet shows.

Maybe the rest of our country can learn something from Mr Bingle.

ALAN COOK    

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