Ventriloquist dummies...

[Illoman]

You know, I'm of two minds on this subject. My folks introduced me to the worlds of Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Bros, WC Fields, and Charlie McCarthy when I was quite young. I loved to see Edgar Bergen when I could on Mike Douglas, Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show, Laugh-In, etc. My folks got me my own Charlie doll when I was eight or nine years old. He and his pals don't creep me out, but the dummies on the Twilight Zone and in films like Magic, etc do creep me out.



I still have Charlie to this day. He sits quietly in a closet in my studio. I just hope he stays that way...

[Unknown Primate]

Awesome pic, Mike!  You look good in a top hat!

Okay, I just smacked myself for that one  .

[Illoman]

Awesome pic, Mike!  You look good in a top hat!

Okay, I just smacked myself for that one  .

I should have titled this pic "A couple of dummies!" LOL!!! I like this photo because it was back when life was much different. Thanks to my folks I had a great childhood. It's when middle school and high school hit that everything went to hell. 

[charp13]

Illoman- I LOVE that picture! There's nothing cuter than kids putting on magic shows or trying their hand at ventriloquism! I used to enjoy Howdy Doody and his friends like a fiend! I can't get enough of those old time ventriloquists! The new ones are not really that cool, but anything before and including Willie and Lester is A-Ok!
I always wanted a "dummy" of my very own.  Even though I cannot possibly throw my voice- teehee!

[BlackLagoon]

Because they sometimes look like us.

I think that's 100% right. When I was a kid, I don't think I was ever scared of monsters or beasts--from Gillman to the aliens at the Cantina Club, I was more fascinated and wanted to know more and see more about them. Mask and things like that never scared me.

The stuff that really mirrored being human scared the hell out of me. Remember those masks they'd sell at the pharmacy? The clear clown faces? To this day I think those are the creepiest damn things I ever saw.

And Mark that story is funny as hell! LOL I'm gonna tell that to my uncle.....he used to complain to my grandparents that his Aurora models were going to "get him" at night. LOL...WHAT A MAROON!

[Unknown Primate]

Remember those masks they'd sell at the pharmacy? The clear clown faces? To this day I think those are the creepiest damn things I ever saw.

Oh hell yes - they are really disturbing!

[Unknown Primate]

masked-alice by The Golden Gorilla, on Flickr

[Haunted hearse]

Maybe because I grew up enjoying things like "Shrimpenstein", and performers like Edgar Bergan and Paul Winchell, that Ventriloquest dummy's don't bother me.  The only trully creepy ones I have seen is the Victorian one in the photo, and Ansom Williams.

[Count_Zirock]

Puppets in general don't bother me. I, too, was raised on Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, and the old "Kukla, Fran & Ollie Show." I had that same Charlie McCarthy dummy, a Mortimer Snerd, as well as a rather elaborate Mikey Mouse that came with a red coat and black pants. But, I never could pull off throwing my voice, and all three were relegated to my basement by the time I hit high school. No pix, I'm afraid.

[Sean]

The dummy looks like the bastard child of William Demarest and Lady Elaine Fairchild. 

NOT that I would EVER want anyone cursed by having to now picture a liquored-up, stumbling William Demarest feverishly humping the HELL out of a Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood puppet...

   

[Unknown Primate]

Too late, Sean - thanks a lot!

[Sean]

Too late, Sean - thanks a lot!

Pleasant dreams, Mark.   

[Unknown Primate]

Damn you, you big galoot!

[Monster Bob]

Sorry I came late to the party.

My Knucklehead Smif (Paul Winchell,vent)...



...and my wife's Danny O'Day with my Farfel (Danny's dog) (Jimmy Nelson,vent)...



...and finally an unusual Nestle's Chocolate milk shake store display featuring Farfel.

Always loved Farfel...




.

[Sean]

Monster Bob,

I would spare Farfel, but Knucklehead and Danny would be getting flying closelines and atomic elbows non-stop.