Where Dummies Go to Retire

                                                              

         

 

Jerry Mahoney lost his voice over twenty years ago.

Paul Winchell, the famous ventriloquist and voice actor, died in 2005. Paul and his puppet Jerry Mahoney and second banana Knucklehead Smif had a career that spanned a half-century.

Ventriloquism as a stagecraft reached its peak in the 40s and 50s. It’s popularity declined in the late 1960s as entertainment tastes evolved. Ventriloquism, which was often seen by newer generations as a simple or novelty act, struggled to compete with  emerging genres and trends.  The humor in the ventriloquist performances typically  relied on puns and simple jokes, which many from newer  generations starting with ”X” believed were outdated.

1950’s stagecraft and entertainment humor mirrored a more conservative and stable post-war society. For fourteen years viewers followed the “Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” The show exemplified the classic, family-oriented humor of the 1950s, focusing on warmth and simplicity rather than todays’ satire and boldness. The show reached 10-15 million viewers per episode reflecting its widespread popularity during the golden age of television. Shows beginning in the late 60’s, however, began to tackle social issues, politics, and counterculture movements. By the early 1970s, television audiences were shifting towards more contemporary and youth-oriented programming. Variety shows, like Toast of the Town, which had been immensely popular in earlier decades, were starting to decline in viewership.

The  "Ed Sullivan Show," originally titled "Toast of the Town," ended its run on June 6, 1971. It was one of the most popular and influential variety shows in television history, known for showcasing a wide range of acts, including ventriloquists like Paul Winchell’s “dual dummies”, Shari Lewis’ Lambchop, and the unforgettable  Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.

 

Sadly, ventriloquists generally became as dated as a TV Test Pattern

Few remember Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy and only octogenarians and those nearing that status may recall these voice actors of the 50’s, but you can drop in and see Knucklehead and other similar wooden characters – characters because they each had a personality and their own individuality  - as part of the collection at the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibit ensures that these iconic figures of mid-20th century entertainment are preserved, and that   Paul Winchell's  and other “dummies”  remain appreciated  as significant parts of entertainment history.

And If you go there, please hello to Howdy Doody for me.

 

And ask ‘What time is it?”

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