Where Are They Now?

[Fozzie Bear]

Oddly, not the kind of thread you're used to with that title.

I figured something like this would be interesting to discuss. We all know that the tales of Winnie the Pooh were based on actual dolls owned by the real-life Christopher Robin.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u95/kmessner/100_5943.jpg
Now on permanent display at the New York Public Library
http://www.nypl.org/branch/central/dlc/dch/pooh/timeline.html

There is also an actual 100 Aker Wood:
http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/winnie-the-pooh/what-next/places-to-go

One of the Howdy Doody puppets is on display at the Smithsonian
http://americanhistory.si.edu/news/factsheet.cfm?key=30&newskey=49

But:

Where are the puppets from the Neighborhood of Make Believe?
Where is Kukkla Fran and Ollie (at least the puppets)?
Beanie and Cecil (?) - Wasn't that a TV show? Where is the puppet?

I'm 100% sure I'm forgetting missing puppets--who or what, and where?

Obviously, this isn't discussion about Muppet Characters that have disappeared over the years, but the other puppets in the entertainment industry that have gone the way of mystery.

If you know information or have links, please share. Any others missing from here, likewise: Post away!

 

[Winslow Leach]

I got to see Howdy (and Kermit) at the Smithsonian.

As for Kukla, Fran & Ollie, Fran Allison died in 1989, and Burr Tillstrom, the only puppeteer on the show, passed away in 1985. In his will, Tillstrom prohibited anyone else from performing Kukla, Ollie and the other characters from the show. I assume the puppets still exist, as in the years since Tillstrom's death, people have expressed interest in reviving the characters. His estate must have them in storage...just a guess.

But Kukla and Ollie remained in the public eye long after their series ended in the 1950s. They appeared on numerous TV shows and specials throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Tillstrom even made live appearances with Kukla and Ollie, including a run on Broadway in Side by Side by Sondheim (1978).

In 1979, Kukla and Ollie were panelists on Match Game.

 

[sesameguy]

That’s a great question, Fozzie. Here’s what I’ve found so far:

According to the site below, many of the Mr. Rogers “Neighborhood of Make Believe” puppets are “on permanent loan” to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

http://www.library.pitt.edu/libraries/is/enroom/mrrogers/mrrogrs.htm

However, when I visit the Web site for the museum, I’m unable to find specifically where the puppets are on display. I suppose it’s possible that they are currently in storage, as many museums keep some of their treasures under wraps for much of the time. Here’s the museum link, but note that “The chicken dance” music plays in the background. Try to remain seated.

http://www.pittsburghkids.org/

The museum does have a Mr. Rogers exhibit for kids that you can read about here:

http://www.pittsburghkids.org/Templates/CMP_ExhibitsDetail.aspx?CID=196&SECID=4&MENUID=97

Moving on to Kukla & Ollie, the site below says that Burr Tillstrom’s puppet collection was willed to the Chicago Historical Society.

http://www.tvacres.com/child_kuklafran.htm

But once again, I can’t find where the puppets are on exhibit when I visit their Web page:

http://www.chicagohs.org/

No luck yet on finding Beany & Cecil, but you can see what the puppets looked like at the site below:

http://www.tvacres.com/puppets_beany_cecil.htm

Remember Paul Winchell? I couldn’t find anything on where his puppets are, but I did locate an interesting Web site about him & his career:

http://www.paulwinchell.com/

So basically, it seems like many of the puppets are (I hope) in storage waiting to be displayed in a “special exhibit” someday. I guess I’m just glad that they still exist!

=========================================

On the subject of famous teddy bears, you may recall that Elvis Presley’s teddy was destroyed by a distraught dog. I posted about that on my blog:

http://heroshaven.blogspot.com/2006/08/elvis-teddy-bear-and-yours-too.html

 

[sesameguy]

But Kukla and Ollie remained in the public eye long after their series ended in the 1950s. They appeared on numerous TV shows and specials throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Tillstrom even made live appearances with Kukla and Ollie, including a run on Broadway in Side by Side by Sondheim (1978).

Very cool! It would have been great to see Kukla & Ollie "live." It's good to know that puppets were on Broadway long before "Avenue Q" came along.

Kukla & Ollie & several other Tillstrom puppets also appeared in the "Carpenters At Christmas" special that aired in the 1970s. You can read about that below:

http://www.carpentersfans.com/television/carpenters-tv-specials-01.html

 

[Erine81981]

I would like to know about two certain shows.

Pinwheels PlayHouse and Eurreka's Castle characters too. What have become of them and where are they now?

I know i could look up some stuff on them but i'm not good at anything like that. I try and find other stuff about them other then stuff that i was lookin up. Could anyone try and help me please?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

WOW! I didn't expect one person to do all that much research! You're awesome!

Thanks for that. It's more than I knew before.

I wonder about those characters from Nickelodeon, too. I forgot about them. What was the other show with the puppet of the old security guard and the mouse, that had the one guy who came to life from being a mannequin?

 

[Drtooth]

I wonder, and have always wondered... what happened to the Mr. Potatohead TV show puppet? Does Hasbro have it on display, or did the show creators have it in a glass case?

 

[sesameguy]

WOW! I didn't expect one person to do all that much research! You're awesome!

Google and I get along well. Thanks for the compliment!

Couldn’t find anything on where the Mr. Potato Head puppet is, but here is a great site for Potato Head data that has a small picture:

http://www.mrpotatohead.net/tv/tv.htm

For Eureka’s Castle, a search revealed that the topic has been covered before on a certain Web site:

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/archive/index.php/t-2199.html

On the Eureka’s Castle puppets, Buck-Beaver writes:

“The puppets were built by 3-Design Studio Inc, the same folks who created puppets for "Wimzie's House", "Groundling Marsh", "The Puzzle Place" and most of the non-Muppet shows coming out of NYC. I've been trying to dig up info on 3-Design for years with little success, but I think a lot of the builders come from the Muppets. They also design toys and do costumes I believe.”

I couldn’t find a specific site for 3-Design either, but I did locate a page with a photo of Jim Kroupa, one of the designers:

http://www.oneillpuppetryconference.com/master.html

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Would like to know if anyone know what happend to the original Lamb Chop Puppets are?

 

[sesameguy]

Would like to know if anyone know what happend to the original Lamb Chop Puppets are?

Shari Lewis has passed away, but her daughter Mally Lewis is currently performing with Lamb Chop! You can read about it at her site:

http://www.lambchop.tv/

But what happened to Shari’s lamb chop puppet? According to the site below, Shari’s grandson Jamie Hood. . .is sleeping with it. Cute.

http://www.lambchop.tv/sharilewis/index.shtml

So I would guess that all of Shari’s original puppets would still be with the Lewis family. I’m not sure if anyone is sleeping with the other puppets, though.