Making Java Muppets.

[Carnby]

I'm looking to make these since my daughter loves the sketch, but am a little puzzled on what to use. Someone recommended flexible dryer vent tubing like this:

http://www.doityourself.com/invt/0407338

but I'm not sure how to color it. Someone else mentioned special paint used for plastic. Would that be a step in the right direction?

 

[mrhogg]

What do you mean by Java Muppets? What do they look like?

 

[Super Scooter]

Frank Oz designed and (I think) built the original Java Muppets. They are made of tubing similair to that, though I'm not sure if that's quite the same kind. If you own the first season of The Muppet Show, they appear in the episode with Ethel Merman. Watch it with the Muppet Morsels on. If I remember right, they tell exactly what they're made of.

 

[Oscarfan]

If were to make them, I would suggest some pipes that are sturdy, or else they would just sag forward or backward.

 

[Carnby]

Ok, I checked season 1's Morsels for the skit and they were made from dryer and vacuum vent tubes. So that's easy to take care of, but are there any suggestions for coloring them? I'm going to search around and see if there just happen to be wild colors for dryer tubes.

 

[Melonpool]

I believe the original ones (like the ones used on the Ed Sullivan Show) were white with colored boas attached at the ends.

I know that they make white plastic dryer vent hoses in different diameters. They would be what I'd use, though I have no idea how to color them like the ones featured on the Muppet Show version of the sketch. Maybe neon spray paint for coloring plastic?

The only tip I'd suggest is stretch it out and immobilize it when painting it (By maybe stretching it on a board suspended by two sawhorses) and resist the temptation to paint it all in one session. Also, don't move it at all until it's dried for a day or so. Even so, I have no idea if it'd even stick. The only other idea I have is possibly trying to dye it using rit or some other dye and submerging it in a bath for awhile. I have no idea if it'd work either.

My best bet would be to try to recreate the Ed Sullivan versions.

 

[Melonpool]

Look at this image:

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/thumb/d/d4/Javas.jpg/300px-Javas.jpg

What about taking the dryer hose and feeding it through a pink nylon tight (or making a spandex tube)? You might have to glue it in place, but It looks sort of like that's the way they made the later version of the Java Muppets. Or, it might be something similar to a plastic slinky with a similar material over it.

Just trying to help.

 

[Jinx]

Great advice, Steve. I think all of the above-mentioned ideas would work. Personally, I think I'd go for the spandex covering for the greatest durability.

I also did a really quick google search for "flexible paint for plastic". (Ain't the internet grand?) I found this link that looks interesting. It appears to have provisions for rigid and/or flexible paints.

 

[Melonpool]

I've always wondered how they were performed. Rods? I assume that since they always appear on a black background that the puppeteers (or at least part of the puppeteers) are dressed in black in plain sight, but other than that, I'm at a loss.

I would think that there is a hand or a rod attached to each foot, but how do they manipulate the puppet so that the eyes can turn on cue? Do you suppose there are multiple puppeteers for each one?

Theories?

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I am not sure, but you could probably turn the eyes simply by turning the rod in your hands.