Question about Live hand Puppets

Gonzo's Hobbit

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So I was wondering if any of you guys could help me. I really like the idea of human arm and hand puppets. Just to clarify because they go by so many names I can't keep them stright I mean the style where the puppeteers hand is the puppets. I understand how the monster puppets work. But the puppets where the top of the arm is stuffed and then the puppeteer insterts their hand at the elbow or wrist in a matching sleeve is where I get lost.
I undertsnad that this style works, I've seen it work. But everytime I think about it I always think that someone should notice the puppeteer's arm or that part of the character's sleeve is askew or isn't actually comign off of the body of the puppet. Or does this all get reconciled by camera angles and such?
I was just wondering if someone could explain how the illusion is supposed to work because I can't seem to figure it out for myself.
Thanks.
 

Animal31

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There really isn't an illusion to it. A character like Cookie or Telly Monster is a glove puppet where the body was all one peice, but puppets like Ernie or Fozzie were always noticeable to have the arm coming up from the bottom of the screen.

To me, I never really thought they tried to hide it?
 

The Shoe Fairy

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In the last episode of SST I saw, it was a season 41 one I think, Telly seemed to be built like Ernie, as at several points you saw two "arms"on each side. One being his and the other the puppeteers'.
 

Animal31

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I haven't watched it this season, but I know before he was all one piece. No arm rods, still a glove 2 man puppet, but he did not have the gloved arms separate from the body as does Ernie and Fozzie...
 

Gonzo's Hobbit

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Yea I knew how monsters worked, what with the glove desgin attached to the body.

But I swear that I have never seen a seperate arm for Ernie or Fozzie or any other character like that (though I always thought Fozzie was more or the style the monsters were made from). And even when I'm looking for it I can't see it. Maybe I need to watch it again if it's that noticeable. Thanks Animal 31 for kinda pointing it out.
I noticed that they hid it in Fraggles with characters like Mokey and Cantus by making them have realley long, loose outfits so the puppeteer's arm can hide under that a little.
 

Animal31

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It may not be as noticeable in the movies, but episodes of the Muppet Show and Sesame Street are where it can really be spotted. I could be that I just looked for it more too, even as a kid I had to know how it all worked...... :smirk:
 
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