Its been about thirty
nine or so years ago that Jack Coats crossed my path. I will never
forget it. I had been attending the Abbott Get Togethers in Colon
Michigan since I was able to drive. This was my fifth visit and Paul
Stadleman had his booth up selling his books etc. But, this year was
different. Not only was Paul selling books but he had two or three
vent figures for sale. I had met Paul before and he was instrumental
in putting VentOrama together for the vents and aspiring vents.
I started to talk to Paul who was a very courteous gentleman and
after a few minutes I asked him. Who made those beautiful dummies
that he had on display. Let me stop right here and say Paul had
price tags on these and they were a lot of money not that I didn't
think they were worth it. At this Point Paul Stadleman pointed at a
man standing there among a lot of people and said. That man right
there is the one who made these. I left Paul and walked over to Jack
and introduced myself. I of course was very complimentary and said
someday I would like to own one but they were a little out of my
budget. Hey Pardner he said, and I will never forget what he said
after that. You don't have to pay those prices, let me carve one for
you and it won't cost you near that much.
Well we hit it off. He invited me to lunch and a beverage and we
talked and talked and I found out he did not live that far from me.
I lived in Chatham Ontario about an hour from Detroit , Windsor and
he lived near the Metropolitan Airport in Wayne Romulus County. That
was about a two and a half hour drive but that's nothing when you
are young. He gave me his address and phone number and when I got
home I told my new wife about this encounter. She was happy for me
since I had never had a custom figure of my own. I was at the time
working with a Insull head, I made the body and that Character now
sits in the home of Dan Willinger.
After a few months I called Jack and we set up an appointment. I had
some black and white photos of the Insull figure and took them along
to Jacks house. I told him I wanted a happy looking figure since I
do a lot of kid shows and church work. No problem he said. He took
me down to his shop in the basement and I was amazed at all the
carving tools and even saw a few heads and bodies in the production
stage. I ask a lot of questions and said. How do you get the paint
to have the finish it does. Oh Pardner he replied, I use a
concoction of everything from paint to ground up Kellogg corn
flakes. I just laughed and did not know whether to believe him or
not. I left after a while and was so excited to think I would have a
custom figure that I could not sleep some nights.
A few months passed and I kept calling him on the phone. He was very
gracious and said, Yup, he's almost done. Just need the wig to come
in from a supplier that I thought he said was called Ja Cobee in
Chicago. Then I got the call that he was ready. I gassed up the
mustang and headed out like a kid the night before Christmas. I got
to his place and we met in the living room. When he showed me the
character my first reaction was, its not how I pictured he would
look. I did not say anything and the figure started growing on me by
the minutes. I handled him and he had all the features I wanted.
Side to side self centering eyes. Two winkers, Beautiful slot mouth
and wiggling ears. Jack now asked what are you going to call him. I
said I will call him Leroy because in your shop downstairs I saw
some documentation that said Leroy is your real name. He got a big
smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. ( I knew he was pleased
as punch) Let me point out that Jack talked me out of raising
eyebrows and crossed eyes. Eyebrows can snap off and crossed eyes is
a tricky thing. I like the way I do 'em without crossing the eyes.
I asked him if I could see the carving shop one more time. Oh yeah,
Come on down. More figures were being carved, others in for repairs,
and then I spotted something else. He had started making birds. I
saw a yellow fur one with a big beak and said can I buy that. Well
he is not quite finished. Some of the fur needs to be glued on and
trimmed. I said, Hey I am in the floor covering business as a living
and know how to do that. Ok, load up the bird. We settled up. At
that time the Canadian and American money was at a pretty good rate
of exchange and I paid him in U.S. funds. I wish I could tell you
how much I paid but I can't. You see Jack had three girls or two I
don't remember and it seemed like he treated me like the son he
never had. In other words he give me a bargooooon.
Next year in Colon we met again. I would only stay a couple of days
because my twin brother had a job where he had to back on weekends.
We had a lot of fun with him doing his two note train whistle and
who can every forget his baby cry. He would do it often using his
coat and one time he threw the coat down on the floor and stomped on
it and the baby cry stopped. Some people almost fainted when he did
that. He was such a friend that I have a photo slide of him slipping
me some money so I could stay a few extra days. I did not take his
money and since I came with my brother I had to leave with my
brother. This meant arriving on Wednesday and leaving Friday
morning. It was on this second encounter that he sold ( almost gave)
me a miniature head he had carved. Jack worked hard at a place that
made auto parts in Detroit. I think it was called Kelsey Heyes or
something like that. Jack would always get in his car and drive back
home to Detriot and pick up his girls and return so his children
could see the Saturday night show at Abbotts. Jack was really
excited one year because Barclay Shaw was on the bill. The second
year I took my figure Leroy and performed in the Ventoramma and won
the Paul Stadleman trophy for Excellence in Ventriloquism. Paul
Stadleman, Bill Boley, and Jack Coats were the Judges.
In retrospect I had not seen Jack before at these functions. There
he was three years in a row and this man with the big moustache
waxed at the ends and curled doing this wonderful vent and treating
me like a son was ecstatic. Jack even found a place for my brother
and I to sleep right in the village of Colon. Up until that time we
slept in the car. This saved money for magic and vent stuff etc. The
last year I met Jack in Colon was the time I asked him did you bring
anything to sell. Well Pardner he replied, I got a couple of heads
in the car. Just the heads no bodies. I said can I see them. He had
a boy figure head. and a girl with a lot of features. He also went
on to tell me that the Doctor had said his ticker as he called it
was not in great shape. He mentioned on the sly that he might not be
coming every year as he had. I went outside and he opened the trunk.
I handled the heads and they were a must have. How much for the two
of them. Once again he offered to part for these with so little
money that when I paid him I said are you sure. Yup, If you want
them they are yours. Little did I know that would be the last time I
would see him. We did not have Internet, and all the things we have
today for instant communication. I went back to Colon fully
expecting to see my friend when I heard the news. He had passed a
few months after our meeting the year before. Heart problem was the
diagnosis.
Jack was a unique character. Had his own style and his own way at
looking at vent stuff. I don't know his relationship with other
carvers. He was good to me. In fact he was too good to me. I think
about him often when he is mentioned in Vent columns etc. I admire
my custom figure more and more each year. I appreciate him more and
more each year. There is an old saying, When the student is ready
the teacher will appear. In my case this wonderful friend and carver
appeared.
John Hopman
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