Ventriloquist Central - A Tribute To Ventriloquism

There was a time when if you needed any information concerning ventriloquism you need only contact W.S. Berger and ask. He was one of the most giving people you could ever come in contact with. Below is a great shot with a few remembrance words from Ventriloquist Kenny Warren about this great collector and mentor of the past!!

“Dan, here’s a photo to share with your readers of Ventriloquist Central, (it’s a bit faded but the memories certainly aren’t!) of me and W.S. Berger at the Vent Haven Museum (his home; just look at his desk, etc.!) in 1965.

I visited W.S. three times; his wife Muzz was a wonderful lady who insisted that I not stay at the local motel that rainy night. Some things remain forever. The oil painting (directly above me) was of W.S.’s first dummy. W.S. gave me full reign of whatever I wished to ready, copy, etc. while there; no holds barred.  He wished full access to everything by everyone who were vent-related-interested.”

Kenny, thanks for sharing.

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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This is most important to everyone in our ventriloquist community. Bill Nelson, one of the best figure makers in our family, has a wonderful Mortimer Snerd figure listed on eBay (as of this writing). Somehow his eBay name was compromised some time back and the scammer used all the under bidders from Bill’s auction to post his wonderful figure on eBay. 

The scammer has done this 4 times so far and just again it is up on eBay for sale (as of this writing).  In the past I have reported this to the seller who has been scammed and also reported it to Bill Nelson (again) and also to eBay directly.  It keeps getting taken down, but pops up again.

Just remember if you see the ad on eBay again in the future, for this Mortimer Snerd figure, for sale and the seller is not Nelson Studios….then it is a scam ad.  Also, when it comes to any item that the price is “too good to be true”, be sure to check it out, because it’s probably NOT true!  

EBay is a wonderful tool but those unscrupulous people sometimes make it hard for everyone.

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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I found this email to me to be most interesting and thought I would share it with all of my readers. The author asked to remain anonymous but was a student of The Great Lester.
 
“Dan, you are dedicated to art of ventriloquism as shown by your Marshall collection, and interest in his influences, one of whom was Great Lester and another W.S. Berger, who like yourself was dedicated to the art as a fine art.
 
I notice  that Gepetto’s Workshop is making a clone of Bob Albano and of Dan Willinger,  it should be interesting to see the finished products. I further read that Steve Barry, of  Gepetto’s workshop, was on Paul Winchell’s show and that Paul Winchell taught clench teeth. After reading this it brought back some of my own memories and I thought I would share these with you.
 
In 1955 , Paul Winchell’s book Ventriloquism for Fun and Profit came out, and I had copy, and learned to clench teeth in my practicing of ventriloquism. I attended the 1955 IBV convention in Pittsburgh and quickly learned from The Great Lester that this was not acceptable and not the Lester method. Edgar Bergen as student of Lester did it right but failed to lock the jaw for still lip and jaw. Lester taught to pull the jaw down and back for taught jaw muscles, thus by freezing the jaw also froze the lips. This method allows you to still use a smile to non-smile motion which did not constitute moving lips so long as lips did not come together.
 
Now 50 years later I think it is a good time to stress the Great Lester’s method for still lip and jaw to make sure young vents starting out do it right and not as teeth clenchers.”
 
Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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A few days ago I posted some wonderful pictures sent to me by Bill Nelson of his famous Nelson Jackson figures. Due to a mistake on my part, the color photo is not a group shot of the Nelson Jackson figures but a group of other figures which were created by Mr. Nelson.

The new photo I have posted here is the correct picture. I am sorry but this picture is not in color but it does show this great group of outstanding ventriloquist figures!!

 
Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

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All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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When it comes to the Rolls Royce of ventriloquist figures everyone agrees that The McElroys were the best and first to create these works of art but I was just sent in this great ad on learning ventriloquism and if you look at this ad (see link below), which was published in August of 1934 , you will see a figure with a similar set up of the controls for multiple movements of the figures to what the McElroy Brothers created.  If I am not mistaken the brothers first ad for their figures was in the Abbott’s catalogue of 1937 and they show their first sale of a figure to Robert Wedertz. His figure was made in 1936 which is 2 years following this advertisement.
 
I remember that on ebay about 2 years ago someone from Germany was selling a figure that was in need of repair but it had this same style handle and control box as you see pictured here. I did in fact bid on it but was not the buyer. I now wish I had been because I thought it was not original and was done by someone trying to copy the McElroys. I just may have been wrong.
 
There was a German manufacturer of Magic named Klingel and to date I only know of one figure made by them and it is currently in a magic collector’s collection and it has multiple functions but it does not have this style handle.
 
Is there anyone out there , reading this blog, that can identify the maker of this early style controlled figure?

Click Here for the “Learning Ventriloquism” Ad

Dan 
www.ventriloquistcentral.com
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All writings here are copyrighted by Dan Willinger and Ventriloquist Central. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.

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