Ventriloquist Central Newsletter

June Newsletter

Comments from Dan

Only a few weeks till all the fun begins at the Vent Haven ConVENTion. I am so excited that the ConVENTion is finally upon us. It will be so nice to again be among the crowd of people that has the same thing on their mind as me. Ventriloquism !!!

Most of the time around here at home in Boston when ever I comment or my wife Helen comments that I collect ventriloquist figures people look at me like I have 2 heads. They look at my wife and say” Ventriloquist Dummies?” how strange……So being able to be with everyone who has the same love as I do is something I really look forward to.

I love everything about the ConVENTion too. The workshops give you insight into the art itself, the shows from the junior to the professionals are just fantastic and of course for me the dealer’s room is the best. I of course will be hunting for the antique figure that makes me say “Scotty watty doo doo daa !” so if you are coming to the Vent Haven and bringing your figure to sell make sure you look for me. I will be the one in the tee shirt that says Ventriloquistcentral.com.

We have some big plans for everyone to keep you all informed as to what is happening as it happens. I know everyone can’t be there so this way you all will have the chance to kind of partake of the ConVENTion.

If you are going to the ConVENTion be sure to look me up. It will be a great time again I am sure and I truly can’t wait to see everyone.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

Learn the "Secrets of Ventriloquism"

Now YOU can learn the Art of Ventriloquism with this truly remarkable new course, “Secrets of Ventriloquism.” This course combines the secrets of the past by one of the great ventriloquist with current thoughts and ideas of modern day ventriloquists.

"I've been listening to it and there are some things on it I've not heard from any other source. Anyone who wants to know some true secrets will probably want to consider getting this one."
David Thrasher

www.SecretsofVentriloquism.com

Blogs You May Have Missed On Ventriloquist Central

Star Ventriloquist Figures Ad

Here's a great ad from the 1950's. Wouldn’t it be great to go back and purchase a few of these at this price? I know we can’t do that but we can dream.

Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy in Literary Digest

Last month we showed you this picture of Charlie McCarthy from Literary Digest magazine. Dave Miller was so intrigued with the blog that he found the actual Literary Digest magazine with the article about Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.

Fabulous Find Within The Fred Maher Brochure

I was checking out an original 1940′s Fred Maher brochure (that I happened to get in a lot of paper on ventriloquism) and what a surprise to see one of the Marshall figures pictured in the brochure that is now a member of the Ventriloquist Central Collection.

Ventriloquist, Magician & Comedian Johnny Carson

Everyone knows Johnny Carson as a comedian and also a magician but many may not know that he was a ventriloquist as well. I am pleased to show you today this great newspaper article with pictures of a very young Johnny Carson with his Frank Marshall figure and his young children.

More Ventriloquist Figures by James Tattersall

I received a very nice email the other day which I will share with you about James Tattersall ventriloquist figures....

Edgar Bergen Ventriloquist and Worker in Wood

I just had to share this with everyone because it is so interesting. As we all know Mortimer was originally created from a sketch which Edgar provided to Virginia Austin Curtis. She in turn created the figure Mortimer for Edgar in Plastic wood. Mortimer was never a wood carved figure. Here we have a great article boasting about Edgar’s great wood working shop and a picture of a Mortimer he is creating out of wood.

Ray Guyll and Paul Dorset, A Gwillville Audio Interview

Here is a great audio interview with master ventriloquist figure builder, Ray Guyll and author Paul Dorset. Instead of me writing about this interview here it is in Ray’s own words....

Jerry Mahoney Controls by Ventriloquist Paul Winchell

A few weeks ago I did a blog about the great manipulation and controls of the Jerry Mahoney figure by master ventriloquist Paul Winchell. I had my own thoughts on how he accomplished his manipulation but I was not quite correct. My good friend Jerry Layne has supplied the correct information on both the manipulation and the controls for Paul Winchell’s “Jerry.” He was even so kind as to include for us pictures of Mr. Winchell’s head stick showing the placement of the controls. Man, Paul was genius.

Of course we had many other blogs throughout the month of May, so be sure to check them all out, just in case you might have missed one.

May Archives

Missed one of the monthly Ventriloquist Central Newsletters?

Click here for the Archives!

“The ULTIMATE Guide To Building Your Own
Ventriloquist Figure, Volume 1”

"Steve's course is very good too! You can actually see projects being worked on and see how he handles them instead of just reading about it (not that the books aren't worth having too!)."

Gary Koepke

“The ULTIMATE Guide To Building Your Own Ventriloquist Figure, Volume 1” is a step-by-step system from start to finish, so you can create your very own ventriloquist figure. Now you can become a ventriloquist figure builder. This guide will answers all your questions, show you all the short-cuts, and give you a quick and easy paint-by-the-numbers way to making your own ventriloquist figure-- even if you don’t think you can do it.

"Hi Steve,

I purchased the “The ULTIMATE Guide To Building Your Own Ventriloquist Figure, Volume 1”, from you last year and have finished my dummy now.

It has not taken that long to do but I have only been able to do little bits to it here and there so thats where the months have gone.

I would love to take this opportunity to thank you for putting this course together. Building a dummy has been a long term ambition of mine right from child hood when I used to make cardboard dummies.

Now all I need to finish the one I have made from your course is to clothe him. As soon as I have clothes for him I will send some photos for you to see.

Any way thanks again and look forward to hearing from you in the future."

Regards
Shane West
www.unclezoobee.co.uk

"The DVD course is everything your advertisement claims it to be! It is truly worth much more than the amount asked! Thank you very much."

Theo Roos
South Africa

"Steve, I purchased your Ultimate Guide To Building Your Own Ventriloquist Figure Vol.1 DVD's just over five months ago. Let me first say, these are a MUST HAVE! I have always wanted to build my own figure and your DVD's gave me the confidence to get started as well as valuable information with the whole process! I took your advice on using the Fast Mache' method and it works! That advice in itself saved me a lot of frustration since this was my first time at figure making. I now know I can begin my second figure and it will be even more exciting than the first one. The information in the Ultimate Guide DVD's are invaluable! I enjoy watching them over and over again to gain more insight on figure building. I can't wait to get into the mold making process and duplicate one of my own figure heads! The Ultimate Guide DVD's were exactly what I was looking for and needed! Thanks so much for creating them. You truly are an inspiration to me with all the nuts and bolts of information you share in order to produce a ventriloquist figure."

Thanks Again!
Ron Cataldo

“The ULTIMATE Guide To Building Your Own Ventriloquist Figure, Volume 1”

Ventriloquist Marketplace

We have had quite a bit of activity on the Ventriloquist Marketplace. In fact, one figure I listed sold within a couple of hours of listing it, so be sure you keep checking it out.

Ventriloquist Marketplace

You're invited to this exclusive Ventriloquist Central
'History Making' event...

...and a chance to WIN the GRAND PRIZE!!!

The Ventriloquist Central Birthday Bash

The Ventriloquist Central Birthday Bash is going to be held in Boston, at the Hyatt Place Boston/Medford, on Saturday, October 8, 2011, with helpful presentations, expert presenters, professional entertainment, plus getting to see the Ventriloquist Central Collection and not to mention you’ll have a great time. IMPORTANT....we can only handle 70 people. So sign up now.

For more, go here:

Ventriloquist Central Birthday Bash

Pictures of Figures Added to the Website

A Classic Frank Marshall Ventriloquist Figure

Being a collector I just could not resist when I was able to ad Punch & Judy to the Ventriloquist Central Collection. Even though this is a true puppet set it is so closely related and this set was so nice I just had to have it.

Ventriloquist Central Videos

Here you can view videos of ventriloquists of all kinds from the amateur, the semi pro and the pros. Just about anything to do with ventriloquists and ventriloquism, you’ll find here at Ventriloquist Central Videos.

www.VentriloquistCentralVideos.com

Videos

Inside a Jerry Layne Ventriloquist Figure Head

Our friend Bill Smith purchased a very nice Jerry Layne ventriloquist figure from one of the sellers here on the Ventriloquist Marketplace . Bill Let me know that he had done a YouTube video showing the internals of his Layne figure.

Ventriloquist Central Video – Arthur Worsley and Charley Brown

Being a ventriloquist figure collector and an enthusiast of ventriloquism, I enjoy watching videos of ventriloquists. As I was going through some of the videos on the Ventriloquist Central Videos website I had to stop and watch this “oldie but goodie”, Arthur Worsley and Charley Brown. I never tire of watching this video and I hope you enjoy it too.

For Those Interested In The Art Of Ventriloquism

“The Ventriloquism Historical Information Collection, Volume 1.”

Final Thoughts

With the Vent Haven ConVENTion coming up it got me to thinking about the man that started it all, W.S. Berger – The MASTER Collector. I have been so influenced by W.S. Berger I just can’t tell you. He was the master at collecting ventriloquist figures and I only wish that I had his wonderful talent for getting folks to will their figures to the Ventriloquist Central Collection.

When his collection started to really take hold he would go and see performers and would always make sure he invited them back to his home and would always give them the royal treatment. Hence in the long and short of it when they would retire what better place would there be for their figures to rest.

He too was an avid business man and he would sell to purchase and he even sold a McElroy figure and then bought it back. When he commissioned the McElroy brothers to build Jacko he made payments to them. Even back then their price was high enough that it had to be paid out.

I have been contacting vents for quite some time now and have been emulating W.S.’s technique to make sure people know I want their figures. I don’t ever think I will be able to come close to the number of figures he amassed but I sure am going to try. I believe he put his collection at around 550 items before he passed on and now there is over 750. A truly remarkable achievement .

I am counting the weeks knowing that I too will again be in the mecca for ventriloquists and will be able again to go and peruse the vast collection of ventriloquism figures that reside at Vent Haven. It is such a wonderful collection and I just hope that one day the Ventriloquist Central Collection will come close.

Till next time,
Dan