I have known Lee Dunn for a
number of years and have done business with him both buying and
selling of ventriloquist figures over the past 5 or 6 years. I
always knew he was capable of doing repair work as well. Although we
had communicated over the years by email we had never met or talked
with each other until this past July at the Vent Haven Convention.
At the convention Lee had told me he was really
into mechanics and was working on trying his hand at making a
McElroy figure. Using the wonderful book written by Greg
Claassen " McElroy Magic", Lee was able to figure out some of the
things he had long wondered about.
He set about to making his McElroy tribute
figure. He found a correct McElroy Johnny Casting and did a truly
spectacular job of recreating a McElroy Johnny figure. He did not do
a completely loaded one on this first attempt but it is pretty
close.
Lee put in slot jaw, side to side floating eyes, wiggling ears,
wiggling nose, light up nose, flip up wig, floating eyebrows with an
override to raise them anytime you desire, plus made a cradle with
the correct style locking devise. The body is also a correct cast
McElroy body.
The mechanics are all done with steel and
brass and are all direct linkage and are super clean and done as
well as most anyone could possibly do. When I saw this incredible
figure I knew I had to have him for the Dan Willinger collection.
Lee agreed that he would like his first
creation to reside with me so here he is for your viewing pleasure. |