History/Background

2000 years BC...... Puppetry was used in Asia and the Orient. Cult figures with moving parts have survived from antiquity. Their uses are not fully known but puppetry was used before human actors because religious taboos forbade impersonation of people. Priests would use ventriloquism to make worshippers believe that idols were alive and able to speak.
800 years BC...... Puppetry was used in Greece and found in Greek literature. The first puppeteer known by name was "PONTHEINOS" who performed in the theatre of Dionysus in Athens. He is referred to in the Deipnosophists by Athenaeus in the second century.
500 years BC....... Puppetry was mentioned by Confucius. Small jointed figures made of clay have been found in Ancient Greek and Roman tombs. Well preserved marionetts have been found among the relics of Ancient Egyptian tombs.
300 years BC....... Mentioned in Greek literature.
100 AD...... The first puppeteers in America were the Indians. They used puppetry before the coming of white man. Puppets were found in the graves of Indian children.
1400 AD...... Famous French magician "MESKYLLENE" used a small wooden box which gave answers to questions asked by audiences. He was put to death for sorcery.
1545-1563....... Puppets were used to dramatize the scriptures. THE RENAISSANCE SAW A REVIVAL OF VENTRILOQUISM BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A FORM OF INTERTAINMENT
1700's......... Spanish ventriloquist, Automata was popular.
1903......... At the time Harry Lester (The Great) died, talking motion pictures had become the most popular form of entertainment and interest in Vaudeville declined. Ventriloquism acts were the first to disappear.
1930, 1940, 1950's..... Ventriloquist Edgar Burgen (Charlie McCarthy) performed successfully on radio. Arthur Prince (Sailor Jim) were popular and Paul Winchell (Jerry Mahoney) and Jimmy Nelson (Danny O'Day & Farfel) were regulars on TV.
Today...... Puppetry is common among certain groups of people such as the Zulus of South Eastern Africa, Mauris of New Zealand, Eskimos of North America, Pontagonians of South Argentina and Chili. In the USA we have popular and famous ventriloquists performing on TV, Stage, Cruise Ships, Movies, Commercials, Night Clubs, Conventions, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Fairs and any place people gather! You may have heard of Jay Johnson and Bob, Ronn Lucus and Billy, Jeff Dunham and Walter, Mark Wade, Stevo Schuling, Dan Horn, Gary Willner, Liz Vonseggen, Al Getler, Valentine Vox, Bob Rumba, Johnny Maine, Ken Groves, Bill Demar, Clinton Detweiler and more!