BIG APPLE COMIC CON

It was May 21, 2011 and we had a rapturous time. May 22nd too.
IT WAS WIZARD WORLD/BIG APPLE COMIC CON!
We were surrounded by Superheroes in Spandex and Comic-book Artists in their element, yet there we were with our television puppets from so many childhoods.
And the response was ecstatic!
So (so) many people would spot us - - look away -- look back and go OH MY GOD!!! as the memories of long ago flash-flooded to the forefront of their present.
(click on the pictures)

See TITO SWING on my right? I had him positioned so that as folks would notice him he would wink at them. You should've seen the double takes!
Some people were crazy for the Juke Box Band from SHINING TIME STATION. DJ KAT pulled a strong response too. Others went weepy for PINWHEEL. Bobby Moynihan from Saturday Night Live stopped by to say hello to the Hobo Bugs he watched as a kid. (He took a picture with the puppets. I asked him to e it to me and if he does I'll post it. Bobby was terrific!)

We were also visited by fellow puppeteer James Wojtal. . .
A great experience. To have planted our imaginations into so many young minds and to have had it take root was a wonderful confirmation. The puppets (who have aged far less than the rest of us!) could not have been happier!
We are so looking forward to launching our next puppet project. Stay tooned.

Here is the official website:

http://www.wizardworld.com/home-newyork.html

http://www.wizardworld.com/craigmarin.html

ADVENTURES IN HOBBYVILLE

"Nutso Productions Present: ADVENTURES IN HOBBYVILLE with your host Dexter Dimbulb"
Just found this: While puppeteering DJ KAT, I also portrayed many live-action characters like the villainous ventriloquist BRACKISH SWAMPWATER and PHYSICAL ED the Out-Of-Work Work-Out Guy. Here I am as DEXTER DIMBULB, hobbyist extra-ordinary. . .

THE DJ KAT SHOW Opening Titles

Here's how we started the show every Sunday morning for two years . . .

Some Behind-The-Scenes Info can be found here:

http://flexitoon.blogspot.com/2009/08/backstage-dj-kat-show.html

WONDERAMA (PART 2)

Where we left off :

I met JIMMY NELSON. . .
. . . who suggested I call WONDERAMA - - which I did. . .. . . to set up an audition, which I got.
The next week didn't get here QUIK enough.
I practiced my ventriloquism in front of the mirror for hours. I also figured I'd do my puppet act as well. This is when it pays to have a younger brother. My bro, Lowell, is six years my junior as well as my captive assistant. I'd get him up at all hours to work my puppets so I could see my puppets work. Everyone should have a serf - - except younger brothers.

Anyway, off we headed - - suitcases in hand - - to 205 East 67th Street:

This was not only the self-same studio where WONDERAMA originated, but it was also home to SANDY BECKER & SOUPY SALES.
I met with NORMAN BERGER (producer of Wonderama) in the lobby, and he and his assistant took us down to the basement, and for some reason FLASH! those offices really stuck in my memory. I'll tell why it matters later.

Well, I did my vent act which had something to do with taking my dummy, RAVENAL VALPOLE Jr (!) to the dentist (ME: I'll have to give you the gas. HIM: OK, check the oil too.) It was really my adaptation of a comedy bit from my favorite book:

When I finished Norman said "excellent" (woohoo!) We then did the puppet act, and he said we should do them both on the show and that we'd be on in a couple of weeks.

When the big taping day finally arrived, they kept us away from the rest of the kid rabble (heh heh) in the studio audience. Soon they called me down to stand next to SONNY FOX.

Sonny was the host of the show; a somewhat intimidating presence who kept the proceedings moving at a good clip. He said to me "when I introduce you, say something funny." HoBoy, had to write something fast! Next thing I knew, Sonny was saying. . . "14 year old ventriloquist Craig Marin" and he tossed it to me. I took a deep breath and said "Well, Ravenal, what do you think about being on Wonderama?" He rotated his head and quipped "If you can't do Ed Sullivan, I guess this will do." The audience cracked up, and it was intoxicating!

Next thing I knew Sonny was saying "Headlining on the show is puppeteer ADDIS WILLIAMS."

WOW, a professional puppeteer! With a stage. When I auditioned we hid behind a table, and I figured I'd just figure something out at the studio. Addis, one of the nicest kindest people I ever met in these make-believe arts asked if I wanted to use his stage for my bit. Problem solved!

I'll never forget his generosity. Or his act. He had a CHEF hand puppet that I think looked something like this:

He was trying to bake a cake, and at the end of the bit the candle blew up and the cake collapsed! The Chef "oh well" rested his chin on his fist. It was inspiring!

When it was our turn to puppetize I remember the bit going over well. Then we stood up to take a bow, and little Lowell's head didn't make it above the playboard!
Sonny called us out front and interviewed us, finally asking if my puppet would like to throw it to the commercial. I watched the monitor as the camera pushed in. My character says "and now, here's a word from K-E- double L, O Double Good Kelloggs best to you." Sonny cracked up at what was my first blend of Art and Commerce!
I mentioned the basement office where my brother and I auditioned? Fast-forward BLIP years later and I'm doing the DJ Kat show from the self-same studio where I performed on WONDERAMA those BLIP years ago. And where is my new office? In the basement at Channel 5. I had come home to where I remembered the future to be . . .

Howdy, Lucky.

The original HOWDY DOODY meets the original LUCKY STIFF in a no-strings-barred dummy-off! Actually, this was in 1990, where OLGA puppeteered Howdy opposite BUFFALO BOB on the SALLY JESSE RAPHAEL SHOW (produced by the legendary Burt Dubrow). Others on the show included Bob McGrath (Sesame Street) and SOUPY SALES. We designed the puppet stage to sit on top of the piano, so Buffalo Bob could play and sing and converse with Mr. Doody. It was an honor and a pleasure and great fun, too. I mean, the ORIGINAL HOWDY DOODY! I be looking for a clip to post. . .

Lucky Stiff was a featured player on our weekly FOX series, The DJ KAT Show.

I played BRACKISH SWAMPWATER, a Villianous Ventriloquist who was after DJ Kat's job as host of the show.

Always had a soft spot in my head for dummies. . .

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!!!!

HALLOWEEN was always big around my apartment growing up. Dad was a professional make-up artist and when he'd come home from work on All Hallow's Eve, kids would be lined up out the door and down the stairs (we lived on the 6th floor) for Dad to make them up.

My favorite make-up for many years was EMMETT KELLY, the famous sad-faced hobo. One time the Community Center across from my building was having a Halloween Costume Party and my dad couldn't be home in time, so I went into his make-up kit (unleashing that gloriously pungent-fresh-from-vaudeville grease paint smell!) and did my first make-up. I won First Prize, too. I was 6. . .

I always liked portraying different people and things. That's why puppets and puppetry suit me like a glove. If I saw something or someone I liked, I had to be it or them. Guess I was an early Zelig-teer!

Like, Steve McQueen as Josh Randall in "WANTED- DEAD OR ALIVE"

Who's cooler? Him or me?

Or CHUCK McCANN. Boy I wanted to be him. We even have the same initials!

SOUPY SALES was another fave wannabe. . .

I guess you never have to outgrow it. . .

My friend PAUL RUBIN and I used to dress like LAUREL AND HARDY and perform at schools and events as the duo (I was Chubby Ollie). We even made several TV appearances. . .

The zombie in the middle is JOE FRANKLIN.

In (very) High School we put on attic shows as THE MARX BROTHERS

I'm GROUCHO (and the red-eyed fella in the red was (nay IS!) DUG COHEN - - soon to become my partner in the MARKO PUPPET THEATRE.

I carried this joi-de-make-believe into adulthood, and played the villianous ventriloquist BRACKISH SWAMPWATER on my FOX series DJ KAT.

Have a wonderful OctoBoo 31, 2009.

BACKSTAGE @ THE DJ KAT SHOW

I've written before about our FOX series

THE DJ KAT SHOW

where I co-starred with the lovely and exuberant

CARMEN DeLa PAZ.

Specifically here:

http://flexitoon.blogspot.com/2009/04/dj-kat-show.html

and here:

http://flexitoon.blogspot.com/2009/04/wnew-wnyc-channel-5-new-york.html

I just found a parcel of BEHIND-THE-SCENES shots circa 1989. Now I can give some well-deserved props to the DJ Kat Show Team:

That's me and Carmen (I'm the pony-tail on the left) putting our heads together on the couch set.
The Red Sea parts to reveal our director, the finger-snappin' STEVEN FELDMAN. (We were very aware of gender roles on the set, so to me, he was - - and will always be - - Feldperson.)
Carmen gives the Metal Horns, while our producer TERESA MATTHEWS, looks concerned.

Rehearsing with Carmen. . .

. . . enjoying the resulting playback.

Backstage with Steven, DJ KAT in tow.

The brain trust, including former Saturday Night Live scribe, BRUCE PADDOCK (L).

Director in his natural habitat.
Steven and I worked together on several television projects besides the DJ Kat Show, including ACTV and SHINING TIME STATION. We enjoyed a mutually beneficial working relationship throughout much of the '90's.

Producer Teresa Matthews.

Shooting the station owner, Midas G. Merkle (M.G.M.)

The popular VIEWER MAIL segment.

With the legendary ELI BERGMAN.
Eli was with WNEW (now FOX) from the begininng, and he worked with all the kid show greats: SOUPY SALES, CHUCK McCANN, SANDY BECKER, BOB McCALLISTER, and, DIALING FOR DOLLARS (heh-heh). Eli was the tether to the halcyon day's of old, and whenever I wasn't working, he'd regale me with stories about my heroes (see above.) The nicest thing he ever said to me was "You know, Craig. You're one of them!"

I loved doing the DJ Kat Show, and I hope that everyone - - Carmen, Steven, Teresa, Tommy Terranova, Scoop the Cameraman, Ron on Sound, Donna on the floor (!?) et al - - look back fondly on the memories we created for our kids in the FOX viewing area. I'll see if I can post an episode sometime. . .

All photos by ALAN (the) SEMOK

KREG and the KATZ

It's a funny thing about cats. They love me. Lots. Must know that I'm somewhat allergic. When I was younger, it was even worse - - puddy tats had me hacking and wheezing like Mister Magoo laughing.

Ironically, some of our most fun and profitable puppet projects involved cats. Here are pictures of a few of our Flexitoon felines. . . nothing more than felines. . .

I built COUNTRY CAT in 1974 when my then partner Holly Smith and I began touring schools after several CoLoRfUl years performing psychedlic puppet shows at colleges with the MARKO PUPPET THEATRE. Country Cat, bless him, has worn the wear well, as you can see in the above picture from a recent star turn in Film Fest Fave FOREST 40 TREES. He is assayed here by one-time VENTRILOQUIST OF THE YEAR - - ALAN SEMOK.

In 1986 we helped pioneer INTERACTIVE TELEVISION invented by Dr. Michael Freeman. The man was a genius. Not only did he create many and lasting patents for true interactivity but, he also hired us. His network was ACTV, and we starred on programs for pre-schoolers (A SPECIAL PLACE, THE BOB SHOW); school-age kids (CARTOON CAVALCADE); and pre-teens (GUESS WHAT?) Pictured above is the rascally star of A Special Place, KATMANDOO.
Starred on FOX-TV as DJ KAT (another cat-in-the-cradle). Here's a backstage view with my exuberant on-camera co-star, CARMEN DeLa Paz. Since my hands are otherwise occupied, she's scratching my head. What price fame?

When DJ KAT won the New York State Broadcasters Award for Outstanding Children's Television Series, FOX-TV decided to change the format and strip the show 5 days a week from 2:00 - 5:00, using the Kat and other Flexitoon Puppets as hosts of a daily cartoon fest. We called the show the DJ KAT CLUB. The network wanted the character softend, so we did (below. Taken at NAPTE. I'm looking at the camera - - he's looking at Xena).

"Goin' Up" (PBS Special) brought another cat into our fold, the streetwise, KATITUDE. (That's me con el gatto, and Olga Felgemacher goosing Skylar into existence.)

And here's the CHESHIRE CAT from our stage production of ALICE IN WINTER WONDERLANDTM

All these cats have been furry-furry good to us through the years. Which brings us to today. Our latest project is a new comedy series starring Flexitoon Puppet versions of the World's Most Famous Feline:

Felix was created by the brilliant animator JOE ORIOLO, and we've been friends with his son Don for years. We've been jamming ways to puppetize the characters and now suddenly, it's a happening thing! Don is a terrific talent: very creative, artistic, musical and funny, and his team at Felix Productions are great guys (and goils) as well.

Here's how Don tells all:

http://www.donsfelixblog.com/2009-07-28_BLOG.html

We're very excited and pleased 'cause now all we gotta do is . . . take these globally beloved characters and turn them into three dimensional living breathing puppets that captures the essence of Felix, The Professor, Poindexter, VaVoom. Hmmmmmm. . .