JJ SILVERS

When we did the Shining Time Station Home Videos, I floated the idea of giving the band a loud- mouthed manager. Executive Producer Rick Sigglekow liked it so I created JJ SILVERS. I based him on two of my favorite character actors: Phil Silvers & Walter Matthau.

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

PUPPETS THROUGH THE LENS

FLEXITOON participated in a cool exhibit at the University of CT School of Puppetry

It was called PUPPETS THROUGH THE LENS.

We displayed the PINWHEEL PUPPETS from Nickelodeon

(below, with Olga and me)

As well as the Juke Box Band puppets and marionettes from

SHINING TIME STATION

The exhibit took place in April '08 and it was great fun.

Many thanks to BART ROCCOBERTON and his terriffic team

for creating such a memorable memory.

JUKE BOX BAND: "ABILINE"

Here are the Juke Box Band from Shining Time Station performing ABILINE. And thanks to Brian Blumenreich - - the Official Juke Box Band Historian - - we know it's from episode #107 called "AGREE TO DISAGREE".

Shining Time Station LULLABY

Online interview re: JUKE BOX BAND

This is from the "ISLE OF SODOR" website.
=================================
An Interview with Flexitoon Puppets and Marionettes creator

Craig Marin

Interview compiled and submitted by Orion Anderson with our thanks

For those unfamiliar with his relation to Thomas, the Juke-Box Band were a part of the Shining Time Station series in America - Thomas's launchpad in the States.

How did you become involved with Shining Time Station?
We were working with eccentric National Lampoon writer Sean Kelly on various projects, and he called us up and said he was over at WNET-THIRTEEN (Public Broadcasting Station) and that "the producers were working on a show that needed puppets, and they need the Flexitoon puppets but they just don't know it yet." So we packed up some of the puppets and marionettes from our Nickelodeon series PINWHEEL, and went over to meet the producers. This was on a Friday. They called Monday and said that "the other puppeteers said they could bring something different to the party, and we were the only ones who proved it." So Flexitoon was hired to build and perform the Juke Box Band on Shining Time Station.

What was a typical day like working on the set of Shining Time Station?
We shot the first 20 episodes in New York City (where we're stationed), and all the rest in Toronto. The Juke Box Band were usually the first segments shot for the series. I'd get the scripts earlier and "puppetize" them. I'd also draw storyboards and work closely with a co-director on integrating the scenes and musical numbers within the context of the rest of the show. We'd shoot all the two or three camera-stuff first to get it out of the way. Then we'd go to single-camera film-style and the fun would begin. We'd redress the puppets and marionettes, add custom props and sets to the juke box, or move to one of the other sets (the dressing room or Tito's vault, for instance.) Many of the props, hats and set-pieces were constructed before, during and after hours. The six of us puppeteers were always busy behind-the-scenes: Olga Felgemacher (Didi the Drummer) and Jonathan Freeman (Tito Swing) were making the costumes and hats. The late Peter Baird (Grace the Bass) restrung the marionettes. Alan Semok (Tex) constructed intricate mechanisms; Ken Miele (Grace's assistant) did woodwork; and I (Rex)designed/painted/ constructed/ supervised and co-directed. One time a business person came back into our magical enclave and declared "Oh, just like elves" to which Peter Baird - - looking up from his newly minted Finnigin Pin declared "More like trolls!"

Did you control the jukebox as well?
I'm not sure what you mean by CONTROL, but we were very "instrumental" in all things Juke Box. The six of us performed and voiced all the characters (Grace's voice was dubbed in later by Vaneese Thomas

In the special " One of the Family" , Mr. Conductor goes inside the jukebox; how did you get the puppets to interact with Mr. Conductor?
That required a lot of preplanning and careful storyboarding. After lining up the individual shots, we had the stage manager read Mister C's lines from off screen. We kept strict eye focus as to where he would eventually be integrated. And the results were quite believable. Our only regret was that we never had Ringo appear in the Juke Box to drum with Didi. A tap-dance on the tom-tom would've been one for the ages!

Was the idea that the Jukebox Puppet Band would be in Thomas and the Magic Railroad ever proposed to you?
Certainly, given the cross-over popularity of the characters. (Newsday said "the best American part of the show is a cast of crazy musical puppets known as The Flexitoons") But I guess the producers thought it's be "hipper" to have a girl pop group instead. A real faux pas on their part. Oh we had big plans for them. The preliminary discussion was to have the juke box knocked over and all the characters would scatter and get lost. They'd be out in the world! Alone. There would be a song that each of them sings, and by the end, they'd all hear the others song and reunite once again, singing joyful five-part harmony.

In closing, did you enjoy working on Shining Time Station?
Absolutely and without a doubt. The people, the producers, the finished product touched and continues to touch millions of families. On behalf of all the puppeteers, FLEXITOON is proud to be part of a such great series.

STUFF THAT MAKES ME SMILE

"It's all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago. . ."

Lesh/Hunter

The SHINING TIME STATION team

as

THE HAT SQUAD!

(Peter Baird, Alan Semok, Jonathan Freeman, Olga, Ken Miele, me)

Smiles with GABRIEL one Summers Day

Marionette Show in Forest Park, Queens

DAD and me, up on our roof, circa '71.

SVAARTA KATTAN (you heard me)

JIMMY STEWART showing puppets he made as a kid.

Kid show host, voice over guy, nice fella, HANK STOHL.

Young, free and easy one Spring day in Brockton, MA.

Art and Mrs Clokey. And a GUMBY storyboard.

Up and coming ventriloquist ALAN SEMOK. I predict big things for him.

Me working on the set of WGBH 21" Classroom Series "ALL ABOUT YOU"

During a break from shooting Shining Time Station, we went to Niagara Falls. Slowly I turned, and there she was. With OLGA on the deck of the MAID OF THE MIST.

SHINING TIME STATION on DVD

We were just told that there is a petition circulating to get SHINING TIME STATION released on DVD. STS was the series that introduced Thomas The Tank Engine to North American audiences. We played the Juke Box Band on the series, and it'd be great if new generation of kids could see it.

If you get a minute, ...would you please... sign the petition? http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/stsdvd

BEHIND THE SCENES

"PINWHEEL"

(NICKELODEON)

"SHINING TIME STATION"

(PBS)

JUKE BOX BAND TOYS

In 1992 the producers of SHINING TIME STATION marketed a line of toys based upon the JUKE BOX BAND puppets & marionettes we built and performed on the PBS series.

The launch was held at TAVERN ON THE GREEN in New York City.

WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT?

What's new? Lotsa great stuff, I'll tell ya what.
And in the interim, here's a swing past Schemer's Arcade @ Shining Time Station, where the Juke Box Band has been replaced by the RAT'S NEST . . .

THE JUKE BOX BAND "What's New Pussycat?"

In an attempt to modernize his arcade at SHINING TIME STATION, Schemer throws out the Juke Box (including the Little People Who Live Inside), and replaces it with a swingin' new Juke Box populated by a band called THE RAT PACK. Look for the hairy-chested Schemer freeze-framed below (Brian O'Connor) grooving to the beat almost.

"Goin' Up"

In 1993 Flexitoon received the first ever National Endowment for Children's Educational Television grant. We partnered with Thirteen/WNET (NY) and produced the special Goin Up.

Mr. Lift & Skylar

Mr. Lift (and Dad) was played by Jonathan Freeman. Jon is a Tony-nominated actor currently featured on Broadway in The Little Mermaid. He was also the voice of Jafar in Disney's Aladdin, and he puppeteers Tito Swing on Shining Time Station.

Jonathan first met Olga Felgemacher in 1975 where she was leading lady at the Bil Baird Marionette Theatre. Jonathan was hired for PINOCCHIO (Olga played the title role) and they have been soul mates ever since. I feel the same. Jon joined Flexitoon in 1986.

Skylar & Katitude (Olga & Craig)

Goin Up was a very exciting project to work on. Not only did we create it, but Flexitoon produced it as well. Our executive producer from Thirteen/WNET was Kathleen Rae, and she could not have been smarter or more supportive. As producer we brought in Dann Linck. Like everybody in the FlexiTeam, it's vital to be well-versed in multiple areas, and Dann, along with terrific producer's cred and rolodex, also played an amazingly inventive bass!

The Bass Licks of Mr. Linck

I wrote the music and played electric twelve string guitar for Goin' Up, and puppeteer Alan Semok (r) brought the keyboards to life as if they were another puppet character at his fingertips (Alan is also TEX on Shining Time Station.)

(Semok & Marin)

We called our band THE PLAYGROUND.
Mr. Lift, Mr. Producer, Ms. Puppenspieler, Mr. Marin-ette

If you would like to hear some of the music and see a couple of scenes from Goin' Up, go here: http://www.flexitoon.com/video.php3