After I posted the pictures of the all original Ken Spencer Figure on the blog and in the Ventriloquist Central Collection I was happy to receive a great email from Marcelo in Calgary who I think may have possibly identified the original owner of said Spencer. Please check out the email he sent to me and also the picture which shows what he found. Very interesting for sure!!
Hello Dan:
I was checking out your Sailor Joe figure, it’s wonderful!. And… I guess I can help you to know a little more about him. In the September-October 1956 issue of “The Oracle”, a “Great Lester memorial edition” (he passed away at that time), on page 15 there is a photo of your Sailor Joe with a young girl; the figure is dressed with a white tuxedo jacket, cummerbund and bowtie!. The caption says:
“KARRAN, our new IBV member, is pictured here. While rehearsing with “Jerry”, prior to appearing on the Ted Mack Amateur Show, the string broke controlling the mouth action. An accident of this kind is embarrassing to any vent while doing a show… But Karran was not dismayed as she held to the tradition of the stage “the show must go on” and on she went with her act as if nothing had happened. KARRAN recently appeared for two weeks in the “All Star Show” at the Childen’s Theatre, Steel Pier, Atlantic City, N.J., and she also appeared on the Variety Show for R.C.A., Lancaster, Pa.”
Let me tell you, the figure appears in this photo EXACTLY as it looks today, the crowfeet, the eyelashes; today the figure has the same painting as in 1956… Amazing…
I hope I helped you a little with the background for this figure. Please let me know if this information was helpful.
At your service, from Calgary, Marcelo.
Click picture for larger view
So, you be the judge…..click here for Sailor Joe
Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com
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Dan Willinger is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. His collection of ventriloquist figures now numbers over 100 figures of which there are over 50 Frank Marshall figures. Because of his love for the art of ventriloquism, Mr. Willinger created the website Ventriloquist Central. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com
Copyright 2009 by Dan Willinger
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I remember Oracle photo and sure looks like Sailor Joe is Karran’s Jerry.