Can You Identify This Ventriloquist Act??

question-mark

 

We do try to help anyone who asks with questions concerning any phase of ventriloquism. Unfortunately sometimes I just don’t have the answer and such was the case with this question which was asked so I thought I would post this for all of you and see if anyone out there can help answer this mystery.

I wonder if you could help me. I am trying to recall the name of a ventrioloquist I saw perform back in the mid-1970s, when I was a fairly serious, though amateur, card magician living in NJ. In NYC, the NO. 1 magic shop was Tannen’s, and each year, in early october, its owners put on an all-weekend “Magic Jubilee” at Brown’s Hotel in the Catskills.

Tannen’s made a point of scouring the world for top acts to showcase and one year – but no later than 1976, I believe – this included a very special ventriloquist act. The performer, a man, worked standing behind a set of three rectangular boxes, each one on casters for easy movement and measuring maybe 3 ft. high., 2 ft. wide, and maybe 1 ft. deep. Their front panels were hinged at the top and when the performer opened them, out popped a large animal puppet – a fuzzy bird, a gorilla, and another one I forget.

The performer stood behind these boxes and, manipulating the big floppy puppets from behind, with an arm inside each one, engaged two of them in witty conversation. This went for awhile and then he put one of the puppets away and opened up the third one, the gorilla. On went the conversation for awhile and eventually, the gorilla began to complain about how awful it was to be cooped up in that damned box all the time, bent over and cramped, no air, in the hold of the plane while the performer sat in 1st class above, etc. etc. “Sometimes I wish I were free to just get out and move around,” the gorrila said, and then, suddenly, he was moving around. He jumped away from the human performer and pranced around the stage and did cartwheels and …. well, as you can imagine, the audience’s heart just about stopped, we were so surprised.

And then it was revealed that this was no puppet but a small man – an Japanese man, if I am not mistaken – who was able to fold himself into that seemingly tiny box and wait until he was summoned up and out to do his part of the act. Does this ring any bells? Who was this? I think I recall someone saying they often appeared in Vegas, but that’s about it. I have told this story many times, but nobody has heard of the act and just now, while Googling around to see if I could find out more, and perhaps even see a video, I stumbled onto your wonderful website. Wow. Pls let me know if you have any ideas about who it was I saw. Thanks very much, John, in Calif.

 

So, if anyone has any ideas or can help John, please leave a comment below. Thanks.

 

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. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are 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 2010 by Dan Willinger

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16 Responses to Can You Identify This Ventriloquist Act??

  1. Bob Isaacson says:

    That was Garray & Tomio. In business for many years, also performed at one of the Vent Haven conventions years ago.

  2. I concur with Uncle Bob.

  3. Gary Koepke says:

    Definitely Carl Garray & Tomio. Saw them at Abbott’s somewhere around 1974. I believe they’ve both passed on now. Great act!

  4. Michael says:

    These are my uncles! Uncle Bob has passed on but my Uncle Tomio is still very much alive. Granted I never saw their acts as I am only in my 30’s but I did just see my uncle Tomio a few weeks ago and we talked about his show biz days. If you need to get a hold of Tomio, feel free to email me and I will pass it along to my uncle for you.

    • My name is Louise Edwards. I was half of the roller skating act known as The Blue Streaks. My partner, Bob Bell, died last year. We were friends with Carl and Tomio and I have often thought of them Please remind Tomio of how much I enjoyed our times in the kitchen. I am so sorry Carl is gone. My sympathies to Tomio. I was so glad to find your blurb. Where does Tomio live now. Just give him a great big hug for me and tell him I still love him.

  5. I saw Garray and Tomio perform in the early
    70’s at the Canadian national exhibition and after their amazing show
    I visited them in a trailer. All I have is the flyer
    They gave to me. I have their picture in my magic museum
    and I had hoped to find some video of their
    Act .
    Darryl Hutton

    • Karol says:

      I am very familiar with Garray and Tomio – Garray is my father and Tomio is my brother! I never thought to look them up on the internet because the internet wasn’t around when they were performing. I have original newspaper articles when they performed at the White House . I actually traveled with them one summer when they were on the circuit. My Dad made all the dummies and Tomio made all of the costumes.

  6. Was hoping to find some videos or super 8 videos I could have converted.

  7. Karol says:

    I am very familiar with Garray and Tomio – Garray is my father and Tomio is my brother! I never thought to look them up on the internet because the internet wasn’t around when they were performing. I have original newspaper articles when they performed at the White House . I actually traveled with them one summer when they were on the circuit. My Dad made all the dummies and Tomio made all of the costumes.

    • Eric Voss says:

      Hello everybody, from the world of make believe!.

      Have been a great fan of Carl Garray and Tomios ventriloquist act. Did you actually realize they performed in europe in the famous Paul Daniels televisionshows?, . . must have been in the beginning 80s.

      a) Is there ANYBODY who can supply me with a video copy of their act?

      b) What actually happened with the original props from this act?.

      Coming from the field of Magic and Illusions, working Cruise-Ships and Entertainmentparcs – have allways been fascinated by this colorfull, very funny, worldclass variety act.
      I (think ) i found Tomios adress, . . but living in germany it would be great to find his mailing adress. as well – in order to contact him personally. Would be very thankfull for any help in that respect.

      Is there anybody who knows how i can contact Tomio personally?

      Thanx again!

  8. Conrad Hartz says:

    Here is the original Carl Garray and Tomino Ventriloquist Act…………….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBPT28zMBgY

  9. Michele Mule says:

    I was actually a member of the show with them in the late 80s and 90s and performed with them for three years. The last contact I had with them was in Lancaster, PA in 1994. I am looking for any videos of their shows, if anyone could share, please contact me at essenceofjanis@gmail.com.

  10. DENISE BLACK says:

    I WORKED WITH CARL AND TOMIO IN 1974 WILDWOOD NJ AT COZY MORLEYS GREAT GREAT GUYS

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