Contributor and Ventriloquist Lee Dean, North Texas State University 1964

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Webmaster

One of our regular contributors to Ventriloquist Central, Lee Dean sent us this photo page from The Yucca, Yearbook of North Texas State University, 1964.

ventriloquist lee dean YuccaYearbook1964

The bottom left picture shows Lee with a Frank Marshall Walking figure.

 

When Lee attended Baylor University in 1958, he had Frank Marshall build him “Chubby Cub”. For more information about this, click the link below.

Click here for more about the Frank Marshall creation, Chubby Cub

27-m-r

 

Thanks Lee for sharing the yearbook photo with us.

 

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

***************************************************

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

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Frank Marshall Figure (Dummy), Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Figures | 2 Comments

New Ventriloquist Central Sign

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Webmaster

The other day I was pleasantly surprised because I opened a package which contained a hat which I had left with my webmaster Steve Hurst and he had returned same to me but also inside the box I found a package all wrapped up which said happy birthday.

This surprised me because Steve had given me a bottle of Jack Daniels to me at the ConVENTion for my birthday. My birthday is July 20th so it was right after ConVENTion. I certainly was happy with that gift but it was consumed at the ConVENTion when I brought it into the hospitality room to share with everyone.

Back to my present…..Steve had contracted with Donald Woodford to create a wonderful scroll work sign which says” VENTRILOQUIST CENTRAL” The sign is scrolled out of quarter saw oak and is simply beautiful. I guess all the members of the Florida gang knew this was being done and not a one spilled the beans.

Steve actually got Donald to make two of them….one for himself and one for me. Smart move Steve as this is terrific.

I would like to also say if any of you out there don’t know about Donald’s great scroll saw work you have to check him out at:

woody and friends

www.creativescrollworks.com

Here are some shots of Steve and me with our new signs.

dan ventriloquist central

steve-ventriloquist-central

 

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

***************************************************

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

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Personal, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | Leave a comment

The Broken Watch – Performing Runs in the Family

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Webmaster

jade01

Last Firday, I introduced you to Jade Sylvan, John Schaibley’s great granddaughter (Click here to see the blog).

Well it is my pleasure to show you her post on her own blog. Be sure to look at some of the great photos that Jade has on her blog.

Click here to see Jade’s blog, The Broken Watch

 

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

***************************************************

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

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | 1 Comment

Ally Sloper and His Wife – LeMare Ventriloquist Figures

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Webmaster

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These great ventriloquist figure heads were made by Alfred LeMare somewhere around 1890 and have survived the century because the were, as told to me by the antique dealer in London, wrapped in blankets and the put into a trunk and left in an attic for the better part of 100 years until he got them.

I was certainly happy to be the one that acquired them and now I can present them for you to look at as well. I did a video showing the heads as well which you can also view on the figure page as well.

Ally Sloper was a comic strip character so you can look him up and read all about him. He was popular in England from the 1860’s to the 1930’s. There is a great story on him in Wikipedia:

 

Click here for Wikipedia on Ally Sloper

 

These are large heads about the same size as a real human head. The Male character Alley has slot jaw, spitter, smoker one eye winks and both eyes blink. Mrs Sloper has moving mouth only!!

 

Click here to see Ally Sloper and His Wife – LeMare Ventriloquist Figures

 

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

***************************************************

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

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Dummy Collecting, Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central, Ventriloquist Figure (Dummy) Makers, Ventriloquist Figure Building, Ventriloquist Figures | Leave a comment

Ventriloquist Central and BlogTalkRadio Replay – Webmaster Steve Hurst Interview

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Webmaster

steve hurst and dan willinger

Last Thursday night we did another live call in Internet radio show on BlogTalkRadio. This time around, I interviewed my partner and webmaster, Steve Hurst about websites and what makes them successful.

Personally, I thought it was a great interview and from the emails, phone calls and other responses, so did many other listeners.

I have to be honest that I was amazed at how much information Steve gave out during this interview. Building and marketing websites is a big part of Steve’s business. He normally charges his clients hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars, but for our listeners, it was free of charge.

If you were unable to listen to that call last Thursday, here’s a replay of the call. Just click the “play” button.

 

[display_podcast]

 

If you’d rather download the call to your computer and listen later, right click the link below and select “Save As”.

 

Ventriloquist Central and BlogTalkRadio Replay – Webmaster Steve Hurst Interview

 

Be sure to listen all the way through because at the end, Steve made a special free offer to anyone listening to the call. Steve tells me that quite a few people have taken him up on this offer. So be sure to jump at this chance.

 

 

Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com

***************************************************

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

NOTE: You may use this blog article provided you run it with the bio box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with the blog article in it to: webmaster@ventriloquistcentral.com

Posted in Ventriloquism/Ventriloquist, Ventriloquist Central | Leave a comment