This just in from Andrew:
[Hi there,
Someone recently sent me an old article that I posted on my web site that I thought you might be interested in if you've never seen it before... it's an old article from 1941 explaining how to make a Pinocchio marionette.
The patterns included with it are for the same type of puppet that was used by Disney animators while working on Pinocchio.
Hope you enjoy it,
Andrew
PuppetBuilding.com]
After submitting this here, I discovered that those Pinocchio plans - which had been sent to me by a reader of my site - were apparently lifted from the excellent Modern Mechanix blog so credit for them is owed there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Didier (and Andrew) for this. I love your blog enormously! If you'll allow me to give further credit where it is due, the original Pinocchio puppet model was made by Disney Model Shop sculptor Bob Jones. Prior to working for Disney, Bob and his brother Bill had built puppets and performed shows on Catalina Island and for pre-show audiences at Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Many of the amazing models and maquettes built by Bob for Snow White, Pinocchio, Bambi and Fantasia still survive, though Bob's name is still relatively unknown. (There is a wonderful article about his later contributions to Disneyland in the "E" Ticket Magazine, Spring 2002 issue.) Bob and his wife Margie were dear friends of mine in the 80s and early 90s, and I love to keep Bob's talents in the historical spotlight whenever I can!
ReplyDelete-Kevin
Hey Kevin... what a small world, I also knew Bob & Margie as a kid growing up. My Grandparents were close friends with them as well. She lived down the street about 5 or 6 houses in Fullerton. I'll never forget the street with all the palm trees. EVERYTIME I came down to visit (from the Bay Area) I always went over to visit with Bob and Margie and they would also let us swim in their pool. Every once in awhile, Bob would put on a little puppet show for me and my sister. Those were great times I'll never forget. This probably went on from early 70's through the 80's, so we must have crossed paths at some point. It makes me smile thinking about those days... Very nice couple, I loved them both dearly.
ReplyDeleteSteveHeald@gmail.com