Puppet Wiki:Featured Article

This page is an archive for the past Featured Articles that appear on the Main Page.

Sunday June 10, 2007 to Sunday June 10, 2007
The Cat in the Hat is the star from The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. He hosts each episode of the show sometimes playing the role of a narrator. Every episode of the show a lesson is learned. The Cat in the Hat usually explains the lesson at the end of each episode. He appears in every single episode of the show.

The Cat in the Hat was performed by Bruce Lanoil (1996-1997) and Martin P. Robinson (1997-1998). His assistants are Little Cat A, Little Cat B and Little Cat C. They appear with him in every episode of the show singing songs or helping him introduce the show. Cat also helps characters in episodes by giving them inventions and other items.

Sunday May 27, 2007 to Sunday June 3, 2007
Cuke Skywalker is the star of the online film, Grocery Store Wars. In the film Cuke, Obi Wan Cannoli, Ham Solo and ChewBroccoli travel through the organic system looking for Princess Lettuce who has been captured by the empire which they learned this from her distress signal she sent with Tofu D2.

When they arrive to save her, Cuke wears an Egg Trooper helmet as a disguise. The Princess realizes immediately that it's not an Egg Trooper, but her rescuer Cuke Skywalker. When the Princess is rescued, their escaped is postponed by the evil, Lord Tader... read more

Sunday June 10, 2007 to Sunday June 17, 2007
The Banana Splits was a television show produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions about a fictional band called the Banana Splits. The characters are Fleegle (a dog), Bingo (a gorilla), Drooper (a lion) and Snorky, an elephant.

The characters were portrayed by live-action actors in costumes; the costumes were designed by Sid and Marty Krofft. The Banana Splits Adventure Hour ran for 31 hour-long episodes from (1968 to 1970). The show featured live action and animated segments.

Dan Winkless, the actor inside the Drooper costume, told Mike Rutherford: "At some point it becomes obvious that the old stuff costs more to store than it would cost to remake (especially sets -- flats are easy to paint)... read more

Sunday June 17, 2007 to Sunday June 24, 2007
Horton Hatches the Egg (1940) was the first book about Horton the Elephant. Convinced by an irresponsible bird named Mayzie into sitting on her egg while she takes a break--which proves to last for months. Of course, the absurd sight of an elephant sitting atop a tree makes quite a scene.

Horton is laughed at by his jungle friends, exposed to the elements, captured by hunters, forced to endure a terrible sea voyage, and finally placed in a travelling circus. All through the ordeal Horton repeats this refrain:

Mayzie finds Horton at the circus just in time to see her egg hatch. She demands the egg back, but is denied it by Horton and onlookers when it hatches into a tiny winged elephant.

Sunday June 24, 2007 to Sunday July 1, 2007
Hector's House was a children's television show starring Hector the Dog, Zaza the Cat, and Kiki the Turtle. The concept of the show was the adventures of Hector the Dog, ZaZa the Cat and Kiki the Turtle (Referred as Mrs. Frog by Hector in earlier episodes of the show).

Each episode started with the bird singing in the garden and always ended with Hector saying a similar expression such as "I'm a great big silly old Hector." No credits were ever shown at the end of each episode.

Hector was voiced by Paul Bacon who died in 1995, and Kiki was voiced by Denise Bryer. It was first broadcast in 1965. Its French title was La Maison de Toutou and the French version was written by Georges Croses.

Sunday July 1, 2007 to Sunday July 8, 2007
Obi Wan Cannoli is a character from the online film Grocery Store Wars. Cuke Skywalker, Ham Solo, ChewBroccoli, and Obi Wan Cannoli travel through the organic system in the Millennium Scallion driven by ChewBroccoli and Solo.

When they arrive at the empire they set out to find Princess Lettuce, who has been captured by Egg Troopers. Cuke wearing an Egg Trooper helmet finds and rescues the Princess. Before they leave Cuke must battle the evil Lord Tader, Cuke's father which is not known to him at the time.

Obi Wan instructs Cuke to battle Tader to regain control of the farm. Cuke battles Tader and learns the truth that Tader is he real father. Tader loses in the battle against his son Cuke, and the Organic Rebellion gains control of the supermarket.

Sunday July 8, to Sunday July 15, 2007
The Adventures of Rupert Bear was based on the Mary Tourtel character Rupert Bear, produced by ATV Network, and aired from October 28 1970 to August 24 1977 on the ITV network, with 156 11-minute episodes produced over four series. Of the 156 episodes made only 74 are known to exist in their original colour film format, while there are a further 16 duped on black & white 16mm film. The remaining episodes are currently missing, whereabouts unknown.

The characters were all puppets, although the opening sequence memorably featured a toy version of Rupert Bear sitting in a live-action child's bedroom. Rupert's friends and flying chariot appeared straight from the Daily Express pages, although he was joined by some new friends including a sprite called Willy Wisp. One of the most memorable elements of the series was the catchy theme song, sung by Jackie Lee, which reached #14 in the United Kingdom charts in 1971. Infamously, the song includes the erroneous lyric "Rupert the Bear", even though Rupert has never had the definite article in his name.

Sunday July 15, 2007 to Sunday July 22, 2007
Swazzle is a puppet company dedicated to the art of live puppetry. They present lighthearted puppet shows, that emphasize positive messages for young people. Their puppet shows are completely self contained, and they require only an electrical outlet and an audience to put on a show. Swazzle's custom made portable puppet stage measures seven feet across and four feet deep, and has it's own lighting system. They travel with a sound system, complete with amp, mixer, speakers, speaker stands and wireless microphones.

Each puppet show includes a special behind the scenes presentation. The front curtain of the puppet stage is pulled back so the audience can see what it looks like back stage, and how the puppets work. Because Swazzle puppet shows are never pre-recored, the puppeteers rehearse and memorize the lines just like a stage play. Live performances lend a spontaneity and freshness impossible with a pre-recorded puppet show, and it guarantees each performance is a unique theatrical experience.

Sunday July 22, 2007 to Sunday July 29, 2007
It's a Big Big World is a children's television show on PBS Kids, that debuted January 2, 2006, and is part of Miss Lori and Hooper's schedule block. The show revolves around a group of animals living in the rainforest. The star, and host of the show is Snook the Sloth.

The characters in the show are performed using methods such as Bunraku, and traditional puppetry. Snook, Smooch and Winslow were on the cover of the Puppetry Journal in Spring of 2006. It's a Big Big World was created by Mitchell Kriegman.

Sunday July 29, 2007 to Sunday August 5, 2007
The Center for Puppetry Arts is a puppet theater and museum located in Atlanta, Georgia that has been open for over 25 years. They opened to the public in September 23, 1978 when Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog cut the ceremonial ribbon. It is the first puppetry center in the United States and also credited the largest.

The building also has a museum which features a large number of puppets in the 1930s including a Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julies Strangepork from The Muppet Show

Sunday August 5, 2007 to Sunday August 12, 2007
Between the Lions is an award-winning PBS television series that premiered in April 2000, designed to foster the literacy skills of children kids four to seven years old. There are 80 episodes of the program, which is produced by Sirius Thinking, Ltd. (founded by talent from Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Nickelodeon, and Jim Henson Productions) and various public television stations.

The "mane" characters, lion cubs Lionel (age 7) and Leona (age 4) serve as role models for younger viewers. Their parents Cleo and Theo live and work in the Barnaby B. Busterfield Library, and allow their cubs to read and play in the library during the day, surrounded by a wild cast of puppet, animated, and human characters. Cleo and Theo are playful, understanding, and literary parents, who eagerly demonstrate the power and pleasure of literacy.

Sunday September 16, 2007 to Sunday September 23, 2007
Curious Buddies is a puppet show geared toward toddlers and younger children. It was created by David Rudman, Todd Hannert, and Adam Rudman. The cast of puppet characters in the show are made from "foam rubber, stretchy fuzzy fabric, pipe cleaners for the arms, and rubber eyes."