Jan Dalibor

Jan Dalibor was one of the creators of Pinky and Perky.

Jan together with his wife Vlasta performed at Lancashire's Heysham Head (pronounced Heesham not Haysham) during the 1950s. The shows they presented were childrens' fables with superbly crafted carved wooden puppets. The theatre was outdoors - and to keep the rain off the stage, there was a large sloping glass or perspex sheet in front of the stage proscenium. This sheet of glass had a remarkable effect because it made the puppet marrionette strings almost invisible. The puppets were strung with very fine nylon fishing twine, which created an amazing result which was spellbinding for the young audience who could only see these remarkable little people and animals walking and talking without aid.

They weren't very long at Heysham Head Holiday Park, a tv producer saw their remarkable act, and Pinky and Porky (who was renamed Perky) were born and the rest is history - but I would love to see all those other lovely puppets of the early years - grandad and Sue and so many many more.

The Dalibors replaced an earlier puppet show who's starring character was "Yorkshire Bob" and during a break in the proceedings a lady would tour the seated audience with an armful of booklets selling them as "Yorkshire Bob in fairyland price one shilling."