bhowells

They were a regular fixture on tv in the fifties and sixties, never my favourite genre but I remember many vent acts and their dummies when I was a kid.

Terry Hall and Lenny The Lion, Arthur Worsley and of course Ray Allen with Lord Charles and Tich and Quackers.

I think I saw many of these on Sunday Night At The Paladium and other variety shows.

We also had imported shows like The Shari Lewis show which I used to watch cant think why now.

Does anyone recall any other vent acts apart from obvious ones like Peter Brough with Archie Andrews.

Jackdaw

Arthur Worsley was my favourite vent.
I never recall his speaking a word in character in his act, and it truly appeared that he was being continually harangued by his bullying puppet.
He was technically very good as well, no lip movements and apparently pronouncing the labial consonants fully. (sounds awful - that last bit.)
I'm also very fond of Ray Alan, another great technician with a tremendous act.
With these people, you tend to forget that they are vents with a doll.
Another very good vent was Dennis Spicer, who was killed in a car crash in the 60's, when he was very much the coming man.
His doll was named James Green, much to the chagrin of the eponymous Evening News (?) journalist, who stated that on the whole he preferred Arthur Worsley on the grounds that, "at least he hasn't named his bloody doll after me".
A vent from my childhood was (Albert) Saveen, whose main doll was the famous Daisy May.
IIRC, he also had a little boy and a dog doll, which would transform into a real dog at the climax of the show. (May have got that a bit confused!)
I also have memories of Terri Rogers, the trans-sexual vent, and another woman from the seventies who had a particularly unpleasant and profane boy doll. I can't remember her name, but she may have won a TV talent show.
Again, very good technically, but not a very good act.
I'm sure one of you will come up with her name.

bhowells

Thanks Jackdaw some interesting information on vents there. I remember seeing Saveen with Daisey May now and again on tv in the sixties and seventies.

I saw a Woman vent in an end of the pier show in Bournemouth a few years ago, this kind of ednteraiment may generally be considered passe these days but its nice to see such acts.

winsfordtown

I remember Peter Brough on the very first 'Cilla' show in 1968 and was some what baffled why he kept putting his hand in front of his mouth. Even more baffling was when he turned out to be radio ventriliquist.

wadsy

Arthur Worsley was technically the best vent ever, imho!

One of the funniest was Neville King, he had that old guy in the flat cap

always trying to headbutt him. He was one of the few that could " throw his

voice" literally putting words into some poor victim's mouth!

Jackdaw

Had forgotten about Neville King - a very good act!
Talking of throwing the voice, who was the young man whose act had two volunteers from the audience, who supposedly had to take part in some game
or other?
He would choose a big bloke and a woman, I think, and then throw his voice so that the big lad appeared to be propositioning him in an effeminate voice, and the woman had a deep, gruff voice.

billy bentley

I guess Rod Hull and Emu, don't count as I don't remember Emu saying anything, still it was quite an anarchic act at times.

bhowells

I suppose Keith Harris with Orville and Cuddles was one of the last big vent acts in this country.

Dont know the names of many us vent acts apart from Edgar Bergen who was popular on radio in the same way as Brough was with Archie.

Another us name is Paul Winchell who hass done lot of cartoon voice work, his name is on the credits for Wacky Races and Dastardly and Mutley I assume he was the voice of Dick Dastardly,

Talking of ventrilquists I saw the film,"Magic." with Anthony Hopkins in my local branch of Zavvi, I must buy that havent seen it for years. When the film came out I read the novel by William Godlman.

winsfordtown

If we're getting desperate there was always Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear

apricot

I'm not sure if my memory is deceiving me but I think I remember Lenny the Lion doing some sort of reading programme for schools.

essaljay

A very good but unsung vent was Harry Worth. He used it as part of his routine on the stage and sometimes television but I never saw him use it in his comedy programme.

David Brent

You're right Apricot.
Terry Hall also wrote educational storybooks and these later featured on the show 'Reading With Lenny'.
The show ran from 1977 to 1980.

Dave.

David Brent

Another interesting point about Terry Hall and Lenny was that their television show 'Pops and Lenny' (1962-63) featured one of the first television performances from the one and only Beatles.

Sadly Terry Hall passed away last year.

Dave.

Harleybloke

A lot more modern but some American guy had 'Scorch the Dragon'. I always thought what a great name for a Dragon - 'Scorch'!

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

Marky B

I've seen them live at a show in Haughton-Le-Spring. Whilst De Courcey's ventism is a bit suspect,it was an hilarious show.

My favourite vent was the great Ray Allen and I do remember Scorch - very funny.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know