One of the funniest episodes features Phyllis Diller (118), which includes, among other things, Phyllis on saxophone…

A surprise patient for Dr. Bob…

And exploding apparel from Muppet Labs…

Perhaps tied for humor is the episode featuring Vincent Price.

Sadly, one of the sketches was cut from the DVD (Vincent Price and friends singing “You’ve Got a Friend”)…

And a Cuparia Muppet Show report would not be complete without a log of references to Ohio. On this disc, the reference occurs in the episode with special guest star Ben Vereen (117). Fozzie, upon discovering a trick box left backstage by Marvo the Magician, disregards Kermit’s warnings and enters it only to get trapped inside. Alas, Marvo cannot release him because he is in Toledo. Will Fozzie escape the box in time for his act?

The single best sketch, however, was in the Lena Horne episode (111), and wasn’t even included in the U.S. broadcast. It was a UK Spot with Zoot and Rowlf performing the “Theme from Love Story (Where Do I Begin)” and it is simply beautiful. The saxophonist was Frank Reedy and the pianist was Derek Scott. Exquisite.

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Of special interest to me were the two references to my home state of Ohio. In one segment, Kermit announces an act he discovered as he was waiting in a bus station in Toledo, Ohio: the notorious Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphone. In another segment that originally aired only in the U.K., The Country Trio performed the song “To Morrow” about a town in Ohio named Morrow.

The episode was genuinely hilarious, and Rita Moreno was spectacular.

I must remember to add Muppet Wiki to my Links page.
[Edit: Added.]

As one who has always been fascinated by puppetry and animation, I appreciate his contributions and offer my condolences to his loved ones.

In June, I missed my chance to attend an international puppet festival in Nashville. It was not because I wasn’t aware of it early enough, but because I had some serious car trouble that also prevented me from attending a convention for which I had already registered. Next year I intend to see both, if my car’s health allows it. I need better luck.

I recall that there is a puppet theatre and museum in Detroit, Michigan, so maybe I’ll be able to see a puppet show before the end of summer. (Detroit Puppet Theater and Puppet Center is the place… and I just noticed that I missed a series of performances by a few days. Make that the entire 2007-2008 performance season… by a few days. The very last performance was August the 16th. I’m just not lucky.)

Danny Boy has made lots of puppet heads for both the Monster Chiller Horror Puppet Show and Punch & Judy, but he hasn’t painted any of them.

I sculpted and painted a new Flying Monkey puppet head recently, and I will be making a new Wicked Witch of the West next. She will be a tricky one (appropriately enough).

As for photographs, I’m waiting until the puppets are completely finished.

Danny Boy has been making monster puppets, too. Today he asked me what he should make next and I said, “How about a gargoyle? I think I can come up with something funny about a gargoyle.” I have charged him with making the “Real Monsters” whilst I concentrate on the “Movie Monsters.” I think I’ll make Lon Chaney Jr.’s Wolf Man next. Oh, and I should write a play with all these characters at some point. (Or I could wait until the last minute.)

We have been making puppets for two different shows. The Punch & Judy puppet heads are largely finished, but I’ve only made two of the Halloween puppets. Since several of the primary puppets are based on actual characters, I am searching for photographs to use as reference. In particular, I require Bela Lugosi as Dracula, Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s Monster, and maybe Peter Lorre and Vincent Price as undetermined characters. One of the two finished puppet heads is an Igor based loosely on Marty Feldman. The other is a goblin not based on anyone.

If anyone knows of any books with good photographs of these actors, please let me know.

Other smaller puppet projects I am planning include making a new Wicked Witch of the West and a new Flying Monkey. I might even go so far as to write a new play inspired by the Wizard of Oz characters, which would, of course, necessitate the making of even more puppets.

We shall see…

I thought about posting some photographs of puppets in progress, including the Mr. Punch and the Doctor I finished painting, but I’m having second thoughts about displaying them before they are complete. Perhaps if I had photographs of each stage of their creation I would post them, but just their headless selves? No, I think I’ll wait until I can present them in their full glory (or infamy, depending on one’s point of view).