Boy, do I have a soft spot in my heart for this puppet! I developed the "Ventriloett" about 1970 as a result of a request from a student for just a vent figure headpost (no head) and he wanted a spring-loaded lever mounted to the post. The student wanted to be able to practice manipulating a lever control while pretending to sync words to a pro vent figure. He could not afford a dummy, but wanted to develop good skills.
That request sparked my desire to create a simple hand puppet that operated in a similar manner to a traditional figure. Why couldn't practice be practical? The ventriloett was the result, and hundreds were sold. Ventriloeets were used in practice, yes. But, many were used from the stage by beginner vents, and in the classroom as an "easy access puppet." The
headpost with lever is hidden behind his legs. The one in this picture (left) is one of the first prototypes, but they were produced in several variations (photo right).
headpost with lever is hidden behind his legs. The one in this picture (left) is one of the first prototypes, but they were produced in several variations (photo right).