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Dummy Days: America's Favorite Ventriloquists from Radio and Early TV

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It has been said a book about ventriloquists could never attract interest beyond the small clique of ventriloquists practicing the quirky art today. A major publisher's book would more likely be a "best smeller" than a "best seller," with little "cross-over" (non-ventriloquist) appeal -- a nostalgia piece with little relevance to modern day generations.

They said it couldn't be done. And DreamWorks' animation maven Kelly Asbury, author of Dummy Days, has proven them totally WRONG. Dummy Days matters-- and it works on every level.

Dummy Days is a book with INCREDIBLY wide appeal. In wonderful, painstaking detail, Asbury takes you through the lives of the 20th century's greatest "belly talkers" Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, Jimmy Nelson, Senor Wences, and Shari Lewis. Lovingly crafted bios of these five performers (plus mini-bios on variety show host Ed Sullivan and legendary dummy builder Frank Marshall) make you feel you actually KNOW them personally, and you learn surprising never-before-disclosed details about them and the evolution of their acts.

But the underlying and skillfully developed subtext is the entertainment industry's brutal, take-no-prisoners evolution through the early to mid-late 20th century and how top "vents" adapted to it, then largely vanished from mainstream entertainment media's radar screen once Sullivan's landmark CBS TV show (a vaudeville show) was canceled in 1971.

Dummy Days is a book about highly-adaptable performers' sometimes roller-coast-like lives -- but it's also a vital entertainment history book. This makes it of interest not only to
ventriloquists and aspiring ventriloquists, but to ANYONE seeking to understand modern entertainment's roots -- from vaudeville, to radio, to vaudeville-influenced early TV. Each
time a dominant new entertainment medium eclipsed the previously dominant one, tastes shifted and successful performers had to adjust (their attire, their act, their persona) to survive.

Asbury, a highly acclaimed children's author, focuses on the five most famous ventriloquists:
--EDGAR BERGEN: He details the father of 20th century ventriloquism's evolution, from his adaptations to survive, to his big breaks, to his poignant last show and death shortly
afterwards. "For the first time in the history of ventriloquism,' he writes, "the art took a non-visual form'' with Bergen's hit radio show featuring life-like, carefully-etched characters. Asbury answers the raging question about whether Bergen ever had good lip control and shows why Bergen was the Gold Standard for ventriloquists.
--SENOR WENCES: A loving look at what Asbury calls the "surrealist" Spanish ventriloquist. An Ed Sullivan darling (48 appearances), Wences was pitchforked into national cultural consciousness by his hand-as-puppet Johnny and his head-in-the-box Pedro. Asbury tells you HOW and WHY these beloved 20th century characters came about . Superb account of Wences performing into his nineties (he died at 103).
--PAUL WINCHELL: The chapter is bittersweet since so little remains of pioneer Winchell's wonderful TV work. A great account of Winchell's rise from talent show contestant, to TV star, creator of innovative puppet/ventriloquism techniques, and interest in medicine, which led him to invent the first patented version of the artificial human heart. According to Asbury, Winchell, known as "The Television Ventriloquist," shaped early TV and "practically invented the idea of children's programming." .
--JIMMY NELSON: Called "Gentleman Jim" by peers, Nelson, who Asbury calls the "consummate professional," is most famous for his early TV work and legendary Nestles commercials with dummy Danny O'Day and dummy dog Farfel (N-E-S-T-L-E-S).
He recounts the accident that won Nelson the lucrative Nestles contract, propelling Nelson into ventriloquism (and advertising) immortality. This most affectionate chapter traces
Nelson's big breaks, savvy adaptation to changing venues, and key role in helping keep ventriloquism alive by ceaselessly promoting it, the Vent Haven ventriloquists' convention and
encouraging every aspiring ventriloquist who approached him (he even encouraged some like ME to go into ventriloquism fulltime).

--SHARI LEWIS: The most poignant chapter, due to her untimely death. Asbury calls the former Phyllis Hurwitz "the First Lady of Puppeteering." He offers NEW insights into why Lewis dumped using a dummy for sock-puppet Lamb Chop, how she tirelessly worked other entertainment areas when her TV worked ended, her extending her art beyond ventriloquism, and her work to educate kids. Superb account of a talent successfully re-inventing herself.

With its rare photos, short articles, multi-colored pages -- even page-corner animated flip photos so ventriloquists and dummies move -- Dummy Days is a feast for the eyes. From Dummy Days' meticulous research, to its superb writing, and creative design, Asbury gets everything perfectly right. Dummy Days is the best book ever written about ventriloquists -- and will likely remain the best book ever written about ventriloquists.

Whether you're a practicing ventriloquist, a baby-boomer who grew up watching ventriloquists on TV, a ventriloquism aficionado, TV buff, or just a little curious about the art of venting, there is no better book for you than "Dummy Days" by Kelly Asbury.

For those of us that fit 2 or more of those catagories, Asbury's work represents something that we've always wanted in one package, but could never find.

"Dummy Days" is a history book, a biograpy, (of several people),
a picture book, (complete with MOVING pictures, no less), all in one. And...it's just plain entertaining!

With broad appeal, you'll find it to be a hard read...hard to put down and hard to not smile every few seconds, that is. You could call it a "feel-good" book.

Plenty of research went into this labor of love by a true vent aficionado who has been embraced by the vent community as family.

Do yourself a favor and check this book out. You'll even be impressed by the quality of the paper stock. The photos alone are worth the purchase price!

"Dummy Days" is a trip down memory lane everyone should take.

Okay, I admit it: I grew up watching Paul Winchell on TV. And my best friend carved his own dummy, and practiced ventriloquism, while I acted as "audience". So, dummies and ventriliquists formed my warped view of life, later leading to Monte Python and Firesign Theater. What makes ventriliquists fascinating is their combination of surrealism, fantasy and real-life issues, projected into their own, small theater. By "suspending disbelief", these performed create real persons and real stories. If you love imagination and those who create imaginary worlds, you'll enjoy this book.

When I listened to NPR one morning to hear Morning Edition's Bob Edward's feature on Dummy Days, I got intrigued and ordered the book. I had no special interest in the subject until I started reading. It is fabulous and far more interesting than the interview. Kelly Asbury makes these vents come alive--I guess that's his Hollywood training as an animator coming through. I loved this book and so will everyone who reads it.

I had heard about DUMMY DAYS on a radio show and gave it a try. Had no prior interest in the subject of ventriloquism, but the author Kelly Asbury was such an interesting speaker that my curiosity took over. Little did I know that I was purchasing a book that I would not be able to put down. The lives and careers of Edgar Bergen, Senor Wences, Paul Winchell, Jimmy Nelson and Shari Lewis are all equally fascinating, dramatic and wonderful. Mr. Asbury's text flows with a readability that conveys not only his love for the art of "vent" but his true talent for storytelling (Asbury works as a director in animated films and it shows). I would recommend this great new book DUMMY DAYS to anyone of any age. It is as satisfying a read as any Harry Potter novel out there and, best of all, the magic in these stories is all real.

Yes yes yes, some people think ventriloquism is a dying art. It is not, and this wonderful book "Dummy Days" tells the reader why. Golden Memories for bay boomers, but a lot more. Well researched info, lots and lots of rare photographs, written to be read with pleasure and layed out to be looked at with delight.
It is a very American book, in the best sense. Proud of the uniqueness of history, written with love for detail. Highly recommended - a gift that will make many an eyebrow go up , and stay up !

I was given this book for Christmas and - being a huge nostalgia fan - I LOVE it! So many great photos and interesting stories. This is a must for anyone who loves show business success stories.

"Dummy Days" captures the essence of a time in the early (some say "golden") days of television. This book is about the art of ventriloquism as it flourished on TV in the 1950s and about the famous ventriloquists who practiced the art -- Edgar Bergen, Senor Wences, Paul Winchell, Jimmy Nelson and Shari Lewis.

Dummy Days is well-researched, beautifully written, and well-produced. I am grateful to Kelly Asbury for doing this work. It reproduces with uncanny accuracy a time that was magic to me, a time that I remember very well; it returns me to my childhood when I was a performing ventriloquist and following these five stars closely. But more than transporting one elder fellow down memory lane, this book serves a larger purpose. Like the Foxfire books of years ago, this book captures and preserves part of a culture as it existed in its golden era, an artform that in its original format has been mostly unattended for far too long.

Most literature about the culture of the 1950s misses the mark. Asbury got it right, and he gave comprehensive coverage of the subject. This is an important book. It recalls and records important things that otherwise exist only in the memories of my generation.

Highly recommended, not only for those who remember the dummy days, but also for those who do not and are unaware of just how golden they really were.

Al Stevens

You don't just have to be a fan of puppets or ventriloquism to LOVE this book. A friend recommended it to me and I gave it a try, not knowing anything about the art of "vent", as practitioners of the craft refer to it. DUMMY DAYS was a complete joy from beginning to end - which came too soon, it left me wanting more! AND THE DESIGN...BEAUTIFUL. It feels good just holding the book amd looking at the amazing photos. I've never written one of these reviews, but I had to make sure I got my two cents in on behalf of the wonderful new book. It will be gifted to all my friends all year long. DUMMY DAYS is a book for all ages and all readers. A must!

As someone who had no more than a casual interest in this offbeat corner of the showbiz world, I was both delighted and surprised to enjoy "Dummy Days" as much as I did. It's a beautifully produced book, making it an eyecatcher on the coffee table, but it definitely doesn't stop there: Kelly Asbury is that rare bird, a fan who can write-well. No mean feat when the subject is one that is outre in the extreme to most of us. I'm betting you'll wind up being as intrigued as I was with the bios of these very different men and women "vents" (who over 40 doesn't remember "Lampchop", or Senor Wences-the guy who painted lips on his hand, and somehow made a conversation with "him" totally believable?) and the dummies they played to. Great photographs, stories, and all done with affection. A winner all the way.