Fred Russell (ventriloquist)
Encyclopedia
Fred Russell was an English
ventriloquist
. Usually credited as being the first to use a knee-sitting figure, he is known as "The Father of Modern Ventriloquism".
Russell began his career as a journalist, but from 1882 began performing in public his hobby of ventriloquism. In 1886, when he was editor of the Hackney and Kingsland Gazette, he was offered a professional engagement at London
's Palace Theatre
and took up his stage career permanently. His act, based on the cheeky-boy dummy
"Coster Joe", broke from the prevailing format of a family of dummies, establishing a precedent for performers such as Edgar Bergen
and Paul Winchell
.
According to The Times
obituary, he changed his name because of the political flavour of "Parnell
".
In 1910, Russell published a book on his craft entitled Ventriloquism and Kindred Arts. His act remained popular for several decades, involving prolonged tours of Britain, Australia
, New Zealand
and South Africa
, as well as visits to the United States
and Ceylon
. In 1938 he appeared at the Royal Command Performance
.
He was also active in promoting the variety show
genre, an early and leading member of the Grand Order of Water Rats
and a founder of the Variety Artists Federation. In 1948 he was awarded an O.B.E.
for his long services to the profession.
He continued to perform late in life, giving televised music hall
performances in 1952, billed as "the oldest ventriloquist in the world".
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ventriloquist
Ventriloquism
Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is an act of stagecraft in which a person manipulates his or her voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered "dummy"...
. Usually credited as being the first to use a knee-sitting figure, he is known as "The Father of Modern Ventriloquism".
Russell began his career as a journalist, but from 1882 began performing in public his hobby of ventriloquism. In 1886, when he was editor of the Hackney and Kingsland Gazette, he was offered a professional engagement at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
and took up his stage career permanently. His act, based on the cheeky-boy dummy
Dummy
Dummy may refer to:*Military dummy:**dummy round—a cartridge that is inert, i.e. contains neither primer nor gunpowder**decoy—fake military equipment intended to deceive the enemy...
"Coster Joe", broke from the prevailing format of a family of dummies, establishing a precedent for performers such as Edgar Bergen
Edgar Bergen
Edgar John Bergen was an American actor and radio performer, best known as a ventriloquist.-Early life:...
and Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
.
According to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
obituary, he changed his name because of the political flavour of "Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
".
In 1910, Russell published a book on his craft entitled Ventriloquism and Kindred Arts. His act remained popular for several decades, involving prolonged tours of Britain, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, as well as visits to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. In 1938 he appeared at the Royal Command Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
.
He was also active in promoting the variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
genre, an early and leading member of the Grand Order of Water Rats
Grand Order of Water Rats
The Grand Order of Water Rats is an entertainment industry charity, and brotherhood, based in London. The Water Rats were founded in 1889 by comedian Joe Elvin. The first King Rat, as the head of the charity is termed, was music hall singer Harry Freeman. Comedian Dan Leno joined in 1890 and was...
and a founder of the Variety Artists Federation. In 1948 he was awarded an O.B.E.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his long services to the profession.
He continued to perform late in life, giving televised music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
performances in 1952, billed as "the oldest ventriloquist in the world".