The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-09
HAL
BOYLE
! SAYS
By HAL BOYLE

by HAk nOtLG
CHICAGO R-0ne way to sue.
cess is to conquer the world. An.
other way is to build your own
private world.
That is the way Burr Tillstrom
chose a lcng time ago, when he
was a child. Now at "a he is Amer,
ica's crown prince of make believe,
and millions share his private
world.
1t is the mad, wistful, happy
world Of "Kukla, Fran and Ollie, 7
q television show about puppets
and people that for five years has
been turning children into grown.
ups and grownups into children.
The show has been telecast
through more than 1000 perform.
ances, and its followers are addicts
rather than fans. There are some
who firmly believe that ''Kukla,
Fran and Ollie" have done more
for Chicago than even Mrs.
OIeary's COW.
Among these better known boost
ers are such other stars of the
entertainment and literary world
as Helen Hayes. Robert Sherwood,
Mary Martin, John Steinbeck and
Margaret Truman.
/ The day / dropped by to see the
show in action Broadway Producer
Leland Hayward and Playwright
Russell Grouse also were there to
view it. 1t is put on in a toy
theater-studio big enough to hold
only dozen or so people.
The atmosphere was completely
informal. Tillstrom came in, said
hello, and quietly disappeared be.
hind a screen. Fran Allison lolled
comfortably in chair. Then one
by one the puppets appeared on
the stage and began chatting with
Fran. When Ollie, the one-toothed
dragon came out, Grouse said:
THAT 0llie-he's such a sweet
person"
1t is this quality that gives the
show its appeal. The puppets moi
only sturdily regard themselves as
people-they manage to make ev,
erybody else feel that way about
them, too.
After half an hour or so Of this
''warm-up" conversation. Burr and
Fran and the rest Of the troupe
had a brief consultation about the
general pattern of the show. Blu,
there was no written script, ne
tense rehearsal. A few moments
later, the show went on--ad Lii
and relaxed. e
Later / talked with Burr. Like
many puppet masters he is sh,
and rather less articulate than the
characters he has created. He pre-
fers to speak through them.
I'VE don't try to get across any
special message" he said. Eek,
cept perhaps a spirit Of kindness
and group unity.
1T would never enter into the
heads Of any of the characters
to be deliberately cruel. I don'i
believe I've ever met a deIiber,
ately cruel person in my life. II
have, / don't know it.
People sometimes are unpleas.
ant, but that usually reflects their
own insecurity"
Burr Is a bachelor. He likes Ia
swim. 60 to the theater and the
movies, do his own cooking.
There are a million and one
things I'd like to do in life. = ne
said. but mostly I just want IL
keep the spirit Of Kukla and Ollie
going"
| SO far he has resisted the tenn
tation of exploiting his character,
commercially. He has turned dowr
offers BY manufacturers who wan
to mass produce little Kukla ant
Ollie dolls for children.
Il don't want anybody else ever
working them as puppets, /" he said
or buying them as pieces Of clotf
| and cotton"
He has a fine sense Of artistic
integrity, q complete loyalty Il
these creatures Of his own imag.
nation. He also has q good recipt
for universal salvation.
Being able to laugh at your.
SELF" ne remarked, 'sis the onlv
thing that will save the world /,
mas to start with you"