Howdy Doody marionette
date: label: date made
content: 1949
name: label: user
content: Rose, Rufus
label: user
content: NBC
label: user
content: Smith, Bob
label: designer
content: Neil, Milt
label: user
content: Rufus Rose Marionettes
label: maker
content: Rose, Rufus
label: maker
content: Rose, Margo
label: maker
content: Dawson, Velma
label: maker
content: Rufus Rose Marionettes
notes: label: Description
content: This is one of the three original Howdy Doody marionettes used in production of <i>Howdy Doody</i>, one of the most popular and influential children’s television series in American history. In its original run from 1947 to 1960, each episode opened with the voiceover question "Say, kids, what time is it?" Resounding from the peanut gallery—and from millions of television-watching kids around the country—came the reply, "It's Howdy Doody time!"
label: Description
content: The creator of Howdy Doody, “Buffalo” Bob Smith, first performed the character on his WNBC radio show. When the show transitioned to TV, puppet builder Frank Paris created a marionette to match the voice. In 1948, a dispute over merchandising rights led Frank Paris to leave the show and take the original puppet with him. Velma Dawson created this new style of Howdy Doody puppet that debuted on June 8, 1948 after a break for “plastic surgery.” Throughout the series run on NBC, Bob Smith voiced the puppet, usually through recordings made before the show, while Margo and Rufus Rose were primarily responsible for building, maintaining, and performing the marionettes.
label: Description
content: This particular Howdy Doody was known as "Double Doody" - being the second of this type made for the production. This marionette was most often used as a stand-in for the main marionette when needed, and in long shots. The marionette's body is made of pine and the head is made of plastic wood. Howdy's face is painted with 48 freckles - one for each state in the union at the time of his creation.
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: general subject association
content: Puppetry
label: general subject association
content: Television
label: Subject
content: Radio and television broadcasting
label: Subject
content: Television broadcasts
label: Subject
content: Children's television programs
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
label: See more items in
content: Popular Entertainment
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content: Puppets
label: See more items in
content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition
content: Entertainment Nation
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Margo Rose
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1980.0123.01
label: accession number
content: 1980.0123
label: catalog number
content: 1980.0123.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: puppet
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood, pine (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: fabric (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: string (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 34 1/2 in x 8 in x 7 in; 87.63 cm x 20.32 cm x 17.78 cm